Brexit day: What you need to know about traveling between the UK and EU

After years of back and forth, Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, is the day that the United Kingdom will officially leave the European Union. As of 11 p.m. GMT (6 p.m. ET), the U.K. will end its 47-year relationship with the EU. But what does Brexit mean for travelers? Will U.K. citizens be able to continue to travel freely throughout Europe? Will flights between the U.K. and EU continue to operate as scheduled?

Thankfully, there is little for U.K.- or U.S.-based travelers to be concerned about in the near-term. As of Friday night's exit from the EU, very little is expected to change for the U.K., as the country enters a "transition period." Most EU laws will still apply, including the free movement of people, which allows U.K. citizens to travel freely throughout other EU member-states.

According to ABTA, a U.K. travel trade association for tour operators and travel agents, "everything will remain the same and you can continue to travel as you do now until at least the end of December 2020."

Flights, ferries and trains

Flights will continue as normal for the remainder of 2020 during the U.K.'s transition period. The government has advised passengers traveling by air not to expect any delays for flights between the U.K. and the European Union.

"Flights will continue and you should not experience any difference in security screening," the Foreign & Commonwealth Office said on its dedicated Brexit travel page. "Passengers flying from the UK will continue to transfer to onward flights at EU airports without extra security screening. This will also be the case at airports in Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. There will be no impact to direct flights to non-EU countries."

EasyJet has a dedicated Brexit page on its site, advising passengers that "regardless of the outcome of Brexit you will still be able to fly between the UK and the EU. Even if there is no-deal the European Commission and the UK government have said that UK airlines will still be able to operate flights between the UK and the EU."

British Airways is advising passengers that travel will not be affected as of Jan. 31, and all flights will continue to operate on a normal schedule.

Related reading: British Airways: Brexit outcome won't affect our flights

In addition to air travel, ferry services and cruises between the U.K. and Europe will continue to sail as normal, as will coach journeys and train trips — including on the Eurostar.

Travelers with a U.S.-issued passport shouldn't see any drastic changes in traveling between the U.K. and EU, as your passport will grant you the same access. If you have vacation travel booked between the U.K. and EU, you should not experience any delays or changed itineraries for the remainder of 2020.

Potential changes after the transition period

By the end of December, free travel between the U.K. and Europe might be a different story. By then, the government plans to have reached a permanent free trade agreement with the EU. In the event of a no-deal Brexit, travel regulations may — though are not guaranteed to — change.

U.K. travelers may need a visa to visit some European countries on a longer-term basis. The U.K. government has said that as of Jan. 1 2021, tourists on short stays (up to 90 days) will not need a visa to travel to the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. However, the government has said that "You may need a visa or permit to stay for longer, to work or study, or for business travel."

During the transition period, U.K. driver's licenses and health insurance cards will continue to be valid. However, as of Jan. 1, 2021, they may need to be swapped for versions that will apply to the EU. For U.S. travelers, as has long been the case, consider a travel insurance.

Europe is the number one overseas destination for U.K. travelers, with more than 58 million trips each year, according to ABTA. In the near-term, if you're traveling to Europe — even as a U.S. citizen — you can expect your trip to go on as planned. In the future though, European travel as we have come to know it may change in the case of a no-deal Brexit. However, for the duration of 2020, you can expect seamless travel between the U.K. and Europe.