Passport Question/ 6 month rule ???

https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=2y&filter=Travel+Forum&query=Passport+expiration+rules&utf8=%E2%9C%93

Perhaps previous discussions will have some helpful info. Good luck!

Thank you! I will read the other posts now :-)

I did a search for [country] passport requirements for each country you mentioned. They all require at least three months validity beyond your date of departure from the EU; Austria and Poland recommend six months. So you’re probably ok, but it would be good to have proof of departure, e.g., a copy of your plane ticket, handy.

@Mardee the document you are referring to is for visitors traveling to the US, see first sentence.

Marty, what is the date of your return ticket? Your passport must be valid 6 months from that date.
ie I'm leaving Spain on Oct 25 and my old passport expired on March 4, 2024, therefore not valid for this trip.
Sent away for a new passport, it was received on 5/30/23 and requested expedited service. Received new passport on 7/10/23 good for 10 years.
note, I'm traveling on Rick Steves and Road Scholar tours, and both advised me about my passport.
Bottom line, you won't be able to board your plane leaving for CDG, the airlines are penalized very heavily, I suggest you
contact AA.

I accidentally deleted my prior post trying to edit to answer Mardee's question. And what Dona said about the link in Mardee's post. Here are the links to rules per the US State Department for each country the OP plans to visit. Note that I am assuming the OP is an American passport holder flying into Europe.
Poland
Czech Republic
Austria
Germany
As you can see from the links, drop the Czech Republic and the OP should be fine. As to why they have 6 months in the Czech Republic, the answer is because they do. The OP will not be allowed to board the flight to CDG if they have a trip to the Czech Republic on their itinerary.

I too noticed that the link by Mardee is for people coming into the US. So this will not apply.

Each country has their own rules. You could look on each country's appropriate website (IE State Department or immigration website as appropriate to see the rules.

You could try this link, which I think MisterE and others have previously provided and fill in the appropriate information. A bit tedious but worth it:

https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/

I have a similar situation coming up as my passport expires next year so I am being very careful and planning it out accordingly, including allowing a lot of time for my renewal to come through, 4-6 months.
Be careful so you don't mess up your trip.

Good Luck

Hi Marty. Yes, there is a lot of confusing info out there... Here are some snippets from your question, and some more info:

1) "We are planning on flying into CDG next month....confused about the 6 month rule on our passports which don't expire until mid January 2024..."

When you see six months mentioned, it is a oversimplified recommendation, not an official rule. If you check France / Schengen entry reqts, you will see that the reqt is "PASSPORT VALIDITY: At least three months beyond date of departure from the Schengen area."

2) "..will we be able to board our plane (AA)? "
There is a lot of conflicting info in the answers you have been given. My advice: don't take our word for it! On the AA website, there is a link where you can enter your exact info and get confirmation of documents needed. Just enter 'International Travel' in the search box in the AA website; click on the 'documents needed' link, then enter your exact passport info and dates of travel.

3) "... traveling to Germany, Austria, Chezk Republic and possibly Poland...will we run into problems while traveling by train and crossing boarders?"

Traveling by car or train within the Schengen region, there are generally no border checks; in any case, you will have entered Schengen legally, so no concern.

4) ".. the new Visa that Americans will need to travel in Europe will not be required until 2024. Is this correct?"
Yes, this will not start until 2024 or later."

Have a great trip!

Dona and JHK, thanks! Yes, I did rush through that when reading it. Thank you for the correction! I will probably just delete that part.

Traveling by car or train within the Schengen region, there are
generally no border checks; in any case, you will have entered
Schengen legally, so no concern.

That's not how it works. If the Czech republic requires 6 months validity, and your passport expires in less than six months. You can not visit Prague, or any other place in the Czech republic.

EDIT
Here is more information:
Some countries require 6 months period.

Officially Schengen countries require 90 days of validity on your passport, assuming you will stay the maximum allowed time.
The US State Department recommends 6 months because rules can change according to the website listed below, which is not an official State Department Website but a Passport Service Website .I have not used their services but the information is pretty clear

On the page with the 6 month rule countries it states:

*Europe is absent from this list. Due to stricter border controls in many European countries, the US State Department recommends that American citizens traveling to the countries in the Schengen Area should have a passport with six months of remaining validity. That said, the official requirement is only three months validity. While the rules for entering the countries that are a part of the Schengen Agreement are slated to change with the introduction of the ETIAS visa waiver program in 2021, this is not expected to change the required amount of passport validity required for entry.
*

Here is that link for all the info:
https://www.us-passport-service-guide.com/countries-that-require-six-months-validity-in-a-passport.html

Personally I would cross check any info here with the previous website link I posted just to be sure..

https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/

Just a follow up comment / question... There are a few posts above with statements indicating concepts like 'each country is different' or 'some countries require six months'. I question that. The whole point of the Schengen agreement is to standardize these rules and allow visitors to enter the Schengen area once, and then have seamless travel / freedom of movement between all Schengen countries without border checks.

This idea is reinforced by info like this that I find when I research Schengen history:

"Europe, The Schengen Agreement, and the 3-Month Rule
This decades-old agreement between 27 European countries was designed to make travel within member nations faster, more efficient, and less expensive. The agreement requires travelers to have valid passports during their stay, and it is governed by a 3-month passport validity rule."

So my question is - what am I missing? Why is this so confusing....?

This is true for Schengen countries, Bob. It is relatively simple

The OP is going to Schengen zone countries so that is true.

But sometime people change their itineraries so they should be aware. Plus in general it is good to know where to find the information for any future trips.

Most airlines use a system established by IATA. When they run your passport the system does the check for compliance. You can do it from your end, in the same system at this site

https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/home.htm?_gl=1*1m8whg0*_ga*MTYxNDQxOTAxOS4xNjg5NjIyOTI4*_ga_PLLG1EY0X0*MTY4OTcyNDU2MC4zLjEuMTY4OTcyNDU3NS40NS4wLjA.

I just ran a trip to Azerbaijan that I am contemplating and it came back saying that I needed a visa, and it provided a link to the Azerbaijan EVisa website. Also gave a list of health concerns. Pretty convenient. Outside Schengen this should maybe be a standard check for every trip.

Here is some info on the Airline's interface to the program: https://www.iata.org/en/services/compliance/timatic/

It is actually up to the airlines whether they allow you to board, based on their interpretation of each country's rules, because if you are ineligible to enter a country when you land, it will be the airline's responsibility to fly you back to the US. So check with your airline if you have any doubt.

Ponygirl18 that is exactly what I was going to say. Rule of thumb is 6 months from the date you are flying back to the US. If it's less than that get your passport renewed now. This has been the standard for many years now. It is the country that makes the rule and the airlines that enforce it because they have to get you back stateside if the country doesn't let you in. We witnessed someone in 2014 get denied boarding to Greece exactly for this reason.