Flying with your kids anytime soon? I’ve got a few tips to make your flight a better experience:
1. Bring a small trash bag to collect trash during the flight.
2. Book seats near the bathroom to make it easier (and quicker) to send them to the bathroom on their own (or easier for you to lug a diaper bag.)
3. To minimize spills, bring sippy cups, cups with tops or small sports bottles for use during the beverage service.
4. Look into applying for an airline specific credit card that waives the baggage fee if you will promise to pay it off each month and fly the same airline most of the time. (This has saved us a LOT!!)
5. Prepare for the security checkpoint: Tell kids what to expect, take off jackets & empty pockets ahead of time. Kids under 12 can now keep their shoes on as they go through security.
6. If traveling on a particularly busy day, schedule your flights early to minimize risk of delays and offer more opportunities for re-scheduling if needed.
7. Minimize ear pain during takeoff and landing– For babies, nurse or offer a bottle. For toddlers and older, offer lollipops, For kids who are old enough or beyond lollipops, offer gum or snacks.
8. If bringing movies or video games, bring headphones that fit over your children’s ears to minimize external sound and also are right size and won’t fall off.
9. Strongly encourage (or require) bathroom breaks before takeoff and mid-flight- This will also help you to follow the rules and not have to get up when seatbelts should be fastened.
10. Bring snacks!!! You never know when a flight will be delayed and you will be stuck on the runway.
Miss any days or want to know what’s ahead? Here are all 12 Days of Christmas Travel Tips on MomsTravelTales:
- Day 1: One pep talk about family travel
- Day 2: The two best ways to manage a time zone change
- Day 3: Three reasons to consider a hotel staycation in December
- Day 4: Four ways to minimize stress on travel days
- Day 5: Five ways to be a gracious overnight houseguest
- Day 6: Six ideas for pampering overnight guests
- Day 7: Seven people to tip when traveling (and how much)
- Day 8: Eight tips for international travel
- Day 9: Nine secrets for a great hotel stay with kids
- Day 10: Ten tips for a better flight with kids
- Day 11: Eleven tried and true ways to beat boredom while waiting
- Day 12: Twelve things I’ve learned about travel with kids
Want to know more than just travel?
Swing by any of the other 7 sites during the 12 Days of Christmas and here’s what you’ll learn: (And these girls know their stuff!)
- Christmas Homeschool Fun: 1+1+1=1
- Christmas Decorations: Songbird
- Tips for a Healthy Holiday: The Thrifty Mama
- Saving Money: Surviving the Stores
- Christmas Recipes: Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures
- Christmas Family Fun: Life as Mom
- Homemade Christmas Gifts: The Happy Housewife
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