Top family travel tips on everything from entertainment to the best time to travel
You’ve booked a dream family holiday in a bucket list destination, and now there’s just one thing standing in the way of you and sun, sea and fun – a long-haul flight.
For some people, the thought of as long as 12 hours on a plane with children is enough to put them off booking a break in a far-flung destination, but with some planning and strategic booking, you will not only be able to survive a long-haul flight with children, but maybe even enjoy it!
Here are seven tools to make long distance travel a breeze, from the time of your flight to the essentials you need in your hand luggage.
Choose your departure time carefully
This is going to be one of the most effective ways to boost your chances of long-haul flight success – choosing the right flight time for you and your family. A daytime flight increases your chances of spending lots of time pacing up and down the aisle and trying to keep little ones entertained, whereas a nighttime flight will hopefully ensure you can all get some sleep, helping the journey to go quicker.
On an evening flight you will likely have an hour or two with the lights on while the meal is served, before they are dimmed for the night, giving you all the opportunity to rest.
Pack plenty of snacks
Snacks are an essential when travelling with children, especially if you’re worried your little ones won’t eat the in-flight meals. Stash some of their favourite snacks in your hand luggage to avoid any hangry meltdowns throughout the flight. Meanwhile, if you’re travelling with a baby, advice from gov.uk states that you are allowed to carry enough baby food, milk and sterilised water as you need for the journey. There is no legal limit to how much you can take, however, individual containers of breast milk must contain no more than 2,000ml.
Bring entertainment
While you don’t want to weigh down your hand luggage with toys and books, a few carefully-selected activities can help to keep children entertained on a long-haul flight. Think colouring, activity or sticker books, or games you can all play together during the journey. Avoid packing toys or games with small pieces, as you may find that you spend much of the flight rummaging around on the floor trying to find lost parts under the seats, not fun for anyone.
A bit of screen time is okay
If there’s a time when screen time may be called for, it’s when you’re confined to the cabin of a plane for hours on end. Take advantage of the entertainment system on board most planes, which will likely have films or episodes of their favourite shows to keep children entertained for a while. You could also try audiobooks or music as a way to engage little ones without them spending the whole journey staring at a screen.
Stretch your legs
Take it in turns to get up and walk up and down the aisle every couple of hours to help children burn off any pent-up energy, keep them entertained, and stretch your legs. It’s also a good idea to encourage your children to be as active as possible at the airport before boarding your flight, to try and avoid them feeling restless early on in the journey – and maybe even tire them out enough to sleep.
Don’t worry about what other people think
There’s bound to be some challenging moments during a long-haul flight, especially with younger children and babies, but try not to worry too much about what other people think. You’re likely to find many other passengers are in the same position as you or may have been in the past, so they will be more understanding than you may think.
Remind yourself why you’re travelling
In trickier moments, remind yourself of the reason why you’re travelling, and the trip you have to look forward to once the journey is over. Take some deep breaths and try to keep calm; regulating your emotions and avoiding getting too stressed will not only help you to handle the situation better, but it can also help your child to calm down too and nip meltdowns in the bud.
