People all over the world fly so often you’d think it’s fun. According to a recent report, the number of daily flights has reached 102,465.
Frequent flyers know the truth: air travel can be a hassle! Mother Nature may throw a tantrum, canceling your trip due to bad weather. You might miss a connection. IDs can be forgotten and luggage can get lost.
But what’s worse?
Adding a bored and restless child to the mix! Kids absolutely have the right to fly with their parents, experience the joy of travel and see places they’ve only spotted in books or in photos. But if you want to fly with children, you need to invest in planning and preparation. Without that, you could find yourself trapped in the skies with a crying or over-energetic child.
But don’t worry.
This guide will help you get ready for air travel with kids. Here, you’ll discover plenty of practical, stress-reducing tips, including:
- How to plan your flight and which seats to pick to minimize hassle
- How to prepare yourself and your child
- Airplane etiquette for kids and parents
- Which airlines are family-friendly (and which aren’t)
- And more!
Our commitment:
By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to make flying with children less stressful and more enjoyable. So, let’s get started!
The 3 Essential P’s of Flying with Kids: Planning, Preparing, and Packing
You’ve made the decision—you’re flying with your child. Age doesn’t matter much; some parents, like Leslie from Trips With Tykes, even recommend flying between 3 and 9 months old as ideal. But whatever your child’s age, there’s prep work ahead!
Timing is crucial when preparing kids for a flight. You want plenty of time to plan, prepare, and pack. Skip spontaneous trips or last-minute packing blitzes. And don’t even consider new-age “sleep hacks” on your kids during the flight. That’s a recipe for exhaustion!
Don’t worry. The sections ahead will show you how to get everyone—kids and adults—ready for your journey.
1. Planning and Booking the Flight
Good prep starts even before booking. Pay close attention to two things: flight timing and your seats. Make sure your flight fits your child’s routine and that you’re all seated together.
- Watch out for red-eye flights
Red-eye flights depart late at night and arrive in the early morning. Unsurprisingly, these flights can be tough for passengers of any age and can even be bad for your health.
Most people want to rest on a red-eye. The last thing you want is to upset the cabin by bringing a hyper or crying child. If you can avoid overnight flights with kids, do so. If not, make necessary adjustments.
- Top tip
Eat before boarding so it’s one less worry. Red-eyes mean little rest time, and you don’t want to waste precious sleep eating on board. Dining at home or in the airport means you and the kids can sleep as soon as you board.
Avoid heavy meals—they can cause indigestion. Choose energy-rich, protein-packed foods instead.
Next, make sure kids are as comfortable as possible. That might mean bringing extra gear like travel pillows. Let your children pick their own, so they’re happiest.
- And another thing
Red-eyes aren’t the time for fashion statements or superhero costumes. It’s all about comfort.
- Work around the schedule
If you’ve avoided the red-eye, great—one less thing to worry about. Still, you have prep to do regardless. If your child naps from 1–2pm, try to fly during nap time. That way, they’re more likely to sleep than act up.
If not, and your flight is in the afternoon when they’re playful, let them burn energy with outdoor fun in the morning. If the airport has a playground, let them play before boarding.
For morning flights, make sure your child sleeps well the night before. A tired child equals a grumpy child—not what you want on a plane!
- Choosing seats
Sitting together is as vital in real life as it is in movies like Home Alone 2. You’re golden if an airline lets you pick seats—you’ll stay together as a family. If not, book seats ASAP; otherwise, you may pay extra to sit together.
Flying with a baby? Book an airline with changing tables and you’re set!
Sitting in the back puts you near the bathrooms—much more convenient and less likely to disturb others. Plus, you get easier access to crew and facilities.
First row seating, however, can be a win, especially on budget carriers—often reserved for families with young kids. If it’s available, you’ll have extra space for all your “kid stuff.”
2. Preparing Yourself and the Kids
You’ve booked your flight and picked seats for the whole family. Now it’s time to prep everyone—especially if it’s their first time flying.
- Get your mind and body ready
Most prep will center on the kids. But grown-ups need it, too.
Set realistic expectations. If you expect a relaxing flight where you sleep to your heart’s content, it’s reality-check time!
- Take note
This guide is about “reducing stress”—not “eliminating stress”—when flying with kids.
You’ll spend most of your flight entertaining, cleaning, and helping kids sleep. Kicking back to admire the clouds? Wishful thinking!
