Here’s what I learned after many long-haul flights with a toddler: it’s completely doable. Not always pretty, occasionally chaotic, but absolutely survivable. And with the right preparation, it can even be (dare I say it?) manageable.
Should you even do this? is the first question. And only you can answer that. But if you’re asking whether your child will magically behave better on a 10 hour flight than they do at Tesco on a Tuesday, I have bad news for you.
But for me, the look on their face when they see the beach/grandparents/Disneyland/whatever you’ve flown halfway round the world for makes every single minute of that flight worth it – and I’ve learned a few toddler flight tips and hacks for what works, so keep reading!
Book Smart, Travel Smarter
Night flights are your secret weapon. I cannot stress this enough. A 9pm departure means your toddler might actually sleep for a decent chunk of the journey. Pre baby I was all about booking the cheapest flights, now I realise I’d essentially be paying to not sleep whilst wrestling an overtired toddler who’d missed their nap window by six hours.
Book overnight flights that align with your toddler’s usual bedtime. Yes, they might cost a bit more, but I promise the price difference is worth it when your little one conks out for a solid number of hours instead of treating the cabin like soft play!!
For seats, I always request the bulkhead row. That extra legroom isn’t just a luