Got an overseas holiday coming up? Here are 10 tasks to tick off before you go
If you’ve got a walk down an air bridge coming up soon, you’ve probably got a checklist well underway. To make sure you haven’t missed anything, we’ve put together one, too. If you’ve forgotten to do any of these tasks, don’t worry – they’re all things we can help with.
1. Make sure your suitcase is travel worthy
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Don’t hold off getting out your suitcase until a couple of days before you leave. Check the wheels and zip are strong and you still remember the code for the lock. If it’s time to replace your old suitcase, we can help you find a good buy. You’ll find a range, from Kmart and The Warehouse cheapies right up to a pricey Samsonite, in our luggage test results.
2. Check your luggage limits
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This is especially important if you’re flying with multiple airlines. Check the allowed luggage dimensions to make sure you won’t have issues at the airport. Also keep in mind that, just because a bag is sold as a carry-on, it might exceed an airline’s size limits. We’ve noted if each of the small cases meet Air New Zealand and Jetstar criteria in our luggage test results.
3. Get ready to spend
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There are different ways of paying for things while you’re overseas. Our investigative writer Ruairi O’Shea has done the hard yards to assess all the options. His analysis makes it easy to see if you’d be better off with a debit card, credit card, travel card, cash or one of the new apps – Wise and Revolut. He’s even put together a handy summary of what he thinks you should do. You can read all about it in his article Travel money: the best cards to use overseas.
4. Check your travel insurance coverage
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Hopefully you’ve got travel insurance sorted – but have you read the policy yet? It’s a good idea to understand any limits listed in the fine print. That way you can decide if any holiday activities you’re planning are covered and if it’s OK to take certain valuables with you. If you do still need travel insurance, check out our travel insurance buying guide and policy comparison.
5. Keep an eye on things back home
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A security camera that connects to your WiFi network and sends you a notification when it detects motion can give you peace of mind while you’re away. There are 44 cameras, from brands including Ring and Arlo, in our security camera test results.
6. Know how you’ll use your phone
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If you go overseas without a plan for how you’ll keep using your phone, you could find yourself coming home to a big phone bill. You can find out about different roaming packs, local SIM cards and eSIMs and learn what Consumer staff members have done in our article How to keep using your phone overseas.
7. Get clued up on airport security
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Do you know where to pack that power bank or hearing aids charger? If you need to freshen up on the rules around what you can take in your carry-on and check-in, have a peruse of our airport security tips.
8. Consider paying for an extra bag
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If hitting the malls is going to be a big part of your trip, it could work out cheaper to plan ahead and prepay to take an extra bag. We’ve found it can be cheaper than paying the excess baggage fee when you show up to the airport with a heavy suitcase on the way home.
9. Do your duty-free research
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If you know you’ll be tempted by duty-free at the airport, now’s the time to do some research online. You might find the bottles of Pinot or perfume are cheaper back home or in the shops at your destination. We’ve shared our tips for making the most of duty-free shopping.
10. Consider tracking your luggage
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I recently found myself standing in an airport office with a bunch of other travelers whose luggage hadn’t shown up on the conveyer belt. We were all wishing we’d thought ahead and popped a tracker in our bags. At least that would have given us an idea of whether it was worth waiting around for them.
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Some Choice News!
Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.
Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.
Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?
Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!
Scam Alert: Fake information regarding December Bonuses from MSD
The Ministry of Social Development is reporting that fake information is circulating about new ‘December bonuses’ or ‘benefit increases’
If you get suspicious communication, please contact Netsafe.
More than 120,000 disabled and older New Zealanders registered in the Total Mobility scheme will pay more for discounted taxi trips from next year as the Government announces a cut to trip subsidies.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop said subsidies would drop from 75% to 65% from July 1, 2026, blaming unsustainable rising costs.
Regional fare caps will also be lowered by around 10%.
Wide-ranging Ministry of Transport proposals for the scheme were released for consultation today. Suggested options included "strengthened" eligibility; periodic reassessments; caps on monthly trips; and the potential inclusion of ridesharing services.
"The Government is announcing decisions to stabilise the Total Mobility scheme so that the disability community is supported in a financially sustainable way, by all funding partners," Bishop said of the confirmed subsidy changes.
Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston said the new subsidy level would still be higher than what it was four years ago, when it was raised under the previous government.
