Wizz Air has warned British passengers flying abroad during the busy October half-term and Christmas periods to check their passports before they travel. The budget carrier analysed HM Passport Office data and found that over 367,000 UK adult passports will expire before the end of 2026, which could disrupt holiday plans for those who forget to check their documents.
Passport validity rules for EU travel
Around 2 to 3.5 million British travellers go abroad during the autumn half-term, but some may be surprised when they try to check in. Wizz Air says passport validity rules could cause problems for holidaymakers who don’t act soon, since most destinations require at least six months of validity left on your passport.
To avoid problems at the airport, Wizz Air UK and European border authorities recommend that British travellers check two important dates on their passports. The first is the issue date, known as the 10-Year Rule: to travel to the European Union and the Schengen Zone, your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before your entry date. If your passport was issued before October 2016, it isn't valid for EU travel, even if it still shows months before it expires.
The second is the expiry date, known as the 3-Month Rule: your passport must be valid for at least three months after you plan to leave the EU. These passport rules apply to 25 European countries, including popular spots like Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, and Greece, plus four non-EU countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
How to renew your UK passport
With half term coming up, passengers who check their passports too late risk arriving with an invalid passport and may not be able to travel with the rest of their group. Wizz Air encourages anyone planning a half-term or Christmas trip to check their passports now, since standard renewals with HM Passport Office can take up to three weeks.
A 34-page adult passport costs £102.00 to renew online (£115.50 for paper applications), and a child passport costs £66.50 online. Standard processing takes about three weeks. If you need a passport urgently, you can use the one-day premium service, which costs £239.50 for a standard adult passport. You fill out the application online and upload a digital photo, then book an appointment, usually available two days after you apply. Go to your nearest passport office, and your new passport will be ready to collect four hours later. This service is not available for child passports or first-time adult passports.
Alternatively, you can use the one-week fast-track service, which costs £192.00 for an adult passport or £156.50 for a child passport. Book your appointment online. If you prefer not to complete everything online, you can get a paper application form from the Post Office, fill it out, and bring it, along with two printed passport photos, to your appointment. Your passport will be delivered to your address exactly one week after your appointment.
