Flying With Kids Tips: 8 Lessons We’ve Learned From Dozens of Flights

If you’re looking for practical flying with kids tips, you’re in the right place.

Flying with kids can feel incredibly overwhelming before you’ve even left home.

Will they sleep? Will they scream? What if they won’t sit still? What will everyone else think?

As parents who have spent years travelling internationally with our daughters, we’ve experienced the full range of flight experiences from smooth overnight flights (Carly!) to long-haul journeys that tested our patience (and sanity)… Renee…

In this episode of the Kids Who Travel Podcast, we share some of the biggest lessons we’ve learned from flying with babies, toddlers and young children across multiple countries and time zones.

Between us, we’ve taken dozens of flights with babies and young children across Australia, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. These are the lessons we’ve learned along the way.

Here are 8 lessons we’ve learned from dozens of flights with our kids:

1. Every Child Is Different!!

One of the first things we learned is that there is no perfect flying formula. Our girls have had completely different experiences when it comes to flying (and sleeping!) on planes.

Chloe’s first long-haul flight from Sydney to Istanbul was surprisingly smooth, sleeping through much of the journey in her airline approved car seat. Kaia, on the other hand, has never been quite so accommodating when it comes to sleeping in the air.

Our biggest takeaway? Avoid comparing your child to anyone else’s. What works for one family may not work for another.

2. Think About Sleep Before You Fly

Sleep can just about make or break a travel day.

If possible, consider adjusting naps and bedtime in the lead-up to a flight (or booking flights that work with your schedule). Some families find success with overnight flights, while others prefer travelling during the day and maintaining a more familiar routine.

When Kaia was younger, Renee often chose to break long journeys into shorter travel days and stay overnight at the airport during layovers rather than pushing through multiple flights in one hit.

Carly, on the other hand, was far more relaxed about the whole thing and often took the overnight flight.

There is no right answer – only what works best for your family 😊

3. Research Your Transit Airport

Not all airports are created equal.

When you’re travelling with kids, the airport experience can have a huge impact on the overall journey.

Some airports offer:

• Great playgrounds
• Family rooms
• Open spaces to burn energy!
• Activity options
• Nature experiences
• Better food options
• Easier layouts for families

Others are tiny and terrible and unclean!!

One airport we consistently recommend if you have the option to transit through is Singapore Changi Airport. Between the gardens, playgrounds, train, family facilities and food options, it can turn a stressful layover into part of the adventure.

When flying from Australia we often have the option of Kuala Lumpur (KUL) or Singapore Changi (SING) if you have the option and budget permits, we would recommend choosing Singapore!

Giving kids the chance to move, explore and burn energy before boarding can make a massive difference once you’re back on the plane.

4. Pack More Snacks Than You Think You’ll Need

I cannot say this enough. If there is one thing we never travel without, it’s snacks, and lots of them.

Budget airlines increasingly don’t include meals anymore and even when food is available, you can’t always rely on getting what you need when you need it.

Some of our favourite travel snacks are:

• Yogurt pouches
• Muesli bars
• Crackers
• Cut-up fruit
• Sandwiches
• Easy-to-eat finger foods

The goal isn’t perfection. You don’t need a Pinterest-perfect snack box. The goal is simply preventing a hangry toddler meltdown at 35,000 feet.

Also always choose foods that aren’t going to present a choking risk – the last thing you want is to be performing first aid mid air. Its why we pick things like yogurt and make sure fruit is pre cut.

5. Always Have the Essentials Within Reach

For parents travelling with babies or toddlers, easy access is everything.

One of our favourite travel hacks is keeping a nappy and wipes somewhere immediately accessible rather than buried in a backpack (although I’ll admit mine involved hiding a nappy and wipes in my bra!).

Because when you need them, you usually need them now! Over head compartments get crowded and you cant always reach the bag under your seat easily.

If your child is old enough, practising standing nappy changes before travelling can make aeroplane bathroom visits much easier.

6. Bring Familiar Comfort Items

Travel can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming for the little (and big!) people.

Having familiar items can help create a sense of normality no matter where you are in the world.

Some essentials we never leave home without:

• Favourite teddy or comfort toy (trust us, buy two!)
• Blanket
• Spare clothes
• White noise machine
• Sleep comfort items

These small things can make a huge difference when trying to settle a tired child in an unfamiliar environment.

7. Prepare for Lost Luggage

Nobody wants to think about lost luggage, but it happens.

That’s why we always pack the essentials in our carry-on luggage, including:

• Spare clothes (for you and bub!)
• Nappies
• Wipes
• Sleep essentials
• Medications
• Comfort items

Having the basics available means you’re not completely stranded if your checked bags decide to take a holiday of their own. I like to think could I survive for 24 hours with only my carry on?

8. Your Mindset Matters More Than You Think

Perhaps the most important lesson we’ve learned is this:

Kids belong on planes. Let us say it a little louder for the people at the back.

KIDS BELONG ON PLANES.

They’re allowed to be there. They’re allowed to have bad days. They’re allowed to cry.

Many parents spend entire flights worrying about what everyone else thinks. But the reality is that most people understand, and those who don’t aren’t the people you should be focusing on.

Your child is looking to you for reassurance. The calmer you can stay, the calmer they feel. When things get difficult, we remind ourselves of one simple truth:

You can do anything for 24 hours.

Eventually the flight ends, the travel day finishes and you’ll arrive at your destination ready to start making memories.

If you found these tips helpful, check out Part 2 where we cover car seats, plane ear and more essential flight-day tips.

Final Thoughts

Flying with kids isn’t always easy, but it doesn’t have to stop you from seeing the world.

Preparation helps. Flexibility helps. Snacks definitely help.

Most importantly, remember that you don’t need to be a perfect travelling parent. You just need to get everyone safely from A to B. And sometimes that’s more than enough.

Travelling with children can feel daunting before your trip but like most things in parenting, confidence comes with experience. Every flight teaches you something new, every travel day gets a little easier, and every adventure creates memories that make the challenges worthwhile.

If you’ve been putting off that family holiday because you’re nervous about flying with kids, consider this your sign to take the leap. It might not be perfect, but it will almost certainly be worth it.

Every family travels differently, and that’s okay. These are simply the lessons we’ve learned through our own adventures. Take what works for your family, leave what doesn’t, and keep exploring.

Listen to the Full Episode

In Episode 1 of the Kids Who Travel Podcast, Renee and Carly share their real-life experiences flying with babies and toddlers, including airport layovers, sleep routines, packing tips, comfort items, travel snacks and managing travel anxiety.

Whether you’re preparing for your first family flight or looking to make your next trip a little smoother, this episode is packed with practical advice from two mums who have learned through experience.

Listen now and start planning your next family adventure.

Ready for more? Continue with Part 2 of our Flying With Kids series, where we cover car seats, ear pain and other flight-day essentials.

Have a flying-with-kids tip we missed? We’d love to hear it. Connect with us on Instagram @kidswhotravelpodcast and share your best travel hacks.