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Going abroad this summer?
Your 16 point last-ditch TRAVEL CHECKLIST to save £100s & avoid panic stations...

Passport & GHIC checks, travel insurance, beat the car hire trap, airport parking, cheapest way to spend abroad & more

School's now out (or soon will be) across all of the UK, with millions due to head abroad in the next few weeks. So, without further ado, here's our crucial last-minute checklist, to save you stress and hassle.

We've done it in order of panic, first things that would stop you going, then those that may (financially) ruin your trip, and finishing with some costly but easily avoidable inconveniences...

1. THE PASSPORT CHECK: Don't risk being turned away at boarding or passport control. There are two checks you should make. But even if you pass them, if you're not far from failing - with seemingly increased border control rigidity - it may be safer to get a new passport (you should allow "up to three weeks" to renew, says the Passport Office). Check now that, on the DAY YOU ENTER THE COUNTRY, for all passports in your party...

a) Will there be at least 6mths left (3mths for the EU)?
b) Even if so, will your passport be less than 10 years old?

If you said no to EITHER, check our country-by-country UK passport rules to ensure you won't be sent back. And if needed, see our full help in cheapest & speediest UK passport renewals.

2. USA BOUND OR JUST PASSING THROUGH? You'll need an ESTA or risk being denied boarding. There's heightened security at the border, due to a pushback on immigration, so carefully ensure your travel docs are in order. See our Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) guide, which'll also show you how to avoid scam links in search results that overcharge.

3. BOOKED BUT NOT GOT TRAVEL INSURANCE YET? DO IT NOW! Martin's been yelling 'get travel insurance ASAB' (As Soon As you Book) for years. Yet still too many excitedly book their holiday, then leave insurance till the last minute. That's a mistake - half the cover's value is protecting you BEFORE you go, in case something stops you going. So if you've booked and not got cover, do it right NOW!

As Martin says: "Every year, a few people contact me after something awful, such as a cancer diagnosis that needs chemo, but the airline or hotel won't refund them (they don't have to). I tell them: 'That's what insurance is for, speak to your insurer'. But if they haven't got it yet, no matter how horrid the circumstances, there's nothing that can be done. Don't be that person."

Here are our cheapest no-frills, Financial Conduct Authority-regulated options that we can find meeting our minimum cover levels, judged purely on price NOT feedback, for those not too fussed about extras or add-ons, and who just see it as a backstop. If you want stronger cover and feedback, go to our Travel Insurance Finder tool, which includes costlier but fuller options.

Cheapest ANNUAL travel insurance policies. If you'll go abroad at least twice a year, even just for weekends, annual cover usually works out cheapest. It covers virtually all trips away, though often has a duration limit of a max 30 days per trip (you can oft pay more to extend this). The exact price depends on age & circumstances, so we give the four cheapest options - check at least a couple.

• For those under age 66 From £9 for individuals in Europe and starting at £93 for a family worldwide (where all of the party are aged under 66). Check Coverwise (Bronze)*, Admiral* (use discount code MSE15), Leisure Guard Flexi (Bronze) and Urban Jungle (Basic)*. Full info: Cheap travel insurance.
  
  
• For over-65s Costs rocket with age, so we've put a lot of work into our Over-65s' travel insurance guide. Yet briefly, annual prices are from £36 if you're aged 66, and £106 if you're aged 76. Check Admiral* (use discount code MSE15), Urban Jungle (Basic)*, Leisure Guard Flexi (Bronze) and Saga (Standard)*. Couples' policies are available too. Family policies are trickier, unless you've a child aged under 18 (or in full-time education) at home.

Cheapest SINGLE-TRIP policies. For those who just want to cover one trip (or may need specialist cover for it), enter the dates you're travelling, even if months ahead, and you'll be covered for cancellation from the moment you pay.

• For those under age 66 For a week, from £7 for individuals in Europe, or from £63 for a family worldwide. Check Coverwise (Bronze)*, A to Z Insurance (Essential), Admiral* (use discount code MSE15) and Leisure Guard Flexi (Bronze).
  
  
• For over-65s Again, it's best to go to our Over-65s' travel insurance guide, as it's age dependent, but it can be from £21/wk for an individual in Europe (£66 worldwide). Check A to Z Insurance (Essential), Admiral* (use discount code MSE15), Leisure Guard Flexi (Bronze) and Coverwise (Bronze)*.

Got pre-existing conditions? If you currently have, or have had, a physical or mental health condition, you'll usually need to declare it to the travel insurer. In some cases, it changes nothing. In others, it may hugely increase costs, or the provider may simply refuse to cover you (either entirely or for the specific condition).