After landing, you may feel wiped out. Give yourself time to rest before major sightseeing, so you can actually enjoy your trip.
Accept you won’t rest as much as you like and you’ll be more mentally ready for the journey.
- Remove uncertainty
Follow this rule: removing uncertainty gets you closer to a stress-free flight. For some, that means breaking out simple toys—a tablet and headphones—and letting the kids have screen time.
- And that’s a smart move!
Kids are energetic, and sitting still on a plane can seem impossible. But teaching them to sit for stretches reduces their chances of acting up.
Still, there’s more to prep than just that.
Turn travel prep into a kid-friendly learning game.
The sights, sounds, and feelings of an airplane are routine to most adults—but not to first-time child flyers, who may find it scary.
- The solution
A toy airplane and a little imagination. Use it to show your kids the parts of the plane: wings, doors, tail, cockpit. When boarding, you can look for those parts together.
Bring something familiar from home—Teddy or a favorite toy—to reduce the strange. Also, talk them through the airport security process—let them know their favorite toy will go through security but they’ll get it right back. Oh, and warn older kids: jokes about bombs are a no-go and could spell trouble.
3. Packing Your Stuff
- First rule
Only start packing once you know the luggage weight and size limits. Call or email the airline or airport to check their baggage policies. The last thing you want is a flight delay because you have to offload items.
Baby food, formula, and breastmilk are often allowed in quantities above standard liquid limits. But you and your child need more than just liquids.
- A small bag for essentials
Next up: packing. Gather all truly essential items in a small, easy-to-carry backpack.
Important documents—passports, printed itinerary, transport details, and tickets—go in this bag. Also bring a wallet, smartphone + charger, and any medicine. Don’t forget a loaded iPod with kid-friendly apps and favorite stuffed animals.
- Another bag for quick-access items
The essentials are ready, but you need an extra bag for access on the go. For little ones, consider a Jet Kids Bed Box—a carry-on, travel suitcase, and in-flight bed all in one, which can also help with airport time.
Traveling with a baby? Use this bag for bottles, formula, and wipes. You’ll also want two water bottles and some snacks—you never know when kids will get thirsty or hungry. Bring more than one iPod for entertainment. Coloring books, paper, and crayons used to be standard—but you can go digital: a portable DVD player, headphones, charger, and kid movies. Also, a change of clothes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and pajamas for bedtime.
- More tips for smart packing
So you have your essentials bag and a quick-access bag. What about everything else? Check it in. If you won’t need it until you arrive, don’t bring it on the plane.
Choose compact, versatile clothes. Comfort is key, so skip jewelry and pricey outfits. Pack plenty of underwear, socks, and pajamas.
Prep for the weather, too. Bring raincoats and pants if you’re headed somewhere wet. Make room for shampoo, soap, and sunscreen. Don’t forget a spare bag for souvenirs on the way home.
- Last but not least
Be critical—leave anything you don’t absolutely need or risk overpacking.
Flight Etiquette for Parents and Kids
Forget trying to please everyone onboard. Remember: not all passengers love having kids around, and some may glare at your child just for being there. There’s not much you can do—ignore it. Your kids have a right to travel with you.
But as a parent, remember: No one else on the plane loves your kids as much as you do.
What feels normal to you (“they’re just kids”) may not be to others. Families traveling together have a reputation—sometimes for these reasons:
- Changing dirty diapers on meal trays
- Letting kids kick seats or pull hair
- Treating flight attendants as babysitters
- Letting kids run wild in the cabin
- And so on!
You, as the parent, are responsible for supervising your little ones and making sure they don’t invade someone else’s space.
Disruptive passengers ruin flights—don’t be one. Grown-ups should also minimize trips to the restroom and keep noise low.
Want to go the extra mile? Try this: bring small gifts—a mini bottle of whisky or a few chocolates—for nearby passengers.
Include a note: “Hi! I’m little Miles. I’m new to flying and hope all goes well. Hopefully this chocolate makes me a bit less annoying.”
Hand out gifts as you settle in. If someone’s still grumpy after, they likely just don’t like kids.
Conclusion
We’ve covered how to strategically plan your flight, prep first-time flyers, and efficiently pack for the journey.
We also discussed flight etiquette for parents and kids to help you have a smooth trip in the skies. We hope this guide helps make your next flight with the little ones far less stressful—and much more fun.
Source: Upgradedpoints
