7 New Travel Regulations in 2025 That Could Ruin Your Vacation

You might have your hotels locked in and your flights on time, but 2025 is shaping up to be the kind of year where one missed detail can mess up an entire trip. Countries are tightening entry rules, airlines are adding fees, and cruise ports are capping visitors.

All of this could impact your travel plans–unless you’re already prepared.

Advance Approval to Enter

It doesn’t matter if you’re on a long vacation or just switching planes—this year, the UK is adding a step requiring an ETA from travelers, even for layovers. Most people won’t have an issue getting approved after filling out the £10 application, but showing up at the airport without one means you’re not flying.

New Paperwork and Fees

When traveling to Europe, passengers must submit an online form and pay €7 before departure. It’s valid for three years, so it’s not something you’ll have to redo often. Like it or not, it’s the new baseline for visiting countries across the Schengen Area.

Real ID Deadline

That tiny star on your license has become quite important at the airport. After years of delay, the Real ID rollout is finally going live this May. It often catches people off guard—they assume they’re fine until TSA says otherwise. Those who haven’t updated their ID yet should schedule a DMV visit soon.

Tourist Fee Schedule

Venice is trying to ease the burden of tourists who arrive en masse and leave just as quickly. The city is adding more days to its day-tripper fee calendar, targeting short visits between April and July. These fees don’t apply to overnight guests, but even a brief visit means you’re paying.

Cruise Passenger Charges

There's a new charge waiting for those whose ship will stop at Santorini or Mykonos during the summer rush —€20 per passenger. Other islands like Rhodes and Crete have a lower €5 fee. Meanwhile, Greece is using this to manage the influx of daily visitors that overwhelm its port towns.

Cruise Tax

Cruisers headed to Mexico will notice a new $5 charge added to their plans starting in July. It’s an immigration tax, and it kicks in whether you get off the ship or not. Ports like Cabo San Lucas, Cozumel, and Puerto Vallarta are all part of the rollout, so it’s worth checking if your itinerary includes them.

Addition of Fees to Basic Economy

That Basic Economy ticket might feel like a steal—until you account for the extras. Air Canada charges $25 for a carry-on and a steep $65 for big bags. Seat selection is no longer complimentary. Rather than highlighting the savings, many travelers find themselves calculating whether the upgrades are actually cheaper in the end.

An End to Open Seating

After years of open seating, Southwest is shifting to assigned seats from the second half of 2025—a move that will change how people approach boarding entirely. Instead of checking in as early as humanly possible, passengers will soon be choosing their spots ahead of time.

Digital-Only for Boarding

Old habits won’t cut it on Ryanair anymore, since the airline is doing away with paper boarding passes. All passengers will be required to check in and present their boarding pass through the app. That means no screenshots, no printouts, and no backups. Remember, a dead battery or app glitches could mean a real risk to your flight.

Face Scan Rules

It’s a major tech update meant to better enforce stay limits and monitor who’s coming and going. For travelers used to breezing through border control, this new process can feel like a slowdown. But it’s here, it’s expanding, and it’s not optional. The best you can do is allow for some extra time and be ready for more detailed screening.

Cruise Routes Limits

Svalbard is making changes that will reshape Arctic cruises. Ships carrying more than 200 people can no longer access certain nature reserves, and closer wildlife encounters are off the table. There’s also a cap on how near you can get to animals like polar bears and walruses. These limits may dull the adventure, but they’re a necessary check on growing traffic.

Cruise Visitor Caps

Overcrowding is finally hitting a breaking point in ports like Santorini and Bar Harbor. New rules are limiting how many cruise passengers can come ashore each day. Venice is continuing to redirect large ships to industrial docks. Your stop may still happen, just with tighter limits or shifted hours.

Airport Security Tech Update

Paris airports are rolling out new scanners that can peek inside your carry-on without forcing you to unload your laptop or toiletries. It’s a small change with big ripple effects. Fewer unpacked bags mean shorter security lines—at least in theory.

Smart Bags and Biometric Boarding

Luggage that tells you where it is, and gates that let you through with a face scan—it all sounds great, until you hit a snag. Some airlines won’t let you check smart bags unless the battery can be removed, and biometric gates don’t always work with every passport or terminal. The tech is evolving fast, but travelers still need to double-check what's supported.

Passenger Protections

You no longer have to chase airlines for a refund when your flight gets canceled or delayed beyond a certain window. New DOT rules require automatic refunds for major disruptions and services that don’t deliver, like in-flight Wi-Fi or lost baggage. The changes also include a 24/7 live customer service requirement.