There are many variables that we can't summarise easily, so jump to our Top pre-existing medical conditions travel insurance guide.

4. GOING TO THE EU? Ensure you've a valid FREE EHIC/GHIC - 1.9m expire this year. These cards are a valuable addition to travel insurance and give access to state-run hospitals or GPs in EU countries for the same price as a local. So if they don't pay, you don't pay. Yet check your card, as almost two million expire this year.

If it shows it's no longer valid, you'll need a new one, now called a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). It gives the same coverage as a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The card should ALWAYS be free - never pay to get a GHIC. And beware shyster sites trying to charge you for 'fast tracks' or other fake nonsense. See how to safely get a free GHIC.

PS: If you're already away and don't have a valid GHIC, there is an emergency NHS Provisional Replacement Certificate you can use instead.

5. BOOKED CAR HIRE? Prep to beat the insurance hard-sell at pick-up. If you need car hire and haven't booked it yet, do it sooner - see our cheapest holiday car hire guide for all the top deals. If you have booked, do understand car hire should include basic insurance, yet at the pick-up desk, they almost always try to push 'excess cover' costing up to £25/day so you won't have to pay the excess. They may even tell you scare stories of huge bills for just a scratch, and some even try to make you think it's mandatory.

Instead, get cheap standalone 'excess' insurance in advance that does a similar job for just £2/day. Yet even with it, they'll try to put you off, tell you it doesn't work, or try to make you jump through hoops, so be prepared to...

- Leave a refundable deposit of possibly £1,000+ on a credit card, specifically a credit card, as often debit cards aren't accepted.
- It usually needs to be in the name of the person who booked (though some are the main driver). If not, they won't accept it, so check first. It's also why it's safest for the driver to be the one who books it (as long as they've got a credit card).

6. PARKING AT THE AIRPORT? Book ahead... even if it's on the day. Turn up at Manchester Airport without a booking tomorrow (Wed), and it'll cost you £430/wk to park there, but we found official parking today (Tue) via a comparison site from just £69/wk. Even if you book on the way to the airport, it can be cheaper, but generally the earlier you do it, the better the deal.

See how much you can save with our Blagged comparison site discounts (bear in mind the biggest discount doesn't automatically mean the best price): SkyParkSecure 7%-53% off* | FHR 5%-51% off* | Holiday Extras 10%-50% off* | APH 16%-20% off*. For more options and top tips, pull in at Cheap airport parking.

7. CHEAPEST WAY TO SPEND ABROAD: Use the right plastic for the best rates for euros, dollars, dong & more. Spend on your plastic abroad and banks get a virtually perfect exchange rate for that moment, but most add up to 3%-ish non-sterling exchange fees on top of what we pay. So £100 worth of euros costs you £103, and others whack more fees on too.

Yet top specialist overseas cards don't add this fee, so you get the same near-perfect, bureaux-beating exchange rates as the banks.

Which is YOUR winner? It's quite a clear-cut choice right now...

- Willing to switch your current account? First Direct* wins as it's fee-free, pays switchers £175, is top-rated for service, has a linked 7% regular savings account & many get a £250 0% overdraft.

We went for that as it's fee-free, but there is another strong contender. The Santander Edge* bank account currently offers £180 cash and a £25 Amazon voucher to switchers via this link. Its debit card is similar to First Direct's abroad. Yet the current account has a £3/mth fee for which you get 1% cashback on bills you pay from it up to a max £10/mth. A strong option - see top bank accounts below.

- Overall best card: Barclaycard, as it's a top cashback credit card abroad and a decent one in the UK, meaning you're paid to pay (provided you pay it off IN FULL each month, preferably by Direct Debit, to avoid any interest). Plus, it's the only one you get Section 75 protection on, important if you make big purchases.

- Easiest to get, with no hard credit-check: Chase, as there's only a soft credit-check, not a full one, and you needn't switch bank accounts, just open it alongside your existing bank.

PS: If you want a card where you can lock in today's rate rather than the rate on the day you spend, you need the cheapest prepaid card.

8. You can INSTANTLY get a top travel card. If you've just read the above, leave tomorrow (or are reading this while on holiday abroad) and are annoyed you don't have a cheap overseas card, there is a route. The Chase* account (details above) can be set up in minutes, then you instantly get its virtual debit card within the app. You can then put this into Google Pay or Apple Pay and use it virtually straightaway.

