January is set to be a bustling month for holiday planners, as new research from Post Office reveals that nearly half of UK passport holders who are planning on travelling abroad (48%)*1 are aiming to book their 2025 holiday abroad in January. Of those planning on booking trips abroad for February Half term holidays, 74% are considering booking in January.

However, a concerning trend has emerged: a quarter of those surveyed (25%[1]) admit they never check the validity of their passport when booking a trip. And with four in ten (40%) typically booking their holidays abroad two months or less in advance, and 12% even more spontaneously booking just one to three weeks before departure, Post Office is highlighting the importance of checking passport expiry dates to help eager January holiday planners avoid last-minute disappointments.

Lack of awareness could lead to a ruined holiday
A staggering 43%1 of those who book trips abroad say concerns about passport validity do not influence when they book their trips, leaving many at risk of last-minute disruptions. Moreover, with February Half Term a key travel period for young families, three in ten (30%1) of parents admit they are unlikely to check their child’s passport expiration date ahead of a trip abroad which could lead to costly and stressful situations.

Previous research has shown that a quarter (25%) are unaware of the 10-year passport rule for travelling to EU destinations, while 23% didn’t know the six-month validity requirement for certain countries*2. In fact, nearly a quarter (24%) are unlikely to renew their passport even if it’s set to expire within six months of their planned trip. As a result, thousands of travellers may mistakenly believe their passport is valid because it has not expired.

This oversight can ruin a trip, as discovered by 29-year-old Carla Acosta, a London-based Designer. She was gifted a surprise trip to Rome by her boyfriend but was denied boarding her flight because her passport didn’t meet the EU’s post-Brexit rule requiring at least three months validity.

“My boyfriend surprised me with a six-day trip to Rome to celebrate four years of us being together and at that moment I remember feeling super excited to go on the trip. As it was a surprise and I only had about 10-12 days to get everything in order, my biggest worry was getting my leaves approved at work and what I was going to wear for the trip, checking my passport didn’t even cross my mind in all the excitement.

“When we arrived at the airport early in the morning, all was good and I got my passport and tickets checked at the counter before heading in but when I was at the boarding gate the staff there were shocked at how I got this far as my passport was set to expire on June 10th and I was flying on March 14th and didn’t have 3 months from that day to the expiration day – I had missed it by just four days. I was told I couldn’t board the flight because of the 3-month validity rule, and it made me feel horrible.

“If you buy your own ticket and something like this happens you probably feel stupid and disappointed, but as it was a gift from my boyfriend, I felt extremely guilty that I had not checked my passport. I even told him to go alone and at least meet our friends who live there, but he refused to go without me on our anniversary. I cried a lot and felt really bad for my boyfriend because it was a waste of his money, and we couldn’t go to Rome to celebrate our relationship.

“We lost a total of more than £400 in flight and hotel bookings. It was a huge let down and now, I always check my passport and visas before planning each trip. I wasn’t aware of the 3-month rule to go to EU countries, and I wish I had been more careful. My advice to other travellers would be to always be extra cautious and check your travel documents before planning your trips so this doesn’t happen to you.”

Postmaster support for passport services
Post Office data indicates that January is a peak time for passport renewals. In 2024, the January-March period saw a 69% increase in passport renewals at Post Office branches compared to the rest of the year*3. With the government recommending a three-week renewal process, acting promptly is essential to avoid extra costs or disruptions ahead of February Half Term.

In her own words, Travel Expert and Writer Clare Vooght shares some of her top tips to avoid a ruined holiday…

Don’t forget to check your passport – Check your passport’s validity well in advance to ensure it meets the entry requirements of the country you’re travelling to. Currently, when visiting EU countries your passport needs to be valid for three months, and the issue date must be less than 10 years before your departure date, while six months of passport validity is either recommended or required for destinations including the US, Canada, Australia, Dubai and Thailand. If you need to apply for a new one, the Passport Office estimates around three weeks for a standard passport application – so if you’re planning to travel this February Half Term, be sure to check those expiry dates as soon as possible.
Check entry requirements and health precautions – Always check the FCDO website as early as possible when planning your trip to find out if you need to apply for a visa or e-visa ahead of time, or if you’ll need to arrange any particular vaccines.
Get travel insurance early – Don’t leave it until the night before to purchase travel insurance – it’s best to do this as soon as you’ve booked your holiday in case anything happens that affects your ability to travel in the run up to your departure. And although extreme weather events are rare, with climate change we’re seeing more of these kinds of events disrupting people’s holidays, so it’s worth checking your policy covers cancellations due to extreme weather, just in case.
Prepare for travel disruptions – In February last year, flooding, strikes and engineering works hit half-term holidaymakers travelling to airports across the UK. While far fewer strikes are happening this year, if you’re taking public transport to the airport, it’s worth checking ahead of time for planned engineering works, and keeping an eye on weather alerts, in case you need to plan an alternative route. If in doubt, consider booking an airport hotel and getting there the night before you fly or if you need to take the car instead, pre-book a space early to reduce costs.
Don’t forget the little things – Writing a list of packing and admin tasks for each family member in advance can help ensure your holiday runs as smoothly as possible – whether that’s remembering to arrange currency in cash or on a pre-paid card, buying a mobile data package, or getting a copy of a prescription or doctor’s letter to vouch for important medications you may be travelling with.

With the Check & Send passport services, Post Office branches and postmasters play a vital role in providing holidaymakers advice and support on their passport applications so travellers can go on their trips hassle free.

Richard Fleetwood, Postmaster at Town Centre Washington Post Office which handles more than 70 passport applications monthly on average, said, “A couple weeks ago a customer came in asking how to renew his passport as it had expired, and he was going on holiday the next month. He was worried he had left it too late and wouldn’t be able to go away with his friends. Our team talked him through the process through our Check & Send service. He came back to store with everything he needed later that day, and within 10 minutes we had completed his application, checked and sent it. He came back with his new passport to thank us – he couldn’t believe how quick and easy we made it.

“Many customers are unaware of the rules around passport validity or the specific requirements of their destination country. My top tip to all travellers this February Half Term is simple – plan ahead. Be sure to check your passport’s expiry date and validity before booking your trip and make sure to always review the travel rules for your destination. The February Half Term break will be the first opportunity for many people to travel in the New Year and staying on top of your passport expiry date can save you a lot of stress and disappointment when the trip does arrive. We find that January is always the most popular time for passport applications so would recommend that people check their passport and visit their local Post Office early if they need a new passport.”