Traveling with infants and toddlers often feels like a marathon, with the daunting task of packing seemingly endless bags for even the shortest trips and the challenge of keeping a three-year-old entertained during long flights. However, amidst the complexities, family travel offers boundless opportunities to introduce young ones to new and stimulating environments. For families separated by geographical distances from relatives, these journeys become vital connections to their homeland or distant loved ones.
Kerry Kennett, a mother of three from Sackets Harbor, New York, has made flying with her children a regular part of her family's routine to stay connected with her husband's grandmother residing in New Zealand. Her first overseas trip with her eldest, at just 15 months old, involved a lengthy 13-hour flight from Los Angeles to Auckland. Despite the daunting duration, Kennett found it surprisingly manageable, thanks to access to bulkhead seating that allowed her son to sleep for much of the journey, affording her some much-needed rest as well. Now, with three children in tow, Kennett acknowledges the increased complexities of travel planning but maintains that the enriching experiences make every effort worthwhile.
“I haven’t ever regretted going on a trip with the kids,” she emphasizes. “It’s absolutely worth it.”
Emily Krause is an expert at traveling with babies and echoes Kennett’s sentiments. As a travel writer, she has plenty of first-hand experience in the air, bringing her four children on trips with her for a decade. She’s the voice behind the travel blog A Mom Explores and knows that flying with little ones requires some very real adjustments from pre-baby life, both in the practicality of planning as well as the mindset you go into the experience with.
“If things go wrong on our travels, as they inevitably do, I remind myself that it will make a good story later and that I can do hard things!” she says. Krause even credits traveling with babies and toddlers with making her a more patient and resilient parent, learning to adjust to the unexpected.
For parents embarking on their inaugural flight with a baby or seasoned travelers seeking fresh travel strategies, these tried-and-tested tips from seasoned professionals and experienced parents promise to minimize mid-flight meltdowns and keep your journey smooth.
1. Start Small
Krause emphasizes that numerous parents harbor concerns about the overwhelming nature or complexity of flying with children. However, drawing from her own experiences, she advocates for confronting these fears or anxieties directly by embarking on a trip. She recommends that parents who are new to traveling with children begin with shorter journeys closer to home, gradually progressing to longer trips. This incremental approach can foster confidence with each new travel experience, making future adventures more manageable and enjoyable for both parents and children alike.
2. Pick Earlier Flights
On a practical note, when it comes to timing, Krause says she tries to book flights earlier in the day whenever possible because that’s when her baby or toddler is often in the best mood. Earlier flights are more likely to be on time too which makes for a smoother and more enjoyable travel experience all around. I echo this sentiment. We opted for nighttime flights instead. This ensured our kids would be ready for bed once we got onto the plane. This didn't work out in our case since it took nearly 2 hours for dinner service and then lights out.
3. Look for Play Areas Wherever Possible
Hunt down the play spaces in the airports you pass through during layovers, like the “Kidport” play areas at Boston Logan International Airport that were designed by the Children’s Museum of Boston, or “Funway”, the space-themed playspace at Dulles International Airport which was designed by NASA.
Meredith Hansen is an American expat living in Spain, and she has plenty of experience racking up air miles with her son and husband, visiting family and friends, and exploring new places and cultures.
“European airports are especially kid-friendly,” she says. “Madrid has playgrounds in every terminal, and Sevilla has little rocking horses that kids can play on.”
If you can’t find an official play structure in your terminal, remember that any movement can help with antsy toddler energy. “Even if you just let them climb on chairs in an empty waiting zone, it'll help them get their wiggles out before the flight,” Hansen says.
4. Prioritze Rest
Kennett attributes the success of their New Zealand flight to securing bulkhead seats, highlighting the importance of prioritizing opportunities for the entire family to rest, which can greatly benefit the overall trip experience. She has also occasionally extended trips by a night to ensure the family can sleep in a bed, particularly if the travel time exceeds 24 hours. This strategic approach saves time in the long run by minimizing the need for additional recovery time from exhaustion.
Other parents suggest bringing car seats onto the plane whenever possible—even if you can rent one at your destination—especially if it will offer a comfortable napping spot for your children.
5. Snacks, Snacks, and more Snacks
Krause is a fan of lollipops to help older kiddos’ ears adjust through take-off and landing. For the younger set, pouches can do the same to relieve pressure, and for the pre-solids crew, breast, chest, or bottle feeding provides the same sucking mechanism to ease discomfort.
Again and again, parents agree: Always pack lots of snacks.
“Packing way more food and snacks than you think you will need is one of the most important things I've learned the hard way when flying with toddlers and young children,” Krause says. From calming an airport tantrum to bridging the gap between in-flight meals, having some crowd-pleasing nibbles on hand to ease the travel hanger can save everyone some tears in the long run.
During our excursion to Singapore, we made sure to stock up on plenty of Amara Yogurt Bites. These handy snacks proved invaluable as we could effortlessly distribute them one by one to the kids, effectively keeping them occupied and content throughout our travels. Whether exploring the vibrant streets of Singapore or waiting in line at attractions, having these convenient snacks on hand helped to ensure smooth and enjoyable experiences for the whole family.
6. How to Handle Nursing
Hansen said that one of the biggest surprises she ran into while traveling with a baby had to do with a side effect of jet lag.
“I did a lot of research about breastfeeding and sleeping the first time we traveled,” she said. “I looked into changing time zones and what we could do to make it easier (answer: not much). What didn't come up was the fact that not only the baby and I would be jet lagged, but also my milk. It never occurred to me that my breastmilk was used to coming in at particular times and that now we'd be 6 hours off of that schedule.”
While having a pumped stash or formula on hand can help stave off feeding delays for baby, a pre-travel chat with a lactation consultant can help breastfeeding parents plan for shifts in time zones and milk supply changes.
7. Less is More
Of course, there are some non-negotiables for carry-on bags, like an extra outfit for every person and at least one full pack of wipes for travel spills. However, Hansen says her family’s motto has always been “less is more.” “Pack one carry-on bag or backpack per person,” she suggests.
“The first time we flew I read so many blogs and watched so many reels and thought I needed to pack everything that everyone said was essential. It sort of felt like packing my hospital bag. In the end, we only needed a handful of things.”
While having a favorite book or a beloved stuffie from home can be helpful to keep some children entertained, countless parents also swear by household items like painter's tape and Post-It notes for their in-flight entertainment.
“Kids can also have fun with things you didn't pack,” Hansen shares. “My kid entertained himself for a long time on Sunday with an empty plastic bottle and a vomit bag.”
Limit Your Expectations - Enjoy the Process
Ultimately, Krause says, it can help if parents simply adjust their expectations about what travel looks like with children in tow.
“Travel with young children is a wonderful adventure,” she affirms, “but not a relaxing vacation.”
And as with many things, Krause says traveling with little ones gets better with time.
“The more you do it, the easier it gets,” she says. “Nothing makes you feel more competent as a parent than surviving a long flight or navigating a new destination with a baby or toddler. Getting out of your daily routine can be nerve-wracking, but it's also exhilarating!”
As a bonus, many parents noted that though traveling with little ones is complicated, strangers they encountered along the way were often happy to lend a hand.
“On trips traveling with kids, people everywhere are so ready to help and be kind,” Kennett says, pointing to the kindness of airline employees and even fellow passengers. “I’ve received nothing but kindness and grace and generosity from those around me––and hopefully that’s empowering to parents and encourages them to travel.”
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