If you are traveling by land, air or sea we’ve thought of helpful ways to help you and your little ones make this experience memorable instead of miserable! Our publisher Helen Partlow kindly wrote an article about “Road trip Survival Guide” last summer. Be sure to check that out if you have a road trip in your future.
We love to visit our family in California, Florida, and vacation in Hawaii! We are frequent flyers with my son in tow. It takes 5.5 hours to fly from New York to California. It takes 3 hours to fly from New York to Florida. It takes 5.5 hours to California switch planes then 5.5 hours to fly to Hawaii…that is 11 hours! This is my “Survival Guide to Riding the Friendly Skies”.
4 P’s Purchase airline tickets Print Important Documents Pack your carry on for yourself and your child Pack suitcase lightly |
Purchase airline tickets
Book your tickets 3 months ahead to get the best deal! Airline tickets can get pricey if you wait until the last minute. It’s important to get seats for your family that are next to each other. Personally, I like to sit in the front of plane or back of the plane because they are closest to the bathroom. My son loves to sit by the window. Choosing seats. Children under 2 years old or younger referred to as “lap children” are free because they don’t require a seat. When flying a longer flight, we purchased a seat for my son. It was nice to have the extra room.
The airfare prices start to increase as the weekend draws near. A good tip is to book your flight on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Keep in mind the time of your flight. Day flights are usually best for kids. They are alert, happy and excited. Whereas, the evening flights can be dark and dreary. Children will feel tired and uncomfortable trying to sleep in their seats. Select to fly out of a smaller airport like Long Island Mac Arthur Airport than John F. Kennedy International Airport or LaGuardia Airport. Less traffic and you will feel at ease. The airports are intimidating and chaotic! Nonetheless, these tips will help you prepare for any airport.
Print important Documents
You have a few options: Print your airline tickets and itinerary as back up. You can save the ticket on your smartphone, but sometimes our smartphones glitch right at the gate and you would have to walk back to the ticket booth. Not fun at all. Download the airplane carrier’s app. You will receive notifications if there is a delay in departure time.
I like to keep a copy of my son’s birth certificate and shot records when I am traveling out of state. This is not required by TSA when flying, but it never hurts to be prepared. If you are traveling out of the U.S.A., you need a passport and copy of health records. This is also helpful information if you and your child have different last names or your child is traveling with a family member of a different last name.
Packing your carry-on bag and your child’s backpack
Yourself: I use a small cross body bag when traveling. You don’t want to carry an oversized pocketbook that will be uncomfortable when walking around the airport and holding your child’s hand. My small cross body bag has room for my ID, a credit card, cash, iPhone/ iPhone charger, gum, lip gloss, Estee Lauder compact powder foundation, sanitizer, an extra pair of contacts, earbuds and all those important documents mentioned earlier. I always pack an allergy Allegra pill for myself and a Claritin pill for my son because we have seasonal allergies. Pack allergy or any other medications for yourself and children.
Children: Each child should have a small backpack they can carry or backpack with wheels that they can roll. My son is 9 years old. He likes to pack a few of his favorite toys, books, coloring books, crayons, headset for iPad or tablet, iPad, battery charger, and snacks. If his backpack is too heavy or full, then he must decide what he can take and what needs to be left behind. This teaches him that he can’t bring everything. On a plus side, we don’t look like the bad guy limiting all the toys they want to pack!
Infants: If you are traveling with an infant, I would recommend carrying all your items in a backpack. It’s convenient to store powdered formula, bottles, pacifiers, diapers, baby wipes and an extra change of clothes, a small blanket and special stuffed animal for comfort. UMBRELLA STROLLER is a life saver! I used an umbrella stroller until my son outgrew it! You can hang your backpack on it as well.
Packing Clothes
Try to minimize your suitcase to 1 or 2 for your family. This would vary depending on the size of your family. We are a family of 3. My husband packs all his clothing in 1 backpack. I pack my clothing and my son’s clothing in one medium-sized suitcase. As for toiletries, if you can buy your shampoo, conditioner, lotion etc. at your destination then you can forgo it. You could also buy the travel sized version of all your favorite toiletries.
Helpful tips about arriving at the airport…
- We love to use Uber! You can save some cash on parking fees if you feel comfortable using an Uber Car, car service or have a friend drop you off at the airport.
- Arrive at the airport 2 hours before boarding time. It’s always better to be early than rushing through the gates. You have time to check in infant carrier seats, strollers, baggage and change seats if there are problems with seating arrangements. You have enough time to grab a bite to eat or have the children use the bathroom.
- For adults and teenage children. Wear comfortable loose clothing. Be prepared to take off any jewelry or metal hair accessories. Shoes are easy to slip on and off. If you are wearing slippers or sandals, bring a pair of socks. You will need to remove your slippers or sandals and you don’t want your bare feet touching that airport ground! The elderly and children under 12 do not need to remove their shoes.
Helpful tips during the air flight…
- Show your child where the pilot’s cabin, emergency exits and where the bathrooms are. Introduce yourself and your children to the flight attendants. Ask the flight attendant for airplane wing pins or say hello to the pilot before the flight takes off.
- If your plane has a tv monitor, show your child how to use the monitor. How to change the channel. Raise and lower the volume. Be respectful of other passengers. Remind them not to kick the front seat and use inside low voices.
Helpful tips when the airplane is descending…
- The air pressure changes rapidly as the plane descends for landing. This can cause pressure in your ears because your ears can’t adjust quickly enough to the change in air pressure, trapping air and fluid in the middle ear. Chewing on a piece of gum helps relieve that pressure in the ears. For children, I give my son something to chew on. When he was a baby, it was his pacifier or juice. When he was a toddler I gave him a lollipop. Now at 9 years old, I give him chewing gum.
Useful Links:
Side note: I apologize for not having information for families who have children with special needs and families with pets or service animals. The TSA link below covers information on special needs and medications.
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips/travel-checklist
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures/traveling-children
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures
Happy flying!
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