Travel health checklist: what to sort 6–8 weeks before you fly

Travel health ·Published 10 October 2026 ·Reviewed 20 October 2026

Written by the Priceline Pharmacy Pacific Fair team. Reviewed by Jason Markey, BPharmSci, MPharm, Owner and Pharmacist, Ahpra registration PHA0001976405.

General health information from a registered pharmacist. It doesn’t replace advice from your own pharmacist or doctor. How we write and check our articles.

The most useful travel health checklist starts about 6 to 8 weeks before you fly. That’s when Smartraveller recommends seeing your doctor, so there’s time to get vaccines, sort your scripts and act on any advice before you leave. Below is a simple countdown you can follow, and our travel health services at Pacific Fair can help with many of the steps along the way.

Why start 6 to 8 weeks out?

Some vaccines need more than one dose, and your immune system needs time to respond. healthdirect suggests seeing your doctor at least 6 weeks, and preferably 12 weeks, before you leave Australia. If you’re travelling sooner than that, don’t skip the appointment. Some protection is still better than none, and your doctor or pharmacist can tell you what’s still possible.

8 weeks before you fly

Book a travel health appointment

Tell your GP or travel clinic exactly where you’re going, including stopovers, how long you’ll be away, and what you’ll be doing. Trekking, cruising, visiting family in rural areas and working with animals can all change the advice. Ask whether it’s safe for you to travel if you’re pregnant, have a long-term condition or are an older traveller.

Check your vaccines, disease by disease

Start with your routine vaccines. healthdirect recommends staying up to date with vaccines for:

• measles, mumps and rubella;
• influenza (flu);
• chickenpox;
• polio;
• diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough.

Depending on your destination, your doctor may also talk to you about vaccines for:

• hepatitis A and hepatitis B;
• typhoid and cholera;
• yellow fever;
• meningococcal disease;
• Japanese encephalitis;
• rabies;
• tuberculosis.

Some countries require proof of certain vaccinations before they let you in. You can check your vaccination history through your Australian Immunisation Register statement in myGov, or ask your doctor. Some vaccines are free under the National Immunisation Program if you’re eligible, while many travel vaccines need to be paid for, so ask about costs when you book.

Ask about other travel risks

Smartraveller suggests asking your doctor about insect-borne illnesses such as malaria, food and water-borne illness, blood clots on long-haul flights, and risks from altitude or heat. If you need prescription medicines for any of these, your doctor will talk you through them.

Buy travel insurance

You can’t use Medicare or the PBS overseas, and medical care abroad can be very expensive. Buy insurance early so you’re covered if you need to cancel. Check whether your policy covers pre-existing conditions, medical evacuation, and any activities you’re planning. Smartraveller notes that most insurers won’t cover the cost of replacing prescription medicines, so read the fine print.

Check your passport

Make sure it’s valid for long enough for your destinations. If you need a new one, we take passport photos in store, so you can tick it off while you’re at Pacific Fair.

4 weeks before you fly

Sort your regular medicines and scripts

Ideally, take enough of your regular medicines for the whole trip, plus a little extra in case of delays. Once you leave Australia, you can’t get medicines under the PBS, and your medicine may not be available, or even legal, where you’re going.

• Check your repeats. If you’re running low, see your doctor now for a new script.
• Fill your scripts early so there’s time to order anything the pharmacy doesn’t have on the shelf. Our prescription team can help you plan this.
• Ask your doctor for a letter listing your medicines, including strength and daily dosage, and stating they’re for your personal use.

Going away for a few months?

Longer trips take more planning, because you can’t fill PBS scripts overseas and PBS medicines can’t be sent to you once you’re there.

• See your doctor early. Your doctor decides how much to prescribe, and some medicines have a minimum time between repeats, so ask how you’ll cover the whole trip.
• Know how early repeats affect the Safety Net. If you fill a repeat within 20 days of the last supply (or within 50 days for a 60-day script), it may not count towards your PBS Safety Net. Our guide to 60-day prescriptions explains how longer scripts work.
• Tell us your travel dates. Mention them when you bring in your scripts, so we can make sure we have enough stock to fill everything before you fly.

Travelling with PBS medicines: the basics

Services Australia sets clear rules for taking PBS medicines overseas:

• You can only take PBS medicines for your own personal use, or for someone travelling with you.
• It’s illegal to take or send PBS medicines overseas for anyone else, including family members and relatives who aren’t travelling with you. Penalties include a fine of up to $16,500 (as of February 2026) and up to 2 years in prison.
• Take only enough to cover your trip. Services Australia says the amount depends on PBS rules, your prescriber’s judgement, Australian export laws and the import laws of the countries you visit.
• Check the medicine is legal in every country you’re visiting or transiting through. The embassy or consulate is the place to ask, and some countries have very strict rules on certain medicines, such as strong pain relievers.
• Carry your doctor’s letter listing your medicines, with their strength and daily dose. If you can’t get one, fill in a Medicine Export Declaration form and take it through customs.
• Leave medicines in their original packaging.
• PBS medicines can’t be posted or couriered to you while you’re away, even if they were dispensed before you left.
• Some PBS medicines can’t legally leave Australia at all. Services Australia points to the Australian Border Force website for the details.

For specific questions, Services Australia runs a PBS taking or sending medicine overseas line on 1800 500 147, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

1 week before you fly

Pack a travel health kit

Smartraveller suggests a small first aid kit. A practical kit might include:

• pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen (follow the label or your pharmacist’s advice);
• antiseptic and waterproof dressings;
• SPF 30 to 50+ sunscreen and insect repellent;
• oral rehydration products;
• any travel sickness, allergy or tummy upset medicines your pharmacist suggests for you;
• hand sanitiser and a thermometer.

Ask your pharmacist which options suit you, especially for children, during pregnancy or if you take other medicines. Some products that are easy to buy here may be restricted overseas.

Subscribe to Smartraveller

Smartraveller no longer asks you to register your trip. Instead, you can subscribe for free email updates on the destinations you’re visiting, so you’ll hear about new risks or changes to the advice.

Make copies

Photograph your doctor’s letter, prescriptions, insurance policy and passport. Store them somewhere you can reach without your luggage, and share them with someone at home.

The day before you fly

• Put all medicines in your carry-on, in original packaging, with your doctor’s letter.
• Check airline rules for liquids and medical devices.
• Set phone reminders for medicine times, especially if you’re crossing time zones. Ask your pharmacist how to adjust your timing.
• Plan to move around on long flights and stay hydrated.
• Double-check your insurance documents and emergency contacts are on your phone.

Flying out of Gold Coast Airport or Brisbane during the Queensland school holidays? Queues and delays are common, so keep a couple of days of medicine within reach rather than packed away.

When to see a pharmacist or GP

See your GP before you go if you’re pregnant, have a long-term health condition, have a weakened immune system, or are travelling with babies or young children. Talk to a pharmacist if you’re unsure what to pack, or how your medicines fit with your travel plans.

After your trip, see a doctor if you feel unwell, especially with a fever, ongoing diarrhoea, a rash, or any symptoms after visiting an area with malaria or other infectious diseases. Tell them where you’ve been. In an emergency, call 000.

Ready to start your countdown? Check which travel vaccinations you can get with our pharmacists, with no appointment needed for many services.

This article is general information only and isn’t a substitute for personal advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist or you’re worried, talk to your pharmacist or GP. In an emergency, call 000.