Even if you show up completely unprepared and ignore every piece of advice in this post, you will be fine. Your kids will have you, the flight will pass, and everything will be okay.

That said, I do have some things that make our flights noticeably more manageable, so here’s what actually works for us.

Before You Even Get to the Gate

If you have any flexibility in booking, fly nonstop when you can, and try to time the flight around naptime or an overnight red-eye. Sleep working in your favor changes everything.

Once you’re at the airport, let your kids run and burn off energy right up until boarding instead of sitting still and waiting. A tired kid is a much easier kid on a plane.

If budget isn’t a limiting factor, or your points and miles make it possible, booking business class for your kids is a genuine game changer on overnight flights, since the seats recline and they can actually sleep the whole way. Some people have opinions about kids in business class. Honestly, who cares what they think, it’s awesome.

New Toys They’ve Never Seen Before

Novelty does a lot of heavy lifting here. For babies, the little suction toys that stick to the airplane window and spin are great. For older kids, look for something you think they’ll like that they’ve genuinely never had before, fidget boards with switches, magic pen drawing boards with their favorite characters, magnetic travel blocks, that kind of thing.

We also have tablets that our kids exclusively use on airplanes and on trips. They never get them at home, which makes them a huge novelty. For our family, screen time works on vacation, and I’ve made peace with that. The flight goes better, long car rides go better, and we’ll even let our son use it at a nice dinner once he’s finished eating. We throw out most of our normal screen time rules for vacation, and honestly, it makes everything smoother.

Something for Ear Popping

Lollipops, bottles, juice, gum, whatever your kids will actually do. My kids were great on planes while they were still breastfeeding, since I could just nurse them during takeoff, landing, and whenever else they needed it. Once that wasn’t an option anymore, they needed something else to help with the ear pressure.

I get ring pops for my kids now, and since they only get them when we fly, it’s a big deal to them every time. I also prep them a few days before a flight by showing them YouTube videos of planes taking off, which helps build some excitement instead of just anxiety about the unknown.

A Baby Carrier for a Lap Infant

If you’re flying with a lap infant, wearing them in a carrier is a game changer. Some airlines will have you take the baby out of the carrier for takeoff and landing, but the rest of the flight, it’s so nice to have your arms free, especially if the baby falls asleep on you.

Window Seats (Usually)

My kids love looking out the window, so we prioritize window seats whenever we can. It’s a simple thing, but it buys a surprising amount of quiet entertainment.

That said, some parents actually prefer the aisle for the opposite reason, it means you’re not trapped next to a sleeping stranger when you need to get up for a diaper change or a bathroom run. It really depends what you’re optimizing for. We’ve just always leaned window since our kids get so much mileage out of watching the ground disappear.

Gate-Check the Stroller

Bring the stroller all the way to the gate and check it there instead of at bag drop. We actually lost our stroller doing this once, we got it back, but it happened, and we still gate-check every time anyway, because navigating an airport with young kids and no stroller is so much harder than the small risk is worth.

Take Walks and Breaks

Let your kids walk up and down the aisle with you when it’s safe to do so. It’s not exciting, but breaking up the flight with a little movement helps more than you’d expect, for them and for you.

Bring Way More Snacks Than You Think You Need

Pack all their favorites, and if there’s something they don’t normally get at home that you know they’ll love, even better. A flight is a good excuse to bring out the good snacks.

A Few Prep and Hygiene Habits

Do one last diaper change in the airport bathroom before you board, since airplane lavatories are cramped and genuinely awkward for this. Once you’re in your seats, we also wipe down the tray table, armrests, and seatbelt buckle before settling in. Takes two minutes and it’s worth it.

A Few Things People Don’t Always Know

TSA allows more than the standard liquid limit for breast milk, formula, and baby food, so don’t stress about the usual 3-1-1 rule applying to those.

Noise-canceling headphones or soft earplugs can help with general cabin noise for a baby’s ears, separate from the ear-popping issue during takeoff and landing.

If you have a lap infant, you’ll need proof of their age either way, a passport for international flights, and often a birth certificate copy or passport for domestic flights too, since airlines need to confirm they’re actually under 2. Keep a photo of it on your phone just in case.

One Bonus Tip: Ask About the Cockpit

This is a long shot, but it costs nothing to ask. Once you’ve landed, ask the pilot if your kids can peek into the cockpit. Expect a no most of the time, security and scheduling usually make it impossible. But on our last flight of the day, the pilot actually invited my son up to check it out, and it made his whole trip. Worth asking, just don’t expect it.

Give Everyone Some Grace

Manage your own expectations going in. You won’t get much sleep. You won’t read your book. You will survive, and it will be worth it. It’s a new, different experience for your kids too, so try to be patient with them, and with yourself.

Planning a flight with young kids and want a second opinion on timing, layovers, or seat selection? Email me at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and I’ll help you think it through.

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