How to Plan a Trip: Budget, Dates and Route

The answer to how to plan a trip lies in the order of steps: first check your passport and visa status, then set your dates, budget and route according to these conditions. Flights and hotels come last. This page covers every step, the differences by country, and the checklist to review before departure.

In brief

• Passport and visa come first, then dates, budget and route.
• Passport validity requirements vary by country; the general recommendation is 6 months of validity.
• In the Schengen area, you may stay a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period.
• Don't buy your ticket before your visa is confirmed; check the refund conditions.
• For international flights, be at the airport at least 3 hours before departure.

The order of planning: documents first, then route

Most planning mistakes come from the wrong order. A ticket gets bought, and only then does it turn out the passport won't last long enough or the visa won't be ready in time. The correct order is:

1. Check your passport and visa status.
2. Set your date range according to the visa period.
3. Break down the budget into categories.
4. Finalize the route and number of days.
5. Book transportation and accommodation.

Your passport's validity period must be sufficient, and it must not show damage such as tears, scraping, or erasures. If your passport is damaged, consult the relevant authorities before departure and renew it if necessary. Do this check before the planning even begins.

Visa regimes vary by country. The current list of visas that Turkish citizens are subject to is on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' visa practices page. Check this list before choosing your destination; countries that don't require a visa speed up the plan, while those that do directly affect your choice of dates.

Passport validity: differences by country

There is no single validity rule. Even if you're exempt from a visa, you need to find out what passport validity period the destination country requires. Since the rules differ for countries you transit through or visit, a 6-month validity period is recommended.

Examples:

• United States (non-immigrant tourist visa): The minimum passport validity required when the visa is issued is 6 months.
• United Kingdom: A passport valid for the duration of your stay is required.
• Germany (Schengen visa): The passport must have at least 2 blank pages, must have been issued within the last 10 years, and must remain valid for at least 3 months after the planned trip ends. These are Germany's application rules; check the relevant country's page for the requirements of other Schengen countries.

For a visa application, it is also recommended that the passport be valid for at least 1 year from the application date. If your passport is below this threshold, make renewal the first item on your travel plan; don't decide on dates, tickets or hotels before the renewal is complete.

Choosing dates and the visa calendar

Choose your dates based on the visa timeline, not the calendar. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends applying for a visa as early as possible, for example a month in advance. Visas for work and study purposes vary by country but can take 2-3 months or longer.

Calendar for Schengen

In Germany's case, Schengen visa applications can be made at the earliest 6 months before travel. The latest application must be at least 15 calendar days before the start of travel; this rule may vary by country. Complete applications are generally processed within 15 days, and in special cases this can extend up to 45 days.

Editorial note: factor in the upper limit of the processing time; don't buy a ticket before the visa is approved, or choose a ticket with flexible refund conditions.

Length of stay

A Schengen visa grants short-term stay rights of a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period in Schengen area countries. If you're planning to visit multiple European countries, count the total days against this limit. For frequent travelers, see Schengen trusted traveler formula and 5-year visas.

Break the budget into categories

The budget should be planned item by item rather than as a single total figure. Since current prices change frequently, confirm figures with the relevant provider.

Main categories:

• Visa and documents: Application fee, service charge, photo, insurance.
• Transportation: Round-trip flight, city transfers and intercity transfers.
• Accommodation: Number of nights and area choice.
• Food and daily expenses.
• Activities and museum entries.
• Buffer: A reserve for unexpected expenses.

Editorial note: set aside a portion of the budget as a buffer and reserve it for situations like route changes, delays, or health issues. Before determining the total budget, clarify how many people are traveling and where you'll save.

If you prefer a ready-made package, transportation, accommodation and guiding are combined into a single item; this makes the budget predictable. You can compare programs and content on the international tours page.

Determine the route and number of days

The route is limited by your visa period and the number of days off you have. First write down how many days you have, then determine the number of cities.

