Traveling with young kids can seem overwhelming when you first imagine how it’ll work. Where will they eat? How will I keep them from crying on the plane? How long is too long to be sitting on the plane? Will they be comfortable with all the pressure changes? Will they get bored?
Breathe! You got this!
My daughter’s first flight was from DIA > GRR when she was two months old, and my son got his first taste of long-distance flying when we traveled DIA > GRR and then GRR > SJU when he was the very same age. Now at ages four and seven, both kids are very comfortable while flying and have their preferred clothes, activities, and snacks. I can safely say we’ve got the entire process down to an imperfect science. Remember: we discovered these strategies through years of preparation and practice, so don’t expect perfection on your first go!
Whether you’re taking a short hop to visit the family or tackling longer itineraries with 15+ hours of flight time, you can absolutely make things a little bit easier by following these proven tips.
Tips for flying with young children
- Start your journey rested. Yes, you!
It’s far easier to deal with upset, cranky, or tired kids when you are well-rested and ready for anything. If this means packing a day early to avoid that last-minute rush, do it! If this means booking a little alone time before your trip, make it happen! Acknowledge the tough moments and do what you can to get through them, because I promise they will pass.
- Plan your itinerary from your home to check-in at the airport to arrival at your accommodation, but be ready to roll with the punches.
My husband and I call this our “Door to Door Plan.” Figure out how you’re getting yourself and your family to the airport, what meal options are available on the way (or what snacks to pack for the journey), and how you’ll get from the airport to your accommodation.
Split this task up into short bursts if the list seems overwhelming! You can even download our handy travel day checklist to ensure you’ve planned ahead for each leg of your journey.
It might be tempting to plan your flight smack-dab in the middle of naptime or even overnight – with the thought of having your kids nap on the plane – but this can often backfire (trust me!). You’re better off traveling with a well-rested kiddo, even if that means bringing a few extra comfort or entertainment items for the flight. Chances are, you won’t need them anyway!
- Bring snacks. Bring all the snacks.
You can bring food through airport security for both domestic and international travel! When we first started traveling with our young kids, we packed what we felt were “good snacks” for flying, like crackers, cheese sticks, and fruit…but we quickly learned that the best snacks were snacks the kids would actually eat.
For older kids, stick with solid foods. If you are traveling with a toddler or baby, you can carry on liquid-based foods like breast milk, applesauce, formula, pouches, and baby food.
For a list of our favorite (and not-so-favorite) foods to bring while flying with kids, download our flight guide!
- Pack your child’s clothing wisely.
This tip is all about packing what makes sense for your family. For some kids, packing wisely might mean leaving that ninth pair of socks in the drawer at home. For others, you can never have enough pairs of toddler underwear. Think about the clothing your family normally goes through on a day out. It’s a good idea to have easy access to an extra shirt, pants, underwear, and socks for young kids in the case of a spill or bathroom accident; we always pack these in our carry-on.
- Dress comfortably.
For yourself and your kids, dress in clothing that is easy to layer, comfortable, and easy to remove if needed. Depending on your departure or destination, airports can get chilly, and cooler air in the airplane means preparing for big temperature swings.
We like wearing good quality T-shirts or long-sleeved shirts with a sweater or sweatshirt, soft pants with a drawstring, and socks with tennis shoes.
- Bring a limited number of comfort and entertainment items.
When we first started traveling with our kids, we packed So. Much. Stuff. We’re talking blankets, pillows, and sweaters. Coloring books. Crayons. Markers. Stickers. Water pens. Dolls. LEGO. You name it, we brought it with us.
We now limit our kids’ carryons to the following:
- One change of clothes
- A reusable water bottle
- One item for warmth (a jacket or sweater – this can double up as a comfort item)
- One item for comfort (usually a small stuffed animal)
- One item for entertainment (we love these mess-free coloring kits from Crayola)
- iPad*
- Headphones* (noise-canceling headphones help a lot with comfort on the flight)
*Every family approaches screen time differently. In our experience with our kids, they do pretty well with extended screen time as long as we’ve given them enough to eat and ample time to rest ahead of our travels. When the kids were younger, we called this “going nuclear” because we literally felt we had no other options to keep them – and ourselves – sane. There’s no shame in extra screen time, and there’s no judgment if you choose to keep this option off of your packing list, either.
BONUS: Seven Travel Tips from a Seven-Year-Old
When I asked my daughter (7 years old) what advice she would give parents traveling with their kids, she came up with the following list.
- Make sure you have everything your child needs to survive, like their toothbrush!
- Maybe you can bring some toys, but not all of them, because all of them would be way too many.
- And a swimsuit and some swim goggles. (Just in case.)
- Sometimes, your kid might need snuggles.
- Bring a game or think of a word game to play, like I Spy.
- Sometimes, your kid might need your help calming down or getting to their seat.
- The kids have to bring their shoes, so they don’t get prickles on their feet.
For more tips on traveling with children, head to this related blog post: Tips for Traveling With Babies, Toddlers, and Neurodivergent Kids.