Over the past year alone, I’ve taken my four kiddos on over 5 round-trip airline flights. One of them was an international trip overseas (think 10 hour flights and layovers) that I tackled without my husband–eek!
And while we love traveling as a family, it definitely feels like an adventure just making it through the airport.
In our ten years of traveling with littles, we’ve learned how to relieve a lot of the pressure points of flying with kids in tow. Here’s how we get from the car to the plane without losing our minds.
Our Best Airport Travel Tips for Families:
1. Do a Verbal Walk-Through
Before we do anything new, I give our kids a verbal walk-through of what’s coming. This little brain-prep not only helps with new-experience jitters, but also sets behavior expectations in advance.
We might start talking about this a few days before a trip, and I’d give them a quick refresh on the drive to the airport.
I’d start by walking them through the sequence of things we would do:
- drop off the car at the parking lot,
- check our bags,
- go through security,
- wait at the gate,
- get on the plane.
I’d also talk about how they might feel–bored waiting in line, confused about TSA, curious about the cool stuff in airport stores–and set expectations about how to behave when those feelings strike. (i.e. “I know standing in line is boring. If you want we can play I Spy while we wait.”)
I’ve found that our kids are way more likely to cooperate when they know what to expect.
2. Consider Curbside Check-In
I’ve always considered curbside a luxury–and it totally is–but while the kids may consider unlimited Disney Jr. and the pool hotel to be their definition of R&R, for me, a vacation is not having to be in charge of everything.
When we’re traveling with 6 bags, 6 backpacks, a snack bag, 4 car/booster seats, a stroller, and possibly even a pack-n-play, wrangling all that and a quad of wandering children through the airport just doesn’t make sense.
So if we’re not traveling on the cheap, we often opt for curbside check-in.
We pull right up to the drop-off point, show our IDs, and check our bags at the curb.
It doesn’t cost extra upfront, but a tip of $2-3 per bag is recommended. I add that into our vacation budget when I’m planning everything out.
At the end of the day, tipping costs less than the cost of one meal out for our family, and it makes our travels so much easier.
3. Bookending and the Buddy System
We travel with quite a crew–my husband Steve and I, plus our four kids ages 3, 5, 8, and 11.
Keeping everyone together when there are so many “shiny objects” to explore in the airport always stresses me out, so we use a few strategies.
First, the hubs and I always bookend the kids. He typically takes the lead, and his back becomes the beacon the kids watch for direction.
I follow behind to herd the kids back in line, chirping, “Follow Daddy!” when they drift off course. I am basically their snack-toting Border Collie.
Second, we use that handy elementary school stand-by: the buddy system. If everyone is alert and attentive, we pair up an older kid (our 8 or 11-year-old) with a younger kid (our toddler or preschooler).
If we’re seeing a lot of wandering, we pair our oldest together and bookend them. Then Steve and I each hold the hand of a smaller child.
4. Keep Setting the Scene
The airport is busy, bustling, and confusing to kids, so I don’t expect them to know everything after I give them our pre-airport pep talk.
Before we get to the next stage of our airport adventure, I quickly talk them through what’s on deck, being sure to always tell them:
- What the process is,
- What I need them to do, and
- Where they should sit/stand while they wait for Steve and I to do whatever else is needed.
Here are a few examples:
At the car: “We’re all going to get out on the sidewalk side of the car. Big kids, grab your car seats and stand by the stroller. Daddy will unload your bags and hand them to us.”
Entering the airport: “We’re going to check our bags so they can put them on the plane. First we’ll wait in line. When it’s our turn, the lady/man behind the desk will tell us which bags to put on the scale. I need everyone to stay next to Dad’s big blue suitcase while we do this part.”
Heading to TSA: “This is the security line I told you about. We wait in line again here. At the desk, that officer will look at Mommy and Daddy’s IDs, and look at our tickets. Stand right next to us. The officer might ask you your name to see if it matches your ticket. It’s okay to tell him/her your name.”
5. Know the Security Checkpoint Rules
To me, the security line is the most stressful part of the whole airport experience with kiddos. Once that’s over, Steve and I (sometimes literally) high-five each other and then praise the kids up and down.