Editorial principles:

• Allocate at least two days per city; one-day city changes are tiring.
• Combine cities close to each other on the same route.
• Don't count departure and return days as full days.
• If this is your first time traveling abroad, start with a single country and one or two cities.

Ready-made route ideas make things easier for short holidays. 4-day international route suggestions for the October 29 holiday were prepared with this logic in mind. To see how a multi-city route is built, you can take the Cairo, Luxor and Aswan route in Egypt as an example.

For single-destination trips like honeymoons, accommodation choice takes priority over the route; for this, the Maldives overwater villas guide can guide you.

Common mistakes

Recurring mistakes in planning include:

• Buying the ticket before the visa. If the visa is denied or delayed, the ticket cost is put at risk.
• Checking passport validity only against the return date. Depending on the country, validity may also be required after the return.
• Overlooking the transit country's rules. The country you transit through may have different requirements.
• Not checking the number of blank pages. Germany's Schengen visa requires at least 2 blank pages in the passport; check other countries' requirements separately.
• Miscalculating the stay limit. The 90 days in 180 days rule in the Schengen area covers your total stay across all Schengen countries.
• Arriving late at the airport. Keep the times below in mind.

Since each country's rules differ, for any situation not covered in this list, check the relevant country's official page and your airline's current rules. Leaving the rule unclear and acting on guesswork is the most costly mistake in planning.

Flight day and pre-departure checklist

The final link in the plan is the day of the flight. Times are set according to the airline.

• Turkish Airlines international flights: You must be at the airport at least 3 hours before departure; check-in and baggage procedures must be completed at least 60 minutes before. For domestic flights, this period is 45 minutes.
• Pegasus international flights: Check-in and baggage drop at the counter must be completed at least 60 minutes before the flight; for international flights, it's recommended to be at the airport 3 hours in advance.

If you're flying with another airline, check its current rules. To avoid waiting in line, do online check-in; see the online check-in guide for steps and timing.

Checklist

• Passport is valid, undamaged, and has the number of blank pages the country requires.
• Visa approved or exemption confirmed.
• Ticket, hotel and transfer reservations printed out or saved offline.
• Insurance policy ready.
• Online check-in completed.
• Plan to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours in advance.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I start my travel plan?

Start by checking your passport and visa status. The destination country's visa regime and passport validity requirement determine the dates and route. Ticket and hotel reservations come after this check.

How far in advance should I apply for a visa?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends applying as early as possible, for example a month in advance. For Germany's Schengen application, the latest deadline is 15 calendar days before travel. Work and study visas can take 2-3 months or longer.

How long should my passport's validity be?

It varies by country. The general recommendation is 6 months of validity; for a visa application, at least 1 year from the application date is recommended. For the US, 6 months is required when the visa is issued; for a Germany Schengen visa, 3 months after the trip ends is required.

How many days can I stay with a Schengen visa?

A Schengen visa grants a maximum short-term stay of 90 days within a 180-day period. This covers your total stay across Schengen countries. If you plan to visit multiple countries, calculate by adding up the days.

How many hours before the flight should I arrive at the airport?

For Turkish Airlines international flights, you must be at the airport at least 3 hours before departure; Pegasus recommends the same for international flights. For both airlines, check-in and baggage drop must be completed at least 60 minutes in advance. Check the current rules for other airlines.

Should I buy my ticket before the visa?

Generally, no. The visa may be delayed or denied, putting the ticket cost at risk. If you must buy it, read the refund and change conditions beforehand.

Sources

• Consular Guide for Those Traveling Abroad / Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs — mfa.gov.tr
• Visa Practices Applicable to Turkish Citizens / Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs — mfa.gov.tr
• General Information / Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs — mfa.gov.tr
• General Information About the Schengen Visa - German Federal Foreign Office — tuerkei.diplo.de
• What Is Schengen? — eeas.europa.eu
• Terms of Use for Online Services — turkishairlines.com