From a name that doesn't match the passport to the 90/180 rule — the mistakes we see most often, and how to avoid all of them.
Most travel problems don’t come from bad luck — they come from small mistakes that could have been avoided. Here are the eight we see most often in travellers, and how not to be the next example.
1. The name on the ticket doesn’t match the passport
This is mistake number one and one of the most expensive. The name on the air ticket must exactly match the name in the passport — letter for letter, including the transliteration from Cyrillic to Latin. “Aleksandar” versus “Aleksandър”, an omitted middle name, first and last name swapped — any of these can mean being refused at check-in.
Check the name immediately after booking, while a correction is still possible and cheap. Later, changing a name is complex and expensive, and sometimes impossible.
2. A passport that expires too soon
Many destinations require the passport to be valid for a further period after the return date — often three or six months. A passport valid on the travel day but expiring shortly after can mean refusal at the border or even at check-in.
Check the passport’s expiry before booking, not before you set off.
3. The 90/180 rule for Schengen
This is a growing mistake. For visa-free travel in the Schengen zone, the rule is 90 days within any period of 180 days. Many travellers think that once they’ve spent 90 days and left, the clock resets — it doesn’t. It’s assessed backwards, over a rolling 180-day window.
If you travel to Schengen often, track how many days you’ve used. Overstaying carries serious consequences on your next entry.
4. Buying the cheapest ticket without looking at baggage
We’ve written about this separately, but it deserves a place here too: the lowest starting price often isn’t the most favourable once you add the baggage you actually need. Always compare the total price, not the bare ticket.
5. Two separate tickets instead of one connection
Buying two separate cheap flights for a trip with a connection, thinking you have a guaranteed connection. If the first is delayed, the second is lost and the baggage isn’t transferred. The saving vanishes at the first problem. When possible, a single booking for the whole route is safer.
6. Waiting for the price to “drop” at the last moment
The instinct that the price will fall if you wait is exactly the opposite of reality in the final weeks before a flight. Then the trend is up. Waiting until the last moment almost always means a higher price, not a lower one.
7. Ignoring transit rules
Travellers often think that if they’re only changing planes in a third country, they need nothing for that country. That’s not always true — some countries require a transit visa even if you don’t leave the airport. Check the transit rules for every country you pass through, not just the final destination.
8. Leaving special requests to the last moment
A wheelchair, special meals, transporting a pet, sports equipment — all of these must be requested and confirmed in advance, often with a deadline. Travellers who wait to mention it at the airport often find it’s too late or the capacity is full. Request early.
The common thread
If you noticed a pattern — most of these mistakes happen because something wasn’t checked in advance. That’s exactly the value of having someone who knows these traps and checks them before you book. When we work on your trip, these are the things we catch before they become a problem — name matching, document validity, transit rules, special requests.
If you’d like a trip without these surprises, send us a request and we’ll go through the details before you book.
Entry rules, visa regimes, and the 90/180 rule change and depend on nationality and destination. For binding information, the destination’s authorities are authoritative.