Travel rules are changing at breakneck pace, with passengers now requiring a negative pre-departure test result to enter Ireland, and Omicron fears seeing arrivals from Britain advised to take antigen tests for five days in a row.

Despite the confusion, Dublin Airport is still expecting 850,000 passengers over the Christmas period – up dramatically on last year, but still far below 2019 figures.

Nobody travelling over the holidays wants to get caught out, so here are some steps to consider before you book a trip, or travel, in the coming weeks.

1. Take a breath

Covid’s new variant and winter surge have triggered a wave of confusing rules. We have a lot to learn about Omicron’s transmissibility, severity and ability to dodge vaccines, however, so there’s no point trying to second-guess what’s coming. Focus on what you can control.

If you are finding the anxiety too much, consider using a travel agent who can monitor updates and cancellation or rescheduling options for you. On the plus side, there’s a lot of flexibility out there — Aer Lingus, for example, allows you to cancel or change flights to within two hours of travel up to January 31 (though a fare difference may apply).

2. Insure yourself

Early in the pandemic, travel insurers ran from the coronavirus. Now, they largely include it on policies — providing protection for flight changes, accommodation or medical expenses, for example, if you contract the virus overseas. Query what your policy does and doesn’t cover by phone — you won’t be covered if you choose not to travel simply out of worry, for example.

3. Do your homework

Check the specific vaccination and testing rules for your destination, and don’t forget the Personal Locator Form and tests if you are returning home to Ireland. Reopen.europa.eu and dfa.ie/travel are regularly updated websites for outbound travel, while Ireland’s restrictions are updated on gov.ie.

Double check these again close to travel — updates are coming thick and fast.

Pay close attention to testing rules and time windows for taking PCR and antigen tests. Is it within 24, 48 or 72 hours of arrival or departure? Bear in mind that ‘departure’ may mean the final leg of a multi-flight trip, and that delayed flights can impact the window period.

Err on the side of caution.

4. Pre-book testing

Ireland now requires all arrivals aged 12 and over to show a negative result from a professional test. So does Portugal. The US requires a negative test result taken within a day of travel. Demand is up dramatically at private testing centres, so book ahead to avoid last-minute stress.

If your travel dates are flexible, choose times that match less busy periods (Dublin Airport expects its busiest days to be December 19 and 23, for example).

And don’t forget to think through what might happen if your Covid-19 test result is delayed, or positive.

5. Test anyway

Even if a negative result isn’t required at your destination, a home antigen test may provide some peace of mind, or catch an asymptomatic case — protecting fellow passengers and sparing you a disrupted trip. I’ve found it nerve-wracking taking these tests, but reassuring too.

6. Bring hard copies

Take a printout of your Covid Cert, testing proof and any health forms in case you encounter Wi-Fi issues or your phone battery dies (a charger or battery pack is a good idea for hand luggage).

Oh, and check your old-school passport is in date! The Passport Service has an urgent appointments service, but don’t let it get that far.

Anyone greeting a passenger at Dublin should also remember that access to the terminals is only allowed to passengers, crew and airport staff – so plan to meet outside (there are new meeting points just outside Terminal 1 and at the glass walkway between the Terminal 2 car park and arrivals).

The airport lists its Covid-19 travel tips here, and Christmas travellers should remember not to wrap any gifts taken as hand luggage… they may need to be opened at security.

Risk, health and travel assessments are different for everybody, but in summary: Think ahead, build in flexibility and expert advice, and put your peace of mind first.