5 Tips Flying with Kids

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Posted on15 January 2010. Tags: Travel Tips, Traveling with Kids

As we all know when you plan to travel with kids, you have to plan extra carefully, and it will be a lot more stressful. Kids ask for a lot of attention and are not always patient during the whole travel experience. It can be quite stressful for you to prepare flying with your kids, and when you know you are going to be flying long haul with the kids, it can make you even more anxious. So here are some tips to make flying with kids easier for you and lets you start your trip a little better.

Flying with Kids Tip 1: Book the best flying itinerary possible

Of course, 1 or 2 layovers might save you quite a few bucks on your travel budget, but keep in mind that things might not always go as you plan. You know how nerve wrecking it is, when you miss a connection flight or have a long delay. But do you really want to go through this with your kids? So go the easy way and try to find a direct flight if possible.

Flying with Kids Tip 2: Be early

Because it is hard to get everything together before you finally get on the plane, especially when you have kids and you need to make sure you’ve got everything, give yourself plenty of time before departure. Though it is required to be at the airport 2 hours prior to departure time, arrive at least 2 and ½ hours early. Why? There are several reasons: 1. When traveling with children the process of getting somewhere is always much slower. Remember the bathroom breaks or other delays 2. It takes more time for the flight attendant to register you on the plane. 3. If you have a car seat and more bags, they are more lenient with over weight on the first few passengers that check in. Plus passenger that arrive before the masses can request better seats, so you can ask for the seats in the front with more leg space. 4. You will not have to wait in line to get your boarding pass, so the kids wont get antsy and annoyed by the wait. And 5. It gives you more time to get to your gate and pass security (though they have a special line for adults with children). We recommend having someone not only drop you off but also stay with you until you get to your gate. Ask a friend to watch the kids while you are waiting for your boarding pass. Younger kids tend to wander around. It is safer to leave them with someone you know, than try to do too many things at once and run after them in the airport!

Note: Let the flight attendant at the gate know you travel with children. You will be the first one to board on the plane. After landing, wait and be the last one to get out, you usually will get help from the crew.

Flying with Kids Tip 3: What to pack?

Of course, when you travel with kids, you need to make sure you have your kids’ passports. Their plane tickets seems obvious too, but just to make sure, you need this as well. If you travel with younger kids, who will sit on your lap during the flight, you need to let the airline company know. You do not need a ticket for them, but you have to pay the airport taxes. Then you need to make sure to pack a few things to take with you on the plane:
- Pack snacks. You do get food on the plane, but it is not always something kids want to eat. As the trip is long they can be picky! So make sure to bring their favorite snacks (raisins, cereals, carrots, bread, cream cheese…). It can also occupy them for a while if they get bored.
- Pack some fun. Make sure to bring some toys and games for them to play with. Coloring and sticker books are always a good idea. A DVD player and some of their favorite movies can give you some quiet time. Most planes have TVs in the seat in front of you with video games and cartoons, but in case they have a favorite, pack it up. It is important to keep them busy. If they have something to do they will focus on the fact they are stuck on a plane! You can also invent games ( maybe use some of the car games that we recommend)
- Keep them warm. Often, planes are not very warm so pack an extra sweater and socks. You can always bring a blanket. However, with the new security regulation make sure to ask the airline if they accept them first. They should have blankets available, but sometime, having your own is comforting.
- Prepare them for ear pain. With the change of air pressure during take off and landing, kids ears will hurt. We as adults know about it and expect it. But for younger kids it is a new feeling they strongly dislike. Give them a bottle or pacifier as the sucking and chewing will help them adjust to the pressure more easily. For older kids you can put cotton balls in their ears to decrease the pain or offer them some chewing gum.
- Ask for a booster seat. Certain airline offers booster seat for kids. You need to reserve it ahead of time. Ask if they offer them, or you have to bring your own. Make sure to check the requirements of the airline when you travel with kids.
- Pack a change of clothes. If you know our kids have motion sickness, have some extra clothes on hand in case they do get sick.
You need a large carry on. Make sure it fits the airline requirement and chose one with wheels to make it easier to carry.

Flying with Kids Tip 4: Prepare you kids for the travel

If you have kids old enough to understand, make sure to explain them what you are going to do and involve them in helping you. They will most likely enjoy it. Tell them about the travel and how they can help by watching over the younger one, carrying their own backpack and listening to you. Find a way to make it fun and rewarding for them. You can organize it as a game with good behavior stars that they get for good behavior and a final prize. It is important to make your kids feel special and involved while teaching them responsibilities.

Flying with Kids Tip 5: Keep them hydrated.
Though the bathrooms are not really easy to access with kids on plane, it is important to keep them hydrated while flying. Don’t bother packing juices and bottles of water, you are not allowed to bring them beyond the security check point. Though for babies, bottles of milk are allowed. Ask the flight attendant for bottles of water as soon as you get on the plane and make sure they drink regularly.

When you travel with kids, it is always a challenging experience. But if you are well prepared you can be positively surprised! Long haul trips are not easy for us, and certainly not the kids’ favorite! But as long as you make it interesting for them and pack what they need, you flying with kids experience should be successful.

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