A first trip to the United States rewards preparation more than most destinations. The country is enormous, the healthcare system is unforgiving of the uninsured, prices rarely include tax, and the entry paperwork has to be right before you leave home. None of it is difficult, but all of it is easier done twelve weeks out than twelve hours out. This guide is the complete planning sequence, from the authorisation you need to board to the tipping conventions that will confuse you on your first evening.
Twelve Weeks Out: The Paperwork
Two documents decide whether your trip happens at all.
Your passport
It must be an electronic passport, meaning it carries a chip and the international chip symbol on the cover. As a general rule it should remain valid for at least six months beyond your planned departure from the United States. Check the expiry date now, not the week before you fly: renewal in most countries takes several weeks.
Your travel authorisation
If you hold a passport from one of the 42 Visa Waiver Program countries, you travel on an ESTA rather than a visa. Most applications are decided within minutes, but some are held for review for up to 72 hours, and a refusal means falling back on a consular visa appointment that can take months. Apply as soon as the trip is real. You can complete your ESTA application here in a few minutes.
An approved ESTA is valid for two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, and covers multiple trips of up to 90 days each. If your country is not in the programme, you need a B-1/B-2 visitor visa, and that changes your planning horizon considerably. Our guide to US visa types and immigration routes explains the alternatives.
Travel Insurance: The Part Not to Skip
The United States has no universal healthcare system and no reciprocal arrangement with foreign health services. A European Health Insurance Card is worthless there. An ambulance ride can cost more than your flights, and a short hospital admission can run into five figures.
Take a policy that includes:
- Medical expenses of at least one million US dollars in cover.
- Emergency repatriation.
- Cover for any pre-existing condition you have declared. Undeclared conditions void claims.
- Trip cancellation and interruption if your booking is non-refundable.
- Baggage and personal effects, with an itemised limit high enough for a laptop or camera.
Buy it when you book, not when you fly: cancellation cover only helps if the policy predates the reason for cancelling.
Budgeting: What Things Actually Cost
Two habits distort budgets for first-time visitors. Advertised prices exclude sales tax, which is added at the till and varies by state and city. And tipping is not optional in service settings, which effectively raises restaurant and bar bills by close to a fifth.
| Item | Typical range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-range hotel, per night | 150 to 300 USD | Resort or destination fees are often added separately |
| Casual restaurant meal | 20 to 35 USD | Before tax and tip |
| Coffee | 4 to 7 USD | |
| Domestic flight, one way | 80 to 300 USD | Booked in advance |
| Car hire, per day | 45 to 100 USD | Excluding insurance and fuel |
| Museum admission | 20 to 30 USD | Some major museums are free |
| City transit day pass | 5 to 15 USD |
A workable rule of thumb for a mid-range trip is to budget your expected daily spend and add twenty-five per cent for tax and tips.
Flights and Timing
Fares to the United States follow predictable seasons. The cheapest windows are late January to early March and the second half of September into November. The most expensive are July and August, the weeks around Thanksgiving in late November, and the Christmas period.
Book long-haul economy roughly two to five months ahead. Prefer a direct flight if your budget allows; if you connect in the United States, remember that you clear immigration and customs at your first US airport, not your final destination, and you must re-check your bags afterwards. Ninety minutes is a bare minimum for that connection and two hours is more comfortable. Our guide to the US arrival and border control process explains the sequence.
Getting Around a Very Large Country
Distances are the thing first-time visitors underestimate. New York to Los Angeles is a six-hour flight. Driving it takes four days.
| Mode | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic flights | Anything over 500 km | Baggage fees on low-cost carriers; arrive 2 hours early |
| Car hire | National parks, coastal routes, the South and West | Under-25 surcharges; one-way drop-off fees; toll transponders |
| Amtrak trains | Northeast Corridor, scenic long-distance routes | Slow and infrequent outside the Northeast |
| Intercity coaches | Budget travel between nearby cities | Long journey times |
| Urban transit | New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington, San Francisco | Limited or non-existent in most other cities |
If you plan to drive, carry your national licence plus an International Driving Permit. Many rental companies accept a licence alone, but an IDP costs little and removes an argument at the counter and with police. Note that turning right on a red light is generally permitted unless a sign forbids it, and that school buses with flashing lights must not be passed in either direction.
For route ideas, see our article on planning a USA road trip.
Staying Connected
An eSIM bought before departure is almost always cheaper than home-network roaming and works from the moment you land. Most modern phones support it. Coverage from the major networks is excellent in cities and along interstates, and patchy in remote areas of the Mountain West and in national parks.
Free wifi is widespread in hotels, cafes and airports. Use a VPN on open networks if you are handling anything sensitive.
