Flying with Kids · Top Tips · Travel with Kids ·May 11, 2019

Flying Internationally with Kids: 15 Best Travel Tips & Checklist!

Flying overseas with kids can be a daunting task. There’s so much to consider - packing clothes and toys for the trip, keeping them comfortable on the plane and trying to manage jet lag.

In this blog, we’ll share our top tips for international air travel with kids, so your trip can get off to a flying start.

Because travelling with kids under 12 really doesn't have to be a nightmare - it can even be a fun and exciting part of the family holiday experience!

P.S. Our kids travel journals keep little hands busy on planes, make great screen-free entertainment at restaurants, and double as a keepsake of your family trip.

Click HERE to Order

Here are our top family travel tips: ✈️✈️

Choose your flight time wisely and board the kids last:

Having flown at a range of times, we think flying at night (in line with our son’s usual sleep time) is easier. We hate it, but we hate having a tired and grumpy child more.

We also recommend, if budget allows, that you spend the extra and book the most direct flight. Additionally, if you’re travelling with two adults, have one adult board first with the bags, and the second board later with the kids.

This avoids children sitting in their seats for an extra 30 to 40 minutes on the tarmac.

Budget for and book an airport hotel:

If you have a long drive to the airport before departing, or there’s quite a distance between your arrival airport and your hotel, I think it’s always worth booking an airport hotel.

It makes the travel day so much better for everyone, and you can all get some good rest before or after your international flight.

You can usually find great airport hotel deals on Trip.com:

If you're travelling to Bali with kids Novotel Bali Ngurah Rai Airport Hotel is great.

If you're travelling to Fiji Gateway Airport Hotel, or Crowne Plaza Nadi are excellent choices.

Check Novotel Bali Airport Prices

Check for Fiji Gateway Hotel Prices

Check Crowne Plaza Fiji Prices

Start shifting sleep schedules two weeks out:

Jet lag is very real. Apps like Jetlag Rooster can be helpful, as can childrens sleep supplements. They can be helpful to settle kids when in a new hotel bed, and different time zone too. Check with your GP or pharmacist first, of course.

Click HERE to View Kids Travel Supplements

Get children to carry their own bags:

If your child is older than four, make their carry-on bag one that they can carry themselves independently. Skip the ride on Trunki suitcase.

A regular old-school backpack is great. Trunki-type suitcases look cute, but they fit virtually nothing and are tricky to roll around when your child inevitably gets tired of them. A simple kids carry-on backpack is a much better bet.

Use colour-coded packing cubes:

If your child is younger or can’t manage their own bag, a bigger backpack for you, organised with packing cubes (one colour for each traveller), will work best.

We have had the Bagail packing cubes forever, and they have stood the test of time

Pack essentials in your hand luggage, including swimwear:

Airlines lose luggage all the time, and when you arrive at the resort, your kid will want to jump straight into the pool. I’m speaking from experience. Always pack swimwear, a change of clothes, and any medications in your carry-on.

A good rule to follow when travelling is: anything that may be required in the first 48 hours of travel goes into hand luggage.

You don’t need a Pinterest-worthy bento box full of flight snacks:

Flying can be an uncertain time for kids. Pack snacks they’re familiar with (that includes the packaging) and pack double what you think you’ll need.

Trust me, you’ll be grateful for those extra snacks if you have a delayed flight, get put in a holding pattern, or land and realise nothing is open at your destination until morning.

Order a kids meal at least 72 hours before departure:

Many full-service airlines allow you to order special meals in advance, and those that do often get served their meals first (before the trolley usually comes around for everyone else).

Invest in comfortable headphones:

The ones they give you on the plane are terrible. We like the 80s sports headband type because they’re comfortable enough for children to sleep in, wireless and stay secure.

Click to Order Kids Wireless Headphones

Make sleep easier with a travel pillow or inflatable bed:

A long-haul flight with kids is so much smoother when they can actually sleep. I am a big fan of inflatable travel beds. That said, airline rules on inflatables vary, and some don’t allow them, so check with your airline before you buy.

Pack a balloon or an inflatable beach ball in your handbag:

It’s a great way to help kids burn energy in the terminal before the flight, and it saves battery life on your devices.

Pack a gift:

A kids travel journal makes the perfect gift, and it’s one of the best travel activities for kids on a plane.

Our destination-based travel diary and activity books are filled with fun facts, travel games, and learn the local language video lessons.

Some parents gift the travel journal to announce the trip, others give it to children at the airport or on the plane, and some pull it out once they’ve arrived and settled.

Pair it with a kids polaroid camera and you’ve got the ultimate travel gift. Kids love snapping pictures, and they can stick the photos straight into their travel journal.

It’s a fun way to wind down at the end of each travel day too, writing about what they’ve done and sticking in their favourite photos.

The Best Polaroid Camera for Kids

Ensure shows on kids devices work offline:

I once forgot to check, and let’s just say it was a LONG flight to Thailand, with an iPad that didn’t play our son's favourite shows.

Dress everybody comfortably:

No one likes being uncomfortable, least of all fidgety kids. Plain coloured slouch tees and pants made from elastane jersey are perfect because they look cute with a pair of Converse shoes and a denim jacket, BUT they double as PJs!

Allow extra travel time:

Kids always need the toilet at the most convenient times, don’t they?

Plan for the worst travel day and hope for the best:

When you travel (especially with kids), things will go wrong, and children will have their moments. There’s often some nervous energy and excitement that can bubble over, for you AND for them. Try to roll with the punches, be flexible (maybe have a cheeky vino) and BREATHE!

For more travelling with kids tips, make sure you’ve joined our email list and are following us on social media:

You can do both things in the website footer.

Lastly:

If you’re after a screen-free way to keep the kids entertained, take a look at our range of educational and fun kids travel books.

Along with a Polaroid camera, they make an amazing gift for travelling children and will become a treasured keepsake of your family trip in years to come.

Kindest,
Kirstin