10 Tricks to Make Flying with Kids a Breeze

Hesitant to book that trip because you have heard horror stories of kids on airplanes?  Fear not!  Buy those plane tickets. Flying with little kids doesn’t have to be a dreaded experience.  In the past 18 months, I have flown with my two girls, ages five and two, on 24 flights.  On most of these flights, it has been just the three of us.  We’ve developed a pretty good system if I do say so myself.  There have been no meltdowns, and I’ve even been able to read a few books inflight…something I’m rarely able to do at home.

Follow the ten tips below, and you’ll arrive to your next destination stress free.

• • Pack snacks, lots of snacks. If your kids are anything like mine, they are happy when they have full bellies.  Flight delays can quickly eat away at your snack supply.   Pack twice as much as you think you will need.  My airplane snack stables include Cheerios, cheese sticks, fish crackers, tangerines, pretzels, carrot/celery sticks, and raisins.  Recently, I have found that some airports are requiring you to pull out snacks from your suitcase in security.  Packing all your snacks in a gallon zip lock bag makes for quick retrieval.   
  • Bring water bottles and fill them once you are through security.  The only time your kid will ask for more water than at bedtime is when she is on an airplane and none is available.  Solve the problem by using a carabiner to clip a water bottle(s) to the outside of your backpack.  The key to this tip is that the water bottle has to be empty. TSA won’t let you get through security if there is anything in it. Once you clear security, find a water fountain to fill it up, and voila- you have your inflight beverage! Tip: If you are not using a backpack for traveling, you are missing the boat….or the plane!  I have an article just for you!  Click here to read my post “How to Pack For a Week in Just your Free Personal Item.”
  • A tablet with headphones is your best friend. At home, I try not to use tablets as a babysitter.  When traveling on an airplane or long car ride, all bets are off.  Download new movies/TV shows on your kids’ tablets before you leave home.  You could also download games, but I find that movies hold their attention much longer. 
  • If you are traveling with 2 children, sit in the middle.  I know, sitting in the middle seat does not sound appealing, but I have found that it is worth it to keep the peace.
  • Fully utilize your stroller.  I used to go back and forth on my opinion of if a stroller is a hindrance or a help at the airport.  That is before I learned to fully utilize my stroller.  I now can’t imagine traveling without it.  It has become a second set of hands and fills the following roles:
    • The undercarriage easily carries a personal item, sometimes two.
    • The cup holders carry the water bottles after I fill them.
    • I use the holder in between the cup holders for my phone and identification. Most airlines now offer the option to electronically display your airline tickets on your phone. Before getting out of the car at the airport, I have the tickets electronically loaded on my phone and ready to display at security.
    • Many major airports have special security lines for those traveling with a stroller.  These lines are often much shorter than regular lines.
    • Finally, there’s the obvious use of the stroller- to wheel your children through the airport.  Strollers typically outlive their usefulness for this task after the toddler stage.  During a “necessity is the mother of invention” moment, I figured out a way to extend the usefulness of the stroller to my 5 year old.  On my particular stroller, there is a footrest that is intended to be used for unfolding the stroller.  I discovered that my oldest can easily stand on the footrest and ride in comfort.  It has revolutionized our travel!  We are an efficient, unstoppable, traveling team with this set-up.  I’m just not sure how they are going to feel about it when they are 10 and 13.  (Warning: Children standing on the footrest of this stroller model is not a manufacturer’s recommendation.  Please follow manufacturer instructions for strollers or make modifications at your own risk.)
  • Choose your shoes wisely. Fortunately, children under 12 years old do not need to remove their shoes when going through security.  You will still need to remove yours.  I always travel with boots or shoes that easily slip on and off.  You don’t want to have to worry about sitting down somewhere to tie your shoes when you are wrangling children through security.
  • Pack everything you might need access to in the airport or during your flight into one bag.  This includes your 3-3-1 bag(s), snacks, tablets, headphones, and wallet.  I typically use one of the girl’s bags to pack both of their clothes and the other for everything we might need access to during our travels.  It is much easier to have everything consolidated in one bag rather than digging through several.
  • As soon at you get to the gate, get a gate check tag for your stroller.  Get this job done right away.  If you wait until right before boarding, the masses will have congregated around the gate.  It is difficult to navigate through the crowds with a stroller and a couple of kids.  With the gate check tag, you will be able to drop your stroller off at the end of the jetway just before getting on the plane and pick it up on the jetway at your destination.
  • If you are traveling with a lap child, it never hurts to ask if there are any extra seats you could use.  While gate checking your stroller, ask if the flight is full.  If not, nicely ask if you could be seated next to the empty seat.  Before my children turned two and could travel on my lap, I would always ask.  About a third of the time, I would get a seat for them.
  • Utilize family restrooms.  Most major airports now have family restrooms available.  Take the whole gang to the restroom after gate checking the stroller.  This will minimize (hopefully eliminate) potty trips on the plane.

There you have it.  Traveling with kids is not as bad as people make it out to be.  Just take an extra dose of patience, follow these tips and take your kids on an adventure they won’t soon forget!