travel insurance masterAs the new year approaches, one thing is for certain that the unexpected can happen on any trip! Check out our best practices and best travel tips for 2025.
A new year means it's the perfect time to check your travel documents, especially if you have an upcoming trip.
Check your passport expiration date
As a general rule, your passport must be valid for six months beyond the date the traveler exits the United States. Be sure to allow plenty of time to have your passport processed and/or renewed. Delays with passports are very common!
If it's time to renew, you may be eligible to renew online if you're a US citizen and you meet the requirements:
To renew your passport online:
- Go to the U.S. Department of State (.gov) Renew Online page
- Confirm you meet the requirements
- Create an account
- Start your application
- Enter your most recent passport information
You'll also want to ensure you have your travel plans ready to submit as well as the ability to upload a photo, and a payment method. See their online page above for more details.
Remember to check your luggage
If you've traveled enough, you've likely ran into a piece of luggage with a broken handle or wheel. Don’t wait until the last minute to pull your luggage out of storage. A broken handle, wheel, or other damage could seriously interfere with your travels. You don’t want to push back your arrival time to the airport and cause a delay shopping for new luggage. By being preemptive, you can test your luggage to ensure it’s still functional and durable. Don’t forget to add something recognizable to the exterior of your luggage so baggage claim is a breeze.
Start Packing
You don’t want to wait until the last minute to pack either. With a checklist to help you remember the necessities, and our favorite packing hacks, you’ll be ready for wherever your next trip takes you. We love using packing cubes to stay organized, and rolling clothes to help prevent wrinkles. Always remember to have a change of clothes in your carry on and anything you need if you decide to hit the pool, or other activity, when you arrive.
Find Your Recommended Travel Insurance
The unexpected can happen on any trip and travel insurance is here to help you when you’re traveling 100 miles or more from home.
For a relatively small amount, you’ll protect yourself, and your investment of time and money too. If everything goes as planned, the little cost of travel insurance will be quickly forgotten. It’s when the unexpected happens, and you didn’t purchase travel insurance, that it becomes something you’ll never forget.
Travel insurance doesn’t have to be complicated! At Travel Insurance Master, we partner with a number of the world’s leading providers that we know and trust, so you can shop and compare all of their plans and benefits in one place. In just a few super simple steps, you’ll input your trip and traveler details, and we’ll recommend the best plan and value for you. On the results page, you’ll also find similar plans to compare side by side, and smart filters to narrow down the plans by the benefits you’re looking for.
Ready to purchase a plan? Select the one you want, simply click buy plan, enter your final trip and payment details, and receive the plan straight to your email. The travel possibilities in the new year are waiting for you with Travel Insurance Master!
