BIG CHANGES for Travel to Europe in October 2025! (ETIAS, EES & UK ETA)

BIG CHANGES for Travel to Europe in October 2025! (ETIAS, EES & UK ETA)

If you are planning a trip to Europe, there are some major changes happening that could cost you hundreds of dollars or even prevent you from boarding your flight if you don’t know about them. Today, I’m breaking down every single policy change affecting travelers to Europe, from new fees to digital requirements and even some surprisingly good news about baggage. Let’s start with the changes that are going to hit your wallet and potentially complicate your travel plans. Starting in late 2026, the EU is finally launching ETIS, which stands for the European Travel Information and Authorization System. It’s basically Europe’s version of the ESTA system in the US. And yes, this is the same ETIA system that was supposed to launch back in 2022 and then in 2024 and then in 2025 and now it’s officially being pushed back until the last quarter of 2026. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if that happens. Once it launches, Americans will need this digital travel authorization before boarding any flight to Jen’s own countries, which includes most of Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and many others. You’ll apply online, answer some basic questions about your travel plans and background, and get approved for a 3-year authorization that allows multiple trips to Europe. It’s not a visa, but it is mandatory for Americans, Canadians, UK nationals, and other visaexempt travelers. As someone that’s going to need to apply for and pay for ETS when it does come into place, I’m honestly not too upset about all these delays. However, I’m a little bit less happy about the second update to ETS. The fee is jumping to €20 per person, which is about $23 for travelers ages 18 to 70. For context, that is nearly triple the€ 7 fee that was announced when this system was first planned years ago. People are not happy about that one. The EU says the increases needed to fund border security and immigration services, but it’s a significant jump that caught many travelers offguard. The authorization lasts 3 years, so at least you won’t have to pay it every trip, but it’s still a new cost that didn’t exist before. But that’s not the only new system that the EU, which stands for European Union, just a side note, is launching. Along with ETIS, in 2026, they’re also implementing the exit entry system or EES, which will completely change how you enter Europe. The system is designed to track overstays and improve security by creating a digital record of exactly when you entered and left the Shenhen zone. But it’s going to add another layer of complexity to your European travel experience. Starting October 12th, 2025, the EU’s entry exit system will replace those passport stamps with biometric checks. Instead of getting a stamp, you’ll need to have your fingerprints and face scanned every time you cross any EU border, even with a US passport. This applies to all non-EU citizens and will be rolled out across member nations over 6 months. What this means for you is potentially much longer lines at immigration, especially during the initial roll out when border agents and travelers are still figuring out how the new system works. The EU says the process will be faster once fully implemented since they won’t need to manually stamp passports. However, during this transition period, you can expect that there will be significant delays. Let us know down in the video comments if you plan to head to Europe at some point in the next year. And then if you do want to add a few more details, I would love to know which countries you are planning to visit. I recently visited Montenegro, which was a new country for me and it was such a pleasant surprise. Highly underrated. And Deb Brvnik in Croatia, which is highly rated, but I must say appropriately rated. So cool. And with that, let’s move on to the next Europe related change we all need to know about. The UK has its own separate authorization system called the electronic travel authorization or ETA which launched in November of 2023. The system was introduced as part of the UK’s postrexit immigration changes to better track who’s entering the country. This system is active now and Americans need this ETA to enter the UK. You apply online, get approved for 2 years and it allows multiple trips. However, this is different from Etiius since it covers just the United Kingdom, which includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It’s also similar to Etiius in that the price has increased. Yay. The UK ETA fee jumped from the original price of £10 to £16 in April of 2025. So between Etias for mainland Europe at €20 and the UK ETA at £16, you’re looking at about $40 in authorization fees per person just to visit Europe and the UK. The good news is that if you’re just connecting through Heithro or Manchester and staying airside without clearing UK border control, you’re exempt from needing an ETA. So, for example, if you’re flying from the US to Paris with a connection in London, you won’t need the UK ETA as long as you don’t leave the airport. EU lawmakers have voted to end extra fees for cabin bags under 7 kg and 100 cm on all European flights. This means budget airlines like Ryan Air, EasyJet, and Whiz Air would have to include a free carry-on bag in every ticket. The law is still pending full approval by EU member states, but if it passes, this could save travelers significant money. Right now, these budget airlines are charging between €20 and €50 for a carry-on bag, so having it included for free would be a gamecher for budget travel in Europe. Airlines are obviously fighting this change hard, arguing that it will force them to raise base ticket prices. However, for