With the arrival of ETIAS in 2026, there are many expectations among the 60 exempt countries as to how it will be launched and operated, how to get the information across to the entire traveling community in each country, and above all, that the introduction be as gradual as possible and that airlines know how to do their job of control at airports of departure to the Schengen area.

Some analysis of the countries that will be most affected by this regulation show that the United States and the United Kingdom are neck and neck. Citizens of these two countries travel to Europe the most, particularly the US. In the United States, there is great interest in all things European, and the UK is closely linked to Europe for obvious reasons, particularly Spain, which welcomes large numbers of British tourists to its coastline every year.

According to data from NTTO / Trade.gov: 41% of transoceanic trips made by Americans in 2024 were to Europe, with a total of 22.1 million trips. These are very significant numbers, and it is not surprising that airlines have increased their frequencies between US cities and destinations within Europe. Specifically, the countries most visited by Americans, in this order, are: France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and finally the United Kingdom.

Airlines play a crucial role in all this, as ground staff will be responsible for checking travel documentation before passengers board flights to Europe. From 2026 onwards, passengers who do not present their ETIAS – SEIAV, duly approved by the European authorities, will not be able to board the plane that will take them on their vacation or temporary visit to Europe.

Contrary to what most travelers think, documentation is checked at the point of departure, not at the destination, so you need to be prepared and make sure you have everything in order on the day of your flight, specially your approved ETIAS – SEIAV.