Flying with a toddler or baby is never fun, let’s be honest. Four hours, fine, eight hours, ok it’s manageable. But 24 hours, is hard, and I don’t recommend doing it unless you really want to, or you have to. Unfortunately, I do have to, as my family live in the UK and I live in Australia. And if you’re reading this, the likelihood is you have to too.
Here is how to survive flying long haul with a toddler and a baby.
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Mindset
Firstly, my advice is to have the right mindset. It’s a bit like preparing for a marathon. Expect that it will be long, and painful at times, but it’s just one day and then it will be over. And you can sleep (in theory). More on toddler jet lag later.
Secondly, have a sense of humour. You will be tired, you will likely get dirty looks from grumpy strangers, and there will likely be some form of tantrum at some point. So remember to laugh and try and see the funny side. My husband and I always remind each other of this at the beginning of the flight. So we can remain a team. Plus you will likely have a hilarious/painful anecdote to tell your friends and family at the end of the trip!
And lastly, be prepared. Pack activities, snacks, a footrest, everything I’m about to recommend. To make sure your trip goes as smoothly as possible.
Booking the flight
Flight times
Choosing the flight time is quite important. Though it’s long regardless and whatever happens you need to adjust to a new time zone, booking a good departure time can make the whole thing a bit easier. I recommend an afternoon flight. This way, you have the excitement of the airport during the day, get on the plane, eat the meal and then when their usual bedtime arrives, it’s also the time that everyone begins to sleep onboard. Depending on which route you’re flying, you can hope to get a decent stretch of sleep, then a bit of breakfast and activities before the stopover.
Babies under two don’t need to have their own seat and can sit on a parent’s lap. They still need to have a ticket though which usually costs around 10% of the fare. If you have a large one year old you can usually book them a seat, but generally, this needs to be done over the phone rather than online. Children in a seat usually pay around 75% of the full fare, but it varies depending on the airline.
Bassinets
If you have a baby under two or up to 11kg in weight, always book/ask for the bassinet seat. Even if they don’t use it, which mine rarely do, it means you get the extra legroom and we use the bassinet for storing all our stuff.
Stopovers
If you have time, consider adding a stopover to your flight. On the Australia – UK route you can easily do this in Singapore, Tokyo, Abu Dhabi and Dubai among other places. Having a night or two in a hotel between flights allows you to rest and refresh and make a start at getting in the right time zone. It also can be a fun way to see a new place and introduce the kids to new foods.
We did a great stopover in Japan last year. On the way there we stayed at an airport hotel at Tokyo Haneda, which meant a shower and seven hours of sleep before facing the next leg. On the way back we flew to Tokyo again but this time, we had eight days exploring Japan before flying to Australia.
Read about travelling Japan with a toddler and a baby
If that’s not an option, no problem, sometimes it’s just as easy to get it over with as soon as possible too!
If you’re keeping the stopover short, then try and wear out the kids as much as possible. Get them to run around, play games and find the play area if there is one.
Airport Stopover Facilities:
Singapore Changi Airport (SIN): This is my favourite airport for a stopover and I love Singapore as a stopover destination – so much delicious food. The airport has such great facilities including a rooftop swimming pool (make sure you pack your costume in your hand luggage!), playgrounds and activities including a climbing wall, a mirror maze, a butterfly garden, a cinema and tons of great food.
Incheon International Airport (ICN), South Korea: This airport has excellent facilities including family rooms, free stroller rental and lots of kids’ play zones. There’s also a museum and traditional cultural displays.
Doha Hamad Airport (DOH): Along with dedicated parent rooms, Doha Airport has ‘Activity Nodes’ throughout the airport, with televisions, internet browsing, and interactive art pieces. There are also eight bronze sculptures that feature slides and stairs to play on, and an indoor tropical garden called Orchard and the Muzn Lounge, a multi-sensory area.
Dubai International Airport (DBX): Dubai has free baby strollers which you can leave at the gate when you board. There is a family zone, with creative play equipment, a climbing area and an interactive games zone, all inspired by the Arabian Desert. The airport also has a trampoline playground and the world’s largest LEGO store in an airport.
Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND): Haneda has some excellent interactive kids spaces, which we utilised during our stopover. There are great parent rooms and free strollers to use within the airport.
What to Pack
Though you want toys and activities to keep the kids entertained, my advice is to pack as light as possible. The last time we flew we ended up using half of the things we took and it’s a pain carrying so much around and trying not to lose it all during the flight.
With that in mind, here are my recommendations for what to bring:
CoziGo
If you have secured a bassinet seat (and you think your baby is likely to sleep in it) then it’s a good idea to bring a CoziGo. This black domed cover fits on an airline bassinet to block out light to help your baby sleep during the flight. It is lightweight and folds up into a compact bag, making it easily portable. It can also be used on strollers which is handy for naps on the go during your trip. It’s 100% breathable and air permeable and UVP 50+.
Breastfeeding Cover
I’m pretty comfortable breastfeeding in public and generally don’t worry too much about covering up, but depending on which airline you’re flying with, you may find that culturally it is better to cover up while feeding. For this, a breastfeeding cover can come in handy, ideally one with a wire that keeps the fabric from touching the baby’s face.
