Before You Go

A happy holiday begins with an up-to-date passport. It is your responsibility to ensure that yours is valid and accepted in your chosen country of travel as well as having the correct documentation with you.

It is vitally important that you check all the requirements for your destination before you finalise your booking. This page should help you do that, with advice on all our top destinations that require more than your UK passport.

For security reasons the US, most EU States, and other countries now require airlines to provide details about their passengers before they travel. This is known as Advance Passenger Information (API). API is designed to enhance border security by providing Border Control Agencies with pre-arrival and departure manifest data on all passengers.

The information passengers provide is transmitted to Authorities by UK Charter Airlines 72 hours before departure with updates being provided through to day and time of departure. It has been agreed that UK Tour Operators whose customers use charter airlines should be responsible for gathering the necessary information and passing it through to the Charter Airlines.

The Advanced Passenger Information must be provided between 3 months and 7 days before departure. We recommend the lead passenger on your booking takes responsibility for completing the information on behalf of all other passengers on your booking).

• For details if travelling with Direct Holidays, you can find the Advance Passenger Information here - for information on the latest countries where this applies. Please also carefully note any instructions about Advanced Passenger Information on your confirmation invoice or tickets.

• For Scheduled flights with Easyjet flights to Spain, Cyprus, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Italy, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands, Turkey and the UK, therefore we are only requesting the information for these bookings. This information must be provided for all passengers travelling, including children and infants.

• For other Tour Operators holidays, please refer to your confirmation invoice for details of the relevant website to provide your details.

• For all other scheduled airlines please visit the airlines website to provide the airline with your advanced passenger information.

What is Advanced Passenger Information (API) and how does it affect me?

As well as helping you avoid those "If only I'd brought..." moments, our What To Pack section has some very useful information on how to get to your destination without having to spend your first day ironing. These tips should help without making you feel like you're planning a military operation.

From airport parking and pre-departure lounges to pre-bookable car hire for when you arrive, booking your holiday extras in advance with Direct Holidays will help you to avoid the queues and may even save you money.

Health facilities, hygiene and disease risks vary worldwide and so taking health advice about your specific needs as early as possible is recommended. We have provided some general information but more specific enquiries should be accessed via The Foreign and Commonwealth Travel Advice Unit.

Keep your ticket in your hand luggage as it is essential in order to check in and if you have an e-ticket, always remember to take a print-out with you - without it you may be refused travel. For any further questions about this take a look at our essential information about tickets and holiday documentation.

Whether it is the number of people going, transfer arrangements or board basis that you need to amend after you have booked your holiday, we have some essential information about how to do this with Direct Holidays.

We hope that once your holiday is booked there will be no need for you to cancel, but we also understand that unexpected circumstances arise. For that reason, we have put together some useful information about cancelling your Direct Holidays booking (including applicable charges).