Use this checklist to make your first hours in Addis Ababa calmer. Keep it on your phone before landing, and check current entry requirements and travel advice because rules and conditions can change.
Before landing
- Passport and entry documents accessible
- Hotel address saved offline
- Onward flight or onward-travel details accessible
- Home bank notified about international card use
- Important contacts saved offline
At Bole Airport
- Complete entry formalities according to the current official rules.
- Collect baggage and report missing baggage before leaving the reclaim area.
- Follow current customs instructions.
- Buy or activate connectivity through a recognised provider or service centre.
- Withdraw or exchange only what you need first.
- Keep the receipt and confirm the amount before leaving the counter.
Leaving the airport
- Confirm your hotel pickup name and phone number.
- Use the transport arrangement you selected before travelling.
- Share your arrival and vehicle details with someone you trust.
- Keep a small amount of cash separate from your main wallet.
If something goes wrong
- Missing baggage: keep the baggage report reference.
- Card declined: try another method and contact the card issuer.
- SIM not working: return to the seller or contact the provider.
- Late arrival: call the accommodation before leaving the airport.
- Security or travel disruption: follow local authorities and current official travel advice.
For step-by-step context, read the Bole Airport first-two-hours guide, the SIM card guide, and the ATM and cards guide.
Source check: review the official entry requirements and current travel advice before each trip. Last checked: 13 October 2026.