Nappies, wipes, a change mat and at least one change of clothes
Bring more than you think you will need and include a change of clothes for yourself too. It’s no fun sitting in a vomit/pee-soaked shirt for a long flight.
Baby calpol/panadol and a thermometer
Hopefully you won’t need them, but it is better to be prepared on long flights. An underarm thermometer is good and not too bulky.
Baby Carrier
If you have a young baby then definitely bring a baby carrier. Both my kids loved sleeping in the carrier and when I flew to the UK with my daughter at 9 weeks old, she slept almost the entire flight in it. I have the Ergobaby Omni Breeze, which is a great carrier that can be used from birth and is breathable. You can’t have the baby in it for take-off, but it’s fine for the rest of the flight. And it also means you are more likely to sleep as you don’t have to worry about the baby falling off your lap or climbing out of the bassinet!
Formula, bottles and sterile water
If your baby drinks formula, then bring more than you think you will need. Many airlines can provide formula but it’s never guaranteed and it may not be the brand you are used to. Bring your own sterile water as airlines generally can’t provide this (you can take it through security).
Snacks and baby food
The airline will provide meals and some snacks but it’s worth bringing your own to take up a bit of time and also ensure that there is something they want to eat. Pouches are great for plane travel and I always pack some blueberries, crackers and sandwiches too.
Dummies (if you use them)
Bring more than you think you will need and ideally one of those strings that attaches it to the baby. Otherwise, they will inevitably end up on the plane floor.
Milton wipes
Milton wipes are good for cleaning dummies and the armrests/tray table
Toys and Activities
– Bring a few small toys that the kids haven’t seen/played with before. My recommendations are: Spinning suction toys and a Montessori sensory toy for babies and a busy book and magic painting books for toddlers.
– A comforter or familiar toy to help them sleep
– A tablet (or phone) and headphones with pre-downloaded videos. You can sign up for Netflix or YouTube and then download videos offline for the trip. My kids don’t watch TV except on flights and long car journeys, so it’s a bit of a treat for them and usually will give us a few hours of peace (for the oldest anyway).
– We recently purchased a Yoto Mini, a child-friendly audio player, and my son loves it. So we will be taking it on the next flight. Make sure you bring enough story cards to last a few hours.
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Foot Rest
For our most recent flight, I purchased a Kooshy Kids Kooshion, which sits in the footwell and essentially extends the seat. Business class for toddlers! I also purchased a much cheaper version from Amazon, which works well as a foot support but isn’t tall enough to turn the seat into a toddler bed. Check that your airline allows these before travelling, as not all do. It’s worth also getting this very tiny electric pump to blow it up with. Other options include the Plane Pal and the Stokke Jetkids BedBox.
Read my guide on essentials for travelling with a baby
On the Plane
Nappy Changing
Change nappies just before boarding so you minimise the number of changes you need to do on the plane. Keep nappies, wipes and the change mat in a separate bag so they are easy to grab quickly when you need them.
Boarding
If you’re travelling with another adult, then a good tip is for one parent to board the plane with all the bags and the other to wait at the gate with the kids. That way you can get all the bags stowed and organised before the kids get on and give them a few extra minutes to blow off some steam!
Take off and landing
If you breastfeed then it’s a good idea to do this during take-off and landing to help the baby equalise their ears. Alternatively, a dummy can help or sips of water.
Turbulence
If you experience turbulence on the flight, most airlines will make you take the baby out of the bassinet and strap them onto your lap with the baby belt. This is another reason why I like sleeping with the baby in the carrier as it means less disturbance.
Meals
If you have a child sitting on your lap, it’s not easy to eat. So if you’re travelling with another adult, ask for your meals to be bought out at different times. That way one can eat and the other hold the baby and vice versa.
What is the best age to travel long-haul with a baby or toddler?
From my personal experience, young babies under six months and toddlers over three years old are the easiest. Young babies sleep a lot, aren’t mobile, and if they breastfeed don’t need much other than nappies and wipes. After around six months babies start becoming mobile and want to crawl and walk around which is challenging on a flight and they are too young to understand that they aren’t allowed. I remember being two hours into a 14-hour flight with my 21-month-old son and him saying “I want to get off and go the park now Mamma”. Naps are also difficult at this age, as they are outside their normal environment with lots of stimulation.
Once they reach three and above (or even two and a half), they become more interested in screen time or listening to audiobooks, which helps keep them occupied for some of the flight.
How to Deal with Toddler Jet Lag
When I’m travelling I always try and adjust to the new time zone right away, and stay awake during the day until it’s the right time to sleep. This isn’t so easy with babies and toddlers. The best thing to do is to get them outside and in lots of natural light, this helps with the adjustment. If they nap, wake them up after they have slept their usual nap duration, even if they are grumpy when you do. Do your usual bedtime routine (as much as you can) in the hope that they understand it’s bedtime now and not another nap. If they wake up during the night, keep the lights low, and read a book to encourage them back to sleep.
Good luck!