Vacation planning - Higher air fares, children's passports expire: This will change for travelers in 2024
Children under the age of 12 no longer need a passport, but air travelers need a little more money in their pockets: with the new year, there are also some changes for holidaymakers that you should know before you book your next trip. We have summarized the most important changes in the 2024 travel year for you.
The children's passport will be abolished - what this means
Until now, children under the age of 12 have enjoyed a small advantage over adults when traveling internationally: The child passport has been sufficient to enter the country. However, this will no longer be issued from 2024. This means that families will have to think about an alternative for their youngest children. There are two to choose from: the ID card or a passport with a chip. Both are significantly more expensive than the children's passport - and take longer to issue. So if you are traveling with children in the near future, you should take care of this early on. If you already have a children's passport, you can still use it until the expiration date. However, more and more countries are not accepting them because of the missing chip, for example the USA or South Africa.
Several destinations are increasing tourism taxes
Mallorca, Venice, Barcelona, Crete - the list of European destinations that have felt the effects of mass tourism again this year is long. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to overcrowded streets, dirt and noise pollution, but many places are resorting to price increases out of necessity. In Greece, for example, tourism tax is rising considerably, in some cases by more than 50 percent. Venice is planning an entrance fee for day tourists, while hoteliers in Mallorca want to increase the cost of overnight stays. In many places it will therefore become significantly more expensive.
Air travel will become more expensive again - at least most of the time
Let's stay with the finances: Air fares are also expected to rise significantly again in 2024. On the one hand, this is due to the high demand, which will be met by a still scarce supply of flights compared to the time before the coronavirus pandemic. Another reason is the increased use of environmentally friendly fuels, which are more expensive to produce, and the planned tax increase by the German government, which will presumably also be reflected in the price of flights. Flying is therefore becoming more expensive overall, although many low-cost airlines have recently even lowered their prices. It is therefore more worthwhile than ever to compare prices carefully before booking. By the way: The cheapest way to fly is still to book as early as possible.
Deutsche Bahn wants to become more punctual again
Faster, better and more comfortable: Deutsche Bahn's timetable for 2024, which is already active, promises improvements in many areas. With more trains, an expanded night train service and additional seats on long-distance trains, the company wants to get out of the misery of unreliability and dissatisfaction. Recently, however, the promised punctuality targets have remained castles in the air. And the coming year is also likely to start with another rail strike lasting several days. In any case, the GDL union has warned of a new strike in January. Once the wage dispute has been resolved, Deutsche Bahn may then be able to really focus on its punctuality targets. It remains to be seen whether this will be the case next year.
Sources: Deutsche Bahn, Federal Ministry of the Interior
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- Due to these changes, families planning a trip in 2024 should consider obtaining a passport with a chip for their children, as the abolition of the children's passport will make the ID card the only alternative, which is more expensive and takes longer to obtain.
- As a result of these changes, travelers planning a trip to destinations like Mallorca, Venice, or Barcelona may need to budget for increased tourism taxes, in addition to factoring in higher airfare due to increased demand and environmental tax increases.
- With children's passports no longer being valid in places like the USA or South Africa, families planning to visit these destinations should secure new passports with a chip early to avoid any issues at border control.
- When planning their itinerary for a trip to Venice, families should also consider the potential introduction of an entrance fee for day tourists, which could add to their travel expenses.
Source: www.stern.de