Money, Cards and Tipping
Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including for small amounts, and contactless is standard. Carry a modest amount of cash for tips and for the occasional cash-only establishment. Tell your bank you are travelling, and prefer a card with no foreign transaction fee. When a terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, decline: the exchange rate applied is poor.
Tipping conventions, which are social expectations rather than optional extras:
| Situation | Customary tip |
|---|---|
| Restaurant with table service | 18 to 20 per cent of the pre-tax total |
| Bar, per drink | 1 to 2 USD |
| Taxi or rideshare | 15 to 20 per cent |
| Hotel housekeeping | 3 to 5 USD per night |
| Porter or bellhop | 2 USD per bag |
| Tour guide, half day | 10 to 20 USD per person |
Check the bill before adding a tip. Larger groups often have a service charge included automatically, in which case an additional tip is not expected.
Power, Plugs and Devices
The United States runs on 120 volts at 60 hertz, with Type A and Type B sockets. Phone and laptop chargers are almost always dual voltage and need only a plug adapter. Hair dryers, straighteners and shavers rated for 220 to 240 volts only will be damaged: check the label on the charger or appliance, which will state the input range.
Airport Security and What You Can Carry
For departures within and from the United States, the standard liquids rule applies: containers of no more than 100 millilitres, in a single transparent resealable bag of about one litre. A growing number of airports have scanners that lift the restriction, but you cannot count on which checkpoint you will pass through, so pack to the stricter rule.
Keep medication in original labelled packaging with a copy of the prescription, and carry it in hand luggage. Some substances that are legal at home, including certain codeine-based painkillers and some ADHD medications, are controlled in the United States. Our guide to US customs rules and prohibited items covers what you may and may not bring.
Small Things That Catch People Out
- Prices exclude tax. The shelf price is never the price you pay.
- Photo ID for alcohol. The drinking age is 21 nationwide and identification is requested regardless of apparent age. A passport is the only reliably accepted document for a foreign visitor; a foreign driving licence is often refused.
- Air conditioning is aggressive. Carry a light layer even in high summer.
- Distances on maps deceive. A state can be larger than your country.
- Free public toilets are common in shops, hotels and restaurants.
- Jaywalking is enforced in some cities and ignored in others.
Your Countdown Checklist
- Twelve weeks out. Check passport validity and renew if needed. Decide dates and cities.
- Ten weeks out. Apply for your ESTA. Book flights. Take out travel insurance the same day.
- Eight weeks out. Book accommodation and any timed-entry attractions or national park permits.
- Four weeks out. Reserve a hire car if needed and obtain an International Driving Permit.
- Two weeks out. Buy an eSIM. Notify your bank. Check any vaccination advice.
- One week out. Confirm your ESTA is still valid for the passport you are carrying. Print or save your booking confirmations and first-night address.
- The day before. Check in online, confirm baggage allowance, pack medication in hand luggage.
If the authorisation is still outstanding, it is the one item that cannot wait: apply for your ESTA now and take it off the list.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I apply for an ESTA?
As soon as your trip is planned. Most decisions come within minutes, but some are held for up to 72 hours, and a refusal leaves you needing a consular visa appointment.
Do I need travel insurance to enter the United States?
It is not a legal entry requirement, but travelling without medical cover is a serious financial risk given US healthcare costs.
Can I use my home driving licence?
Generally yes for short visits, but carry an International Driving Permit alongside it. Rental companies and police may ask for one.
How much cash should I carry?
Enough for tips and small purchases, perhaps 100 to 200 US dollars. Amounts over 10,000 US dollars must be declared at customs.
Is tipping really compulsory?
Not legally, but service staff are paid on the assumption that it happens. Not tipping in a table-service restaurant is read as a complaint about the service.
What is the best time of year to visit?
Late spring and early autumn give the best combination of weather and price in most regions. Summer is peak season and peak price; the desert Southwest is uncomfortably hot then. See our list of the most beautiful destinations in the USA for regional timing.
Key Takeaways
- Sort the passport and the ESTA first; everything else can be rebooked, they cannot.
- Travel insurance with substantial medical cover is not optional in the United States.
- Budget your expected spend plus about twenty-five per cent for tax and tips.
- Domestic distances are continental; fly for anything over 500 kilometres.
- An eSIM, an IDP and a no-fee card remove most of the everyday friction.
Continue Reading
- Visa Waiver Program Countries 2026: Complete List and Eligibility Rules
- US Immigration Explained: Visa Types, Green Cards and the ESTA Route
- US Border Control: What Happens When You Arrive with an ESTA
Read next: more USA travel tips for first-time visitors.
