Be Travel Ready In 2027

By Annette Cagle 

What does that saying mean to you? For a lot of us, 2026 meant many security changes to international travel, confusing electronic updates, and getting back into the grove of travel. You never know when a border will require additional forms to be completed and extra fees to be paid. Some of us got to travel abroad, but it was nothing like normal. 

So, For 2027, BTA will help you be travel-ready. 

First, the domestic tourism industry has strict requirements when it comes to flights. With the implementation of Real ID, if you want to fly even domestically, you will either have to get the new ID or carry your passport as your form of identification. This is no longer a trial run; this is a mandated travel requirement.

With this and so many other changes on the horizon, I’ve seen the industry come together. Webinars, which we’re all now very familiar with, have proliferated. All of this to find out how we can best serve you as the client. Suppliers, travel agents, travel writers, and a host of other industry representatives are partnering to spread news about how the global requirements toward travel are developing. 

Second, flexibility is the norm. Faced with unprecedented new border requirements, travel operators have tried to consider travelers’ worries. For most major airlines, change fees for domestic flights are gone! International change fees, too, have been waived. 

This type of flexibility is likely to continue. Both travelers and travel operators need each other. The industry knows this and will be constantly reviewing their requirements to accommodate vacationers. 

Third, and finally, I believe transportation is growing safer. Cruise lines, airlines, train operators, and others are all beefing up their safety policies. Some countries screen passengers before travel and cut down on the maximum occupancy and cruising ports, now limiting the number of tourists. 

As far as airports go, more than 8 in 10 travelers said they’d feel safer with contactless boarding. With this in mind, the TSA has taken advantage of technology and AI. Their credential authentication technology (CAT) scans flyers’ IDs to verify their authenticity. CAT usage has jumped, and dozens more airports now use new 3D scanning technology, Robert Silk writes. The end goal is to make screening as touchless as possible while also speeding it up. 

So there you have it. The industry is partnering, boosting flexibility, and growing safer. Of course, even with these positive changes, changes are still ongoing. I know my clients have concerns about travel. If you’re a traveler yourself, you’re familiar with the uncertainty of booking an international flight, and the different rules for travel continue to evolve.

But travel will continue to change. Don’t worry, we’ll help to keep you current. Don't worry about the stress of figuring it all out on your own; BTA is here to make travel fun again!