Things to think about before booking your holiday

We’ve officially entered spring, and for some that means thinking about booking a summer holiday away from Jersey. We’ve been gathering some tips, from saving money to other general information that may help your planning.

Money-saving tips

Holidays can be a big expense, so here are some tips on how to save a few pounds:

• Don’t book with an online travel agent without first checking the price directly with the airline. Online travel agents might seem like they are comparing all the prices and getting you the best one, but going to the airline direct could get you a better price.
• Do you have to sit together on the plane? If you have children, it might be advisable, but as adults why not skip the seat selection. Which? asked airlines whether they split groups who skip seat selection and both BA and Jet2 say they don’t.
• Check the price of your hotel on your phone before booking on a laptop. If you use the Booking.com app it can sometimes be cheaper booking the same hotel on a phone than it is on the laptop – always check first.
• Avoid exchanging your money at the airport. Exchange rates at the airport are always higher. Shop around for your foreign money, and use debit and credit cards.

Etias Visa reprieve

You may not realise that 2025 sees the new European Travel Information and Authorisation Scheme (Etias) come into fruition. The Etias will mean an e-visa is required  for entry in the EU for everyone with a UK passport, and this includes Jersey.

It was due to be rolled out in 2023, but it was postponed until this year and it’s now looking like November 2025 will see the start to a different sort of border entry to some of our favourite European countries.

You can’t register for your Etias e-visa at the moment, but keep your eyes open for this change as it’s coming soon and travel to our usual European destinations (or Schengen Area States and other Member States) may be a little trickier.

We will keep you posted.

What are the requirements for entering the EU (Schengen Area) now? 

You can also only stay for a maximum of 90 days within a six-month period in Schengen countries. 

Holders of British and Jersey passports are now classified as third-country nationals under the Schengen Border Code.

Our passports must now meet the following criteria:

• Have been issued within the last ten years of the date of arrival in an EU/Schengen country.
• Have at least three months of validity remaining on the date of departure from the last EU/Schengen country visited.
• Be valid for six months if you are staying in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days - it is possible that the actual requirement checked will be at least six months of validity remaining from the date of arrival.
• Your child’s passport must have a minimum of six months on it before the day of travel.

It’s important to check your passport because, before 2018, passports were issued for longer than ten years – the UK Passport Office would add any validity left over on to your current passport if you renewed early. Always check with the Passport Office if you’re unsure.