9. IF THEY ASK 'WANT TO PAY IN POUNDS OR EUROS?' Buy things abroad on a card or take cash out, and the store or ATM will pressure you to pay in pounds. That's so they can ramp up the conversion cost and pocket extra profit. Just say non/nein/no! Always pay in the local currency - full explanation in Martin's Pay in pounds? video & blog.

10. CHEAPEST FOREIGN CASH: Speedily compare 15+ bureaux. While the top plastic beats it, if you just want a little foreign cash in your pocket for safety before you go (or you're going to a country with less card acceptance), or if it helps you budget, then our TravelMoneyMax comparison tool quickly compares 15+ bureaux, factoring in all rates & costs to find your best.

11. ROAMING OUTSIDE THE EU? There's an eSIMple way to cut costs. Your home network will charge up to £15/day for very limited data via a costly add-on - just watching TV can cost a fortune. Instead, buy cheap international eSims online (eg, £8 for 9GB USA data that lasts 30 days), which adjusts your phone's settings and temporarily routes it via another provider, so it provides your data allowance overseas.

Prices differ based on your destination and the length of your trip, so as with most purchases, it's wise to compare a few providers to find the best eSim for your needs. Popular providers to try: Airalo* | Amigo* | Breeze* | Easysim* | Firsty* | GoMoWorld | Holafly | Nomad | Saily* | Vodafone*.

Frustratingly, feedback on these firms is tough to come by, so we can't vouch for how good the coverage or the speeds are. Even so, don't be put off, many people rave about eSims, including Martin - read his story of trying an eSim from a couple of years ago. (Spoiler: It worked well and was far cheaper.) Plus if you've used one, do let us know about your experience.

12. THINKING OF TINKLING WHILE SWIMMING? Think again - peeing in the sea can get you a holiday fine. Wearing a willy outfit, feeding pigeons & more can also land you in hot water. Getting in trouble or getting a fine could dampen your holiday, so it's worth ensuring you know the local laws before you go abroad - see our holiday fines warning.

13. DO YOU HAVE FREE EU ROAMING? Most big networks don't, many little 'uns do. Vodafone, Three and EE all now charge £2ish/day to use your home phone & data package in the EU. O2 is the only 'big four' network to still be free. Yet many piggyback operators are free-to-EU-roam, including Lebara, Smarty and Giffgaff.

With 14m of you out of contract, free to switch and often already massively overpaying, why not ditch and switch to save in the UK and in the EU? Or you can do more specific searches via our Cheap Mobile Sim Finder. If you're going away imminently, it's worth knowing Sims normally arrive within 1 to 2 days, and take 1 working day to set up with a couple of hours of downtime (if moving your existing number across).

As examples of deals, currently the following all include EU roaming (and roaming in some other countries) at no extra charge:

- Lebara (via Vodafone signal) - 5GB for '£2.72/mth' (includes full allowance).
- iD Mobile (via Three signal) - 50GB for '£4.09/mth' (max 30GB abroad).
- iD Mobile (via Three signal) - 120GB for '£5.63/mth' (max 30GB abroad).

Do put a spend cap in place for when you go abroad to avoid bill shock, and use our tips for using less data.

14. REBOOK TRICK: Is hotel or car hire cheaper than when you booked? If your booking has low-cost or free cancellation, regularly check if you can get the same for less. Try using Skyscanner*, Kayak*, Carrentals* and Trivago*. If you find it cheaper, just rebook, then cancel your original booking (best to do it in that order - check you can actually really get that price before cancelling).

Paul emailed us a few months back: "Booked Europcar direct in January, collecting and returning from Carcassonne Airport for one week in August - cost £609. Read your newsletter about rechecking - did so at the beginning of August. Cost £248 [a saving of £361]! Identical terms. Thanks for the heads-up." See step-by-step cancel & rebook hotels and cancel & rebook car hire help.

15. FAMILIES SIT TOGETHER FOR FREE. On BA, Virgin, Tui and more. A family of four could have to stump up £250+ to book seats to sit together on return flights. Yet read up on the rules and your rights via our airline-by-airline seating guide now, and you may be able to do it free (though even we struggle to find a way to overcome Ryanair's charges).

16. FLIGHT CANCELLATION OR DELAY: Bookmark key pages on your phone. You often have a right to £200+ per person compensation. Bookmark our Flight delay & Flight cancellation rights guides, so you can read them if it happens - many read them on the plane after their landing is delayed. Plus, you could be eligible to make a retrospective claim for a delay/cancellation in the last five or six years in light of a new court ruling...