What every American traveler needs to know before booking a flight to Europe.

If you’re planning a European vacation in 2026, you’re in for a big surprise. Your trusty U.S. passport won’t be enough to get you across the Atlantic anymore, and ignoring the new rules could wreck your trip before it even begins. It’s not just some minor bureaucratic change; we’re talking about a total shake-up in how Americans travel to Europe.
The days of breezing through customs are over, replaced by new requirements that could trip you up if you’re not prepared. Plenty of travelers are going to get caught off guard, all because they didn’t bother to check what’s changed. No one wants to spend their dream vacation stressed out over paperwork, especially when it’s something you can avoid. Before you book those tickets and start dreaming about Paris or Rome, make sure you’re not making the same mistake everyone else will.