What to lock in first, how to handle currency and card payments, jet lag and packing basics.
Plan in order of how hard something is to undo. Check passport validity and visa requirements first, then flights, then accommodation, and fill in the itinerary last. Many countries require a minimum passport validity at the date of entry, so discovering the problem days before departure can collapse the whole trip.
The cost of spending abroad is decided by fee structure more than by the headline exchange rate. When a terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, declining and paying in the local currency is usually cheaper, because the merchant's conversion rate is typically worse. Carry a small amount of cash for arrival and put the rest on a card with low foreign transaction fees.
Direction matters. Travelling west, which lengthens the day, is generally easier to adjust to than travelling east. Eating on local time and getting plenty of daylight speeds the reset, and naps on arrival day are best kept short.
Checked baggage allowances differ by airline and excess fees are steep. Cabin restrictions on liquids and power banks are safety rules with almost no flexibility, so verify them before departure. Pack clothes on the assumption that you can wash them, and consider buying bulky items locally.
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