"We appreciate these decisions will mean fares will increase for Total Mobility users.
"But they will still receive a higher subsidy level than prior to 2022. The changes also provide certainty that those who need the service will have continued access to it."
Demand for the scheme has soared since the subsidy rose from 50% in 2022. Registered users have jumped from 108,000 to 120,000, while trips have risen from 1.8 million in 2018 to three million.
Bishop said the 2022 increase had not accounted for higher demand over time.
"Increased demand now means the scheme is close to exceeding its Crown funding and is placing significant pressure on the contributions from local councils and NZTA," he said.
Costs are forecast to exceed funding by $236 million between 2025 and 2030 under current settings, according to the Government.
The Total Mobility scheme provided subsidised taxi fares for people who could not use public transport independently due to disability or age. The scheme was funded jointly by central government, NZTA's National Land Transport Fund and local councils.
The Government would also provide $10 million to NZTA to ease funding pressures on public transport authorities until the changes took effect.
Reacting to the subsidy changes, Disabled Persons Assembly chief executive Mojo Mathers told 1News that Total Mobility was an "essential service for us".
"This cut to Total Mobility on top of a cost-of-living crisis will only aggravate hardship in an already struggling population," she said in a statement.
"Total Mobility is an essential service for us. Not everyone can get on a bus or drive a car.
"Disabled people will face impossible choices when it comes to travel, when we know that over half don’t have enough to meet their everyday needs."
Labour has criticised the subsidy changes, saying the Government was "making life harder and more expensive for disabled New Zealanders".
Today's announcement came after a delayed year-long Transport Ministry review of the Total Mobility scheme, which included an earlier round of public consultation.
Further changes on the way, proposals in consultation
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Alongside the subsidy cut, the Ministry of Transport has opened consultation on proposals including trip caps, stricter eligibility assessments, and expanding service providers beyond taxis to include ride-hail apps and on-demand public transport.
"Beyond ensuring the scheme’s financial viability, the Government is also taking the opportunity to consider changes to strengthen a system so that it works better for disabled people,” Upston said.
"The Ministry of Transport will be releasing a discussion document to consult on proposals to strengthen Total Mobility to ensure fairer, consistent and more sustainable access to services for people with the greatest need."
The wide-ranging proposals were not yet Government policy and were open for feedback until March 22, 2026. The 10% subsidy cut was not part of the consultation.
The proposals include trip caps, with two options. The first would give all users a flat monthly cap of 30 to 40 trips at 65% subsidy, with either no further subsidised trips or a reduced 50% subsidy once reached. The second would allocate 10 base trips, plus extras based on need – for example, for employment, health, or education.
The ministry proposed tighter eligibility requirements, including medical evidence from health practitioners, occupational therapists or psychologists when applying.
Currently, assessment standards varied, with no documentary evidence required.
Periodic reassessments would also be introduced under another proposal, requiring users to be re-evaluated after a set period to ensure they remained eligible.
The proposals also aimed to expand service providers beyond traditional taxis to include ride-hail apps, on-demand public transport services, and volunteer community transport providers. The ministry said this could increase availability and give users more options.
It was unclear whether ride-hailing apps would include popular ride-sharing apps such as Uber.
To improve wheelchair accessibility, the ministry also proposed more incentives for service providers, including higher funding for installing ramps and hoists in vehicles, and raising the $10 per wheelchair trip payment that has remained unchanged since 2005.
The ministry was also exploring a national public transport concession for people with disabilities – separate from Total Mobility and implemented through the National Ticketing Solution from 2027.
Labour critical of subsidy changes
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Labour disability issues spokesperson Priyanca Radhakrishnan said the Government was "making life harder and more expensive for disabled New Zealanders by slashing discounted transport fares during a cost-of-living crisis".
"Under Christopher Luxon, disabled Kiwis will now pay more just to get to work, attend health appointments, or see loved ones,” she said in a statement.
"Disability communities feel betrayed. First came the overnight cut to flexible funding; then restrictions on residential care with no warning.
"Then Whaikaha was gutted and disability support shifted to the Social Development Ministry. Now, the transport subsidy many rely on to live independently has been cut.
"For many disabled Kiwis, affordable transport isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a lifeline. It means independence, dignity, and the ability to participate in everyday life and that’s why Labour increased the subsidy in government. This latest change is taking us backwards."
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