Air Travel Tips for Families
Vacations can be tough; from choosing a destination, finding the right flight at the right time, getting the entire family together, and all the other incidentals that come with planning to travel. The fact is anyone could use a little guidance here and there. Albeit some stress is inevitable when planning a big family trip, there are a number of steps that can be taken to ensure that everyone has a fun and pleasant time.
One of the top priorities on the long list of tasks is getting those flight reservations taken care of. Getting the flight reservations squared away early is a big step in the right direction when it comes to travel planning. Doing this early can leave one way better off than scrambling at the last minute to find a way to get where they’re. If nothing else one can take comfort in knowing that travel arrangements are one less thing to worry about.
Now that a time, place, and way of travel are worries of the past its time to think of what to bring on vacation. Aside from making sure all your bags are packed, its important to get the children’s luggage ready for the trip. Packing all the necessary supplies for a vacation in a checked bag is a must but, one also has to remember necessities for the airplane ride itself. Each passenger on the plane gets one carry-on bag and one personal item, including the kids.
Speaking of carry-on bags, be sure to fill them will fun activities for the plane ride as a way to pass the time. What you will choose will all depend on age and interests. For example, younger children may benefit from books and a few small toys. For older children, tablets or other smart devices smaller than a laptop, handheld video games, toys, and magazines or books are a great idea.
Snacks are a crucial and often overlooked item you’ll want to have in your carry-on bags. This is important, as you don’t want to have to spend too much money at the airport. It can get costly to feed a whole family, even just with snacks. For that same reason, try to have everyone eat a full meal before you leave for the airport. This step combined with snacks can help to avoid that mid-flight hunger and save a little money along the way.
As for drinks, do not bring any with you to the airport, unless you have a newborn or an infant. If you have a baby, bring one prepared bottle of formula, but make sure to have some dry formula powder with you to prepare during a layover. Drinks, with the exception of drinks for kids, are not allowed past airport security checkpoints and they will have to be thrown away. When buying drinks at an airport store, past security, look for items that are reasonably priced or see if some family members, like you and your spouse, can share a drink.
As for when you arrive at the airport, awareness is key. A conversation with the children traveling should be had prior to arriving to the and reiterated before heading to the gates. These rules should include sticking together, not speaking to strangers, and so forth. In fact, you will want to help each other out to ensure everyone makes it to the gate as quickly and safely as possible. For example, if you have an older child, like a teenager, let them help you with finding the right gate, carrying bags, or keeping any younger children occupied. Your trip will likely be much less stressful when everyone works together.