As millions of Brits gear up for autumn getaways, a major travel shake-up is on the horizon.
From 12 October 2025, the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) kicks in, a biometric border process requiring non-EU nationals to submit fingerprints and facial scans. Experts warn this could create fresh queues at airports, ferry ports, and Eurostar terminals.
A UK Government survey found that 69% of travellers hadn’t even heard of the new EES rules, yet 67% were worried about increased queues and extra document checks.
As Yasmin Peskel, travel expert at Blue Cruise, a cabin charter company, explains: “This isn’t about cancelling trips, it’s about travelling smarter. With EES adding time to border checks, simple choices like flight times and entry points can make a huge difference.”
Three clever hacks to beat the EES queues
1. Book the Earliest Possible Flight
Queues build up as the day goes on. Catching the first flight of the day means fresher border staff, fewer passengers, and often a much quicker entry into the EU.
2. Choose Lesser-Known Airports
Flying into smaller hubs, like Bilbao instead of Barcelona, or Lyon instead of Nice, can help avoid the choke points of Europe’s busiest airports. Fewer passengers means shorter lines, even with EES in place.
3. Use Biometric E-Gates
Not all airports are created equal. Some EU airports already have upgraded biometric Smart Gates compatible with UK passports, which speed up processing under EES. Before you book, check whether your destination airport supports e-gates, it could save you hours.
How to put it into practice
- Set your alarm early: Even if it means a 4 am wake-up, you’ll likely skip the worst of the queues.
- Check airport options: Compare flight prices to smaller airports; you may find tickets are cheaper as well as quieter.
- Do your homework: Look at which airports have modern biometric systems in place and book with those in mind.
Yasmin adds: “It’s the little details that matter now. Choosing the right airport or flight time isn’t just about convenience anymore; it’s the difference between gliding through passport control and standing in line for hours.”