The long-haul flight is the bit that puts families off the big trips, and I understand why. But after years of flying with babies and toddlers, mine and my clients', I promise it is more manageable than the horror stories suggest. The secret is that the flight is won or lost before you get on the plane. Here is what actually works.

 

Choose the flight time like it matters, because it does

This is the biggest lever you have. An overnight flight that lines up with their sleep is gold. A flight that lands at 2am with three overtired children is a false economy, no matter how cheap it was. I would pay more for a sane arrival time every single time, because the "bargain" flight often costs you the first two days of the holiday in recovery.

 

The cheap-flight trap

A low fare that involves a long layover, a middle-of-the-night landing, or a distant airport is rarely the saving it looks like. Factor in the transfer, the extra night, and the wrecked sleep, and the maths changes. Cheap is only cheap if it is also sensible.

 

 

What to actually pack in the carry-on

Forget the enormous "just in case" bag. The real list: more snacks than feels reasonable; a fully loaded tablet with child-sized over-ear headphones; a couple of small new toys they have not seen before, rationed out; a full change of clothes for each child and a spare top for you; wipes and nappies for double the flight length; a lightweight blanket or muslin; and a refillable water bottle for after security. Everything else is a nice-to-have.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the Airport

Build in more time than you think, rushing with children is where the stress starts. Use family security lanes where they exist. Let them run and burn energy before boarding rather than keeping them strapped in early. And board when it suits your family, not when the queue forms, sometimes boarding last with a toddler beats extra time in the seat.


 

On board

Manage ears on take-off and landing with a drink, a dummy, or a snack to encourage swallowing. Keep the routine as normal as you can, meals and sleep roughly on schedule. Lower your own expectations about screen time, this is not the week to fight it. And be kind to yourself if it is not perfect, every parent on that plane has been there.

 

 

Managing the time difference

A few hours is easy, your bedtimes just shift. For bigger changes, get into local time fast: daylight, meals and activity on the new schedule, and accept a rough first night. Little ones adjust quicker than we give them credit for, usually faster than the adults.

 

The Bottom Line

Long-haul with young children is not the ordeal people make it. Pick the right flight time, pack light but smart, keep your cool, and the destination is worth it. Do not let the fear of the flight talk you out of the trip.

Dreaming of somewhere further afield with the family? My free shortlist covers the resorts I'd actually book worldwide, including the long-haul ones genuinely worth the flight — comment SHORTLIST on any of my Instagram posts, or get in touch.

 

 Get in touch at www.letsgo-travel.co.uk

 

*Jenny Willcock is a luxury family travel specialist and founder of Lets Go Travel. She travels regularly with her three children and books family holidays across Europe, the Middle East and beyond.