Now that summer is here, many of us will be looking forward to summer holidays abroad. Going abroad can be daunting, but there are things you can do to help your holiday go smoothly - including knowing your rights if something does go wrong. 

You should ideally check that your passport is in date a few months before you travel; you can check if your passport is valid on the gov.uk website depending on the requirements of the country you’re visiting. This is especially important if you’re flying to Europe as EU countries no longer accept passports that are more than ten years old. You’ll also need to renew your passport if there are fewer than 3 months left on your passport when you travel. 

In the event of flight delays and cancellations, it’s important to know your rights. If your flight is delayed long enough, your airline has to give you access to food and drink vouchers, phone calls and emails, and accommodation if you’re delayed overnight. If your flight is cancelled, you have a legal right to a full refund or replacement flight to help you get to your destination.

You might also get compensation for other things, like a day trip getting cancelled, or if you paid for a deluxe room but only got a standard one. This will depend on whether you booked a package holiday, made ‘linked travel arrangements’ or organised the holiday yourself as an independent traveller. 

Finally, you should always get travel insurance, as it can cover flight delays, lost baggage as well as holiday cancellations and medical emergencies. You should get insurance as soon as you book a holiday, but check first to see if you’re covered through an existing insurance policy or through your bank account.

If something does go wrong on your holiday and you need further advice, you can get in touch with the Citizens Advice consumer team free by calling 0808 223 1133 or find more advice on the Citizens Advice website.