How to Survive Long Flights with Kids (Without Losing Your Mind!)

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Long flights with kids can sound a little overwhelming, but with these tips, you will be ready for whatever happens!

boy eating snacks on airplane during a long flight with kids

Flying with kids sounds simple enough, right? I mean, that’s how some travel influencers make it seem! But let’s be honest, long-haul flights with kids, especially overstimulated kids, restless toddlers, or overtired babies can feel so overwhelming that you may be reconsidering whether this is even going to be a vacation. We once took a red-eye flight where our one-year old did not sleep! I wish I knew then what I know now because I would have done so many things differently!

The good news for you is that I am sharing all of my travel tips and hacks with you now! With the right preparation, you CAN make flying with kids easier. This guide covers key packing tips, in-flight entertainment hacks, and must-have travel essentials to keep everyone happy. Yes, this includes you too!

This post has all of my key tips for flights with kids. Ready? Let’s dive in!

Prepping Before Flights with Kids: Smart Planning is Everything

Book the Best Seats for Families

I have friends who just book basic seats and let the airline chose their seat at check-in and while it does save them money, they may not end up sitting next to each other and their kids, making it solo parenting for the long flight! Some airlines have policies now that they will not charge you extra to keep you with your family, so if you do want to try this route, check with your airline!

We have always chosen our seats ahead of time though and if you can, I would highly recommend this route. Not to be too dramatic, but your seat choice can make or break the flight experience with kids. Sometimes. Ha.

Here’s which spots I recommend when taking flights with kids.

Bulkhead rows – Extra legroom and no seats in front for kicking! However, you can’t keep your stuff with you during take-off and landing.
Window + middle seat combo – Ideal for naps and fewer disturbances. Except when you have to get up to use the bathroom and have to disturb the aisle person.
Towards the front of the plane – Faster boarding and deplaning. Super nice!

Pro Tip

Some airlines offer free seat selection for families—always check before booking!

Airport & TSA Tips for Parents

Navigating airport security can be a lot. Doing it with kids just feels extra! I have a full blog post about How to Navigate Airport Security with a Toddler that you can check out if you want more information!

Here’s my top tips on TSA security with kids:

Use TSA PreCheck or CLEAR for faster security lines. Learn more about TSA PreCheck with Kids on this blog post.
Pack liquids in TSA-friendly travel bottles to avoid delays.
Wear airport security-friendly shoes that are easy to take off and keep electronics easily accessible.
Bring a compact stroller that’s easy to fold for security checks. Here are my favorite compact travel strollers!

In-Flight Entertainment: Keeping Kids Busy for Hours

When I first had my son, I was in the stage of my life that I would be entertained by what was on my phone, from music to audiobooks. I should have realized this, but kids are very much not built this way! One of the keys to long flights with kids is to is to have a constant stream of entertainment ready to go. The good thing about kids is that they are easily entertained, so it doesn’t have to be too fancy or take up too much room.

Having plenty of entertainment is the key to a meltdown-free flight with kids!

Best Screen-Free Activities for Flights

Screen-free activities for kids can be super helpful in keeping your kids from getting over-stimulated. Here are some of our favorites.

Sticker books & activity pads – Mess-free and super engaging.
Magnetic travel games or puzzles – No lost pieces!
Water Wow coloring books – All you need is water!
Yoto Player/Tonie Box – Great way for kids to listen to stories or music without need a screen

Tech Must-Haves for Happy Kids

We love using screens when traveling with kids, but we usually use it in moderation. Many flights, especially longer ones, will have in-flight entertainment. However, you always want to be prepared with your own in case your kids need something familiar or more engaging.

Tablets – Always try to download shows, movies or learning apps before takeoff so you don’t need WiFi.
Kid-friendly headphones – We love good headphones for kids that are noise-limiting for safe volume control and comfortable for little ears.
Portable charger – You don’t want to end up with a dead battery in the middle of your kids’ favorite show!

Pro Tip

Rotate activities (or offer a new activity) every 30-45 minutes to keep kids engaged. If they are really engaged though and are behaving well, don’t push the new activity too much!

boy holding stuffed animal and watching tablet on flights with kids

Snacks & Meals: Because Hangry Kids Are No Fun

I am firm believer that snacks can help improve a kids’ mood. Well, most of the time. When taking long flights with kids especially though, you want to make sure that you have plenty of snacks available. Airplane food isn’t always kid-friendly, so packing your own snacks, and plenty of them, is a must.

Although it may be tempting to buy fun snacks for your trip, the best snacks are always going to be the regular snacks that your kids have at home. If you get too fancy, your kids may not eat them and that would not be good.

Best Snacks for Flights

Fruit pouches – These are amazing because you get no mess and no peeling is required.
Crackers & beef sticks – If your kids are old enough for beef sticks and they like them, then these are gold! The protein helps keep them full and happier longer.
Fruit – We always like to bring some grapes or cut up apples from home for the plane to keep things a little fresh.
Mini treats – We bring a few pieces of candy from the candy bucket at home as a little treat. Not too much though!

Game-Changing Snack Hacks

Use a snack box or snack spinner – Divided snack containters can make getting snacks an activity and keep them entertained even longer!
Bring an empty water bottle – Just make sure to fill your water after security and save yourself some money. You can also bring a frozen water bottle through security if you like your water cold!
Pack wet wipes and hand sanitizer – As much as we try, there are always sticky fingers so have wet wipes and hand sanitizer easily available!

Pro Tip

Avoid sugary snacks before nap time or bedtime to prevent your kids from crashing.

Dealing with Mid-Air Meltdowns Like a Pro

Let’s talk about how to deal with meltdowns. As parents, we deal with them all of the time but when flying with kids, these meltdowns tend to feel like they are magnified.

Even the best-prepared parents will face meltdowns so let’s talk about good ways to calm a fussy child mid-flight:

Comfort items – We always travel with at least one comfort item like a favorite blanket or stuffed animal. Those help so much.
Calming music or white noise – I always have some calm music and white noise on my phone that I can plug headphones into to help them relax and fall asleep faster.
Gentle massage – If your kids likes little massages, rubbing their hands or feet can be surprisingly calming.
Walk the aisle – A quick stretch and change of scenery can reset their mood.

Pro Tip

If all else fails, take a deep breath. This isn’t permanent and it will pass!

What to Pack in Your Personal Item (Must-Have Items List)

Packing a personal item for a long flight with kids is one of my favorite things to do. I love the accomplished feeling I get of having everything ready and easy to reach.

I say personal item because that is what I typically have at my feet and can easily access it during the flight. If you want though, you can always just put these things in your carry-on. Just remember that if it’s too big to fit under your seat, it will be sitting in the bulkhead compartments during take off and landing.

Here’s what I recommend packing in your personal item when flying with kids.

Baby Essentials: Diapers, wipes, extra clothes, pacifiers, teething rings, comfort items
Kid Essentials: Toys and entertainment, tablet and headphones, comfort items, extra clothes
Adult essentials: Chargers, power bank, headphones, entertainment
Snacks and snack containers
First Aid Kit: Band-aids, fever meds, motion sickness relief, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, tissues
Hydration Helpers: Spill-proof sippy cup, water bottles, electrolyte packets for adults
Sleep Aids: Travel pillow, eye mask, ear plugs, cozy blanket

Pro Tip

Pack a change of clothes for yourself too because accidents do happen!

Final Thoughts: You’ve Got This!

Long flights with kids don’t have to be super stressful! Kids are resilient and the more you practice, the easier it will get. With the right prep, plenty of entertainment, lots of snacks, and smart packing, you’ll be ready for it all!

Have any go-to travel hacks for flying with kids? Drop them in the comments—I’d love to hear!

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