Flying with Kids Doesn’t Have to Be Hard: These Expert Tips will Make Your Next Family Vacation a Breeze

Air travel with older kids starts to be pretty fun! They can really enjoy the experience of flying and also have fun at your destination. Of course, flying with toddler-aged and older children comes with challenges as well. You have to pay for your kid’s ticket, which is painful on the wallet. And older kids start to have opinions and can definitely run away from you in a crowded airport. On the other hand, it’s also amazingly neat to travel with older children because they start to enjoy the process of traveling and the destination.

If you’re traveling with a kiddo under 2, I’ve got all the details on how to fly with a baby in a separate post. If your kids are older than 2, though, this guide contains everything – and I do mean everything – that you’ll need to know to make your flight go as smoothly as possible. I can’t vouch for the airlines but I can help you control the rest!

Wherever you plan to go, let this guide alleviate your concerns and help you figure out everything you’ll need for your next family adventure!

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Booking Your Flight

Booking flights with older children is much simpler (although also a little harder on the budget)! All kids over the age of two must have a ticket to fly. They’re treated just like adults for the purposes of booking tickets. This definitely gets more expensive, but it’s also easier to handle. You can book your kid’s ticket with yours, without having to call the airline to add a lap child. You also won’t need to travel with proof of age when your child travels with his own ticket. Booking the flight is the easiest part of the whole process!

Packing

What to Bring

I follow a pretty simple formula when packing for a trip. Checked baggage is so iffy that I really prefer not to check a bag unless it’s a gear intensive trip, like skiing. For most trips, a carry-on bag works just fine. For kids, I follow a simple formula. One outfit, one pair of socks and one pair of underwear per day plus one extra of everything. One pair of pajamas for every 3 nights. (In a pinch, it’s easy to use clothing as pajamas.) For kids that are recently potty-trained and a little more likely to have an accident, bring another full outfit, pair of socks, underwear and shoes.

Whether you bring extra shoes for potty-trained kids really depends on the activities. If you’re planning to do anything really active that would get your kids’ shoes very wet or muddy, it might be a good idea to fit in an extra pair of shoes if you have the space. That being said, shoes are space hogs so when in doubt, skip the extra shoes.

For nighttime, it’s also nice to bring a thin blanket (affiliate) and a stuffed animal from home. We usually read favorite books on the Kindle app from our phones or tablets, but if you have a favorite physical book, try to fit that in as well.

Organizing it All

The key to keeping all of the kids’ items organized is packing cubes! I really really love packing cubes. We use the Eagle Creek Specter Cube Sets (affiliate). They’re lightweight, super tough and come in different sizes and colors. I suggest buying a set of three in different colors, one set per child. The set comes with a small, medium and large packing cube.

We use the large packing cube for clothing (tops and bottoms). The medium packing cube is everything for nighttime – pajamas, blanket, stuffed animal and diapers if needed. This makes it really easy to grab when you get to the hotel late and want to go straight to bed. Finally, underwear and socks go into the small cube. For a very long trip or if your kids are older, you may need more packing cubes but you can still stick with the basic system.

The Gear You Need

The good news about older kids is that they can usually sleep in a regular bed (that is, if their brother will stop kicking them). Some children will still need car seats, though. One option is to simply rent the proper car seats from the rental car company at your destination. Most rental agencies will rent car seats to you for an additional fee per day.

If you don’t want to rent a seat or won’t be renting a car, you’ll need to transport a car seat for your kid. The convertible car seat is probably the most beastly of all child safety seats. I recommend buying a simple luggage strap (affiliate) to attach the seat to a rolling suitcase. This strap is very affordable and works with any car seat that has the LATCH system and a top tether. I found it very easy to use and was pleasantly surprised by how well it worked, given the price.

The seat does have to be removed from the luggage prior to boarding the plane. If you’re going to use the car seat on the plane, just detach it from the suitcase when you get to your seat. I haven’t tried this personally. I usually detach the seat at the bottom of the jet bridge, put it in a simple protective bag (affiliate) and gate check the car seat. You can stuff the bag into an outside pocket of your suitcase for easy access.

If you have an older child that rides in a booster seat, the Bubblebum Inflatable Travel Booster Seat (affiliate) is an excellent option. It’s affordable, extremely easy to set up and safe to use. I recently used it with my 60 lb 6 year old in a friend’s Subaru Outback and was surprised by the ease of use and high quality construction. Obviously, this isn’t a good booster for every day use but it’s a good solution for travel.

Navigating TSA

The TSA has rules for almost everything! TSA rules state that children 12 and under will be subject to modified screening. This means that they do not need to remove shoes, light jackets or hats. Children under 12 will go through the metal detector and will not be separated from their parents. Children 12 and under may also piggyback on a parent’s TSA pre-check and go through the pre-check line.

Once your kid hits 13, he’ll be subject to screening at TSA just an adult would be. A child 13 or older will also need her own TSA pre-check number to join you in the pre-check line, so make sure you’re on top of that. If you are traveling with a child around 12 or 13, you might want to bring proof of age just in case.

On the Plane

When we travel, food and videos are the best way to keep my kids entertained. We pretty much lift any screen-time rules when we’re flying. To keep them from getting hungry, stock a Munchie Mug (affiliate) with a favorite snack like Goldfish or Cheerios. It’s also important to stay hydrated, so pack a water bottle for your child. The Camelbak Eddy Kids water bottle (affiliate) is lightweight and durable. Make sure to unscrew the lid slightly and then screw back on after you’re in the air but before opening the spout. The pressure change caused by takeoff will cause water to spew all over the place if you don’t release the pressure first. Ask me how I know.

To keep the kids occupied, bring a tablet and headphones. We like the Kindle Fire Kids (affiliate) tablet, and they’ve held up really well.  These Kidrox headphones (affiliate) are OK, but not great.  Don’t forget to download a good selection of videos before the flight. Hint: download in space-saving mode – since it’s such a small screen, the HD version is not really necessary. Also, download different videos to each tablet so your kids can switch if they get bored with their options. If your kids are old enough to read, download some books on their tablets too!

A lower-tech way to keep the kids occupied is to bring something to draw on. My kids LOVE their Rocketbooks (affiliate) and colored Pilot Frixion pens (affiliate). This notebook can keep them entertained for hours between drawing and writing. Plus, it’s erasable and super portable. You can even upload the pictures to the cloud – the kids think that may be the coolest thing ever.

In the less fun department, make sure to have some wet wipes and a change of clothes for everyone within easy reach. You never know when someone might spill orange juice all over the place. Better to be safe on this one!

On the Trip

You made it, hopefully without too much stress! Don’t forget to enjoy all the moments – from the fun to the not-so-fun. These are the memories your kids will talk about for years!