most travelers, having baggage included upfront is much more transparent than surprise fees when they get to the booking checkout page. But here’s the thing. While this EU rule is being debated, airlines like Ryionaire are fighting back. They’re increasing bonuses for staff who catch oversized bags from €1.50 to €2.50 per bag with no monthly cap. They’re basically incentivizing their employees to be more aggressive about enforcing size limits and hitting passengers with fees of €60 or more if your bag is even slightly oversized. So, even though the EU is working to make baggage fees more fair, individual airlines are finding ways to maintain revenue through stricter enforcement. Check the airline website carefully and make absolutely sure your luggage meets their exact size requirements. Lately, I’ve been loving the Tank Carry-On by today’s video sponsor, 4Y2 luggage, since it is just slightly smaller than other carryons on the market, which takes the guesswork out of whether or not the airline is going to accept it. You can even see from their airline compliance list that it fits with all major carriers worldwide, including in the US, so you don’t have to stress. It’s packed with useful, award-winning features, too, like the handle with a built-in bag hook and a front pocket that makes it super easy to grab what you need without digging through your whole bag. You can check the link in the description to see all the colors. Plus, use the code Megan 15 to save 15% on your first purchase. Also, while it’s not relevant to this point on luggage, an update with Ryan Air is that they will no longer be accepting any paper boarding passes. Ryionaire is eliminating paper boarding passes in November 2025, meaning you’ll need their app and a working smartphone to board. However, the CEO has clarified that if your phone dies or you lose it, they’ll reissue a paper boarding pass at the airport for free as long as you’ve already checked in online before arriving at the airport. Good to know. And now back to some more Europe updates. Some European airports, including Birmingham, Edinburghough, Milan, Rome, Berlin, and Amsterdam, now allow liquids up to 2 L in cabin bags with no container limits. Thanks to advanced CT scanners, you can bring full-size shampoo bottles, large water bottles, and other liquids without the old 311 restrictions. Keep in mind that this is not standard everywhere in Europe, and it is certainly not going to be the case when you go through airport security in the US. Most airports, including all US airports, still enforce the old 100ml liquid limits. So, you’ll need to check the specific rules for each airport you’re flying through before packing your liquids. The inconsistency is honestly confusing right now. But as more airports upgrade their scanning technology, we should see these relaxed liquid rules expanding across Europe. Next up, we do have some good news for travelers headed to the United States from some European destinations. TSA launched a pilot program in July 2025, allowing passengers on select flights from London Heathro to skip rescreening when connecting in the US. If you’re on participating American Airlines flights to Dallas Fort Worth or Delta flights to Atlanta, you can go straight to your connecting gate after clearing customs. This program eliminates the need to go through TSA security again for your domestic connection, which can save you 30 to 60 minutes and a lot of stress. I almost didn’t include this update since it only impacts a handful of flights, but the program may expand to other airports and airlines if the pilot is successful, so it’s a good thing to keep tabs on. That sums up the major changes, but there are also some developing situations that you will want to keep an eye on that may affect your travel to Europe. Several popular destinations have implemented new restrictions to manage over tourism. Venice is charging day trippers €5 to enter the city on peak days. Barcelona is phasing out thousands of short-term rentals, and Amsterdam has raised tourist taxes to some of the highest in Europe. And just like we’re seeing in Canada and the United States, many European countries are also dealing with ongoing labor disputes. France’s air traffic control union filed for strikes in September 2025, affecting thousands of flights across Europe. These types of disruptions are becoming more common, so it’s crucial to stay informed by checking official government websites of the countries you’re visiting, as well as the US State Department’s travel advisories. Don’t forget to hit subscribe to join us back for new videos each week. And you may also want to sign up for my free newsletter with tips and tricks that I don’t share anywhere else. Thanks for watching. Happy travels. And I will see you in that next video soon. Bye.

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^ fit’s US and European airline carry-on luggage size restrictions!

New Rules and entry requirements for Americans and Canadians traveling to Europe & UK in 2025. Big changes start in OCTOBER 2025 that could affect your boarding, entry, and even what you pack. We cover ETIAS, EES, and the UK ETA. Here’s everything you need to know about visas, new baggage policies, carry-on rules and entry fees to avoid to avoid delays, or getting DENIED from boarding your flight.

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🐶 Timestamps
00:00 NEW Travel Rules (Europe & UK)
00:22 ETIAS Update
01:28 ETIAS Fee INCREASE
02:20 EU Entry/Exit System (EES)
03:57 UK Entry Requirement (ETA)
05:16 NEW Carry-on Rules
06:03 Airline Luggage Fee Increase
06:43 Europe Carry-on Size Rule
07:24 Boarding Pass BANNED
07:56 NEW Airport Security Rules
08:46 TSA ‘One-Stop Security’ Launch
09:32 Big Trouble in Europe

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