I always feel the pressure of others waiting in line behind us, and so I try to keep us moving at a steady pace.
Knowing the current security rules can save you a lot of time, effort, and shoe removal–kids under 12 don’t have to take theirs off!
A few basics:
- Unless you are a child under 12 or a TSA Pre-check patron, you need to remove your shoes and outerwear (coat, sweater, etc.) and put them in an x-ray bin to be screened.
. - Food, electronics, and liquid may need to come out of carry-ons and placed directly in a screening bin.
. - Take everything out of your pockets before going through the walk-through imaging machine or metal detector.
. - Strollers, car seats, and carriers will be screened. Car seats, carriers, and strollers that can fold down small enough can go through the x-ray machine with your bags. Others will be tested and examined by hand by a TSA officer.
. - Liquids in carry-ons must be 3.4oz or less–this includes squeezable apple sauce pouches, drinks, hand sanitizers, lotions, etc. You can carry an empty water bottle through security and fill it once you are past the checkpoint. (Liquids larger than this can be put in checked luggage.)
. - Baby foods & liquids can be more than 3.4oz, but a TSA officer will likely examine and test them. This means you can bring breast milk (frozen or not), formula, juice, or other baby foods if necessary. Be prepared to spend a little extra time at the checkpoint while you wait for this extra step to be completed.
You can find more details, answers to FAQ and specific questions, and the most up-to-date information at TSA.gov/travel.
*Note: This list may be incomplete. Please consult TSA.gov for the most complete and up-to-date screening and checkpoint information.
6. Have a Kid-Friendly TSA “Quick Bag”
My goal in the TSA security line is to get us all through as quickly as possible–and that means prepping ahead of time for all the stuff we have to unpack for x-ray screening.
More and more airports are requiring you not only to take toiletries out of your carry-ons, but also all food items (not just liquid or pureed ones!) and all technology larger than a phone (think iPads, Kindles, laptops, etc.).
While I usually give my older kids charge over carrying their snacks and screens when we travel, I don’t want to be opening 5 backpacks to gather everyone’s tech and food.
My solution is to pack all the TSA-checkable stuff in a reusable grocery bag:
- screens
- snacks
- baby food pouches
- 3oz carry-on liquids
- baby-related liquids, and
- portable battery chargers
Packing this way means the kids don’t have to take anything out of their bags–they just stick their gear on the conveyor belt to be x-rayed.
I quickly move everything from my grocery bag into the x-ray screening bins, and we’re off to the races.
Once we’ve made it to the other side of security, I divvy up the snacks and screens into the kids’ backpacks, and tuck my reusable bag away for later.
7. Bring (Plenty of) Food!
If you do nothing else from this list, please, mama, pack snacks!
One thing we’ve learned over 10 years of traveling with littles, is that snacks prevent meltdowns.
My husband always laughs at the amount of food I carry on to the plane, but he’s also been known to gently ask, “Hey… Are you hungry?” when I get in a snippy mood–and I usually am!
So I make up gallon-sized ziploc bags of snacks and treats (a mix of healthy and junk food) for each of us whenever we travel.
This saves us from blowing money on ridiculously overpriced airport food AND saves us from getting hangry if our flight is delayed, the kids don’t like the on-board food, or we land at our destination after local eateries have closed.
(Psst… Here are 9 more things to pack when you fly with kids!)
8. Remember: This Too Shall Pass
Even with our best efforts, sometimes things get crazy.
We’ve been thrown off schedule by bag screenings, flight delays, diaper blow-outs, and toddler tantrums. And one of our kids once threw up on Steve in the airport–before we’d even gotten on the plane!
When things start getting out of control, we pass out the screens and remind ourselves: this won’t last forever (even though it feels like it).
Flights are only so long, and this too shall pass.
Ride out the crazy and choose to make it fuel for a great travel story.
And also, maybe take this opportunity to eat another snack.
Happy travels, Mama!
xo,
Jamie
p.s. 10 things to pack in your carry-on when you fly with kids, how to handle a public tantrum, and–are you going to Disney? Check out these 10 smart Disney tips for families.
Pin image of running child via Hanson Lu
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