Flying with Kids: Small Plans, Big Rewards

Flying with children can feel daunting, particularly if you’re responsible for keeping young travellers comfortable, entertained and happy for several hours. The good news is a little planning before you leave home can make an enormous difference. Whether you’re travelling with your own family or taking grandchildren on an adventure, a handful of smart decisions before departure can help everyone arrive feeling far more relaxed.

Here are a few ways to make flying with children easier from the very beginning.

Pick the right flight

Finding the cheapest airfare always feels satisfying, yet convenience often proves far more valuable when travelling with children. A direct flight may cost a little more, although avoiding extra airport transfers, security queues and boarding gates can save everyone from unnecessary stress.

Think carefully about departure times as well. Some children happily bounce out of bed for an early morning flight, while others travel better after breakfast and a slower start. Evening departures occasionally work well if youngsters are likely to sleep, although an overtired child can just as easily become a restless one. Every family differs, so choose a schedule which best suits the children you’re travelling with rather than simply selecting whichever fare happens to be lowest.

Book smart, not just cheaply

Seat selection may seem like an unnecessary expense until boarding begins. Sitting together allows adults to share responsibilities, pass snacks along the row and reassure nervous young flyers whenever needed.

A spot near the toilets can prove useful when travelling with toilet-training youngsters, while aisle seats make frequent walks far easier. Families travelling with babies may also wish to investigate bassinets, available on many long-haul flights when booked well in advance.

Extra legroom may seem like a luxury, although stretching little legs, playing quiet games on the floor or simply enjoying a little more personal space can sometimes justify spending a little extra.

Pack with purpose

Carry-on luggage deserves careful thought. Rather than filling a bag with “just in case” items, concentrate on essentials you’ll genuinely use. Pack a complete change of clothes for each child and, just as importantly, one for yourself. Spilt drinks, sticky fingers and unexpected accidents rarely discriminate between children and adults.

Include medications, wipes, tissues, hand sanitiser, refillable water bottles, healthy snacks and one or two comfort items such as a favourite toy, blanket or small pillow. A lightweight jumper also comes in handy, since aircraft cabins often fluctuate between surprisingly warm and rather chilly.

If you’re travelling with grandchildren, ask Mum and Dad beforehand which snacks, comfort toys and medications they rely upon. Familiar routines often provide enormous reassurance in unfamiliar surroundings.

Give children their own backpack

Many youngsters enjoy carrying a small backpack of their own. Apart from reducing your own load, it gives children a sense of responsibility and independence. Fill it with lightweight activities, colouring supplies, travel games, books and a cuddly companion. Encourage children to look after their own belongings, although keep anything essential, such as passports or medications, safely in an adult’s bag.

Prepare young travellers before departure

For many children, unfamiliar experiences cause more anxiety than travelling itself. Talking through each stage of the journey beforehand removes much of the mystery. Explain security screening, boarding announcements, take-off, turbulence and baggage collection in simple language. Children often enjoy following the journey on a map or learning a little about the destination before leaving home. Turning travel into part of the adventure helps build excitement while reducing uncertainty.

Expect little ears to pop

Changes in cabin pressure during take-off and landing can cause uncomfortable ears, particularly among younger passengers. Babies often benefit from feeding during ascent and descent, while older children can sip water, suck on a sweet if age-appropriate, yawn or gently chew to encourage swallowing. Having drinks readily available before descent begins saves scrambling through bags when everyone else reaches for theirs.

Don’t fear the aircraft toilet

Aircraft toilets can feel rather intimidating for young children during their first flight. Visiting before urgency strikes allows time for a calmer experience. If you’re travelling with toddlers, remember changing facilities are available in many aircraft bathrooms, although space remains extremely limited. Keeping nappies, wipes and a change of clothes together in a small pouch makes life considerably easier than wrestling with a large carry-on bag inside a tiny cubicle.

Prepare for delays

Even carefully planned holidays occasionally begin with delayed flights or missed connections. Keeping expectations realistic helps everyone cope when plans change. Carry extra snacks, refillable water bottles, spare activities and patience. Children generally take emotional cues from adults around them, so remaining calm often encourages them to do exactly the same. Unexpected delays can even become part of the adventure. Plane spotting, exploring airport terminals or inventing simple games together often turns waiting time into memorable family time.

Remember perfection isn’t the goal

Every flight tells its own story. Drinks spill, children become tired, plans change and somebody almost always forgets something. Successful family travel has very little to do with perfect behaviour or flawless planning. It comes from staying flexible, keeping a sense of humour and remembering why you’re travelling in the first place.

Years from now, the children you’re travelling with probably won’t remember a delayed departure or a long queue at security. They’ll remember flying through the clouds, discovering somewhere new and sharing the adventure with people they love. A little preparation simply helps everyone enjoy those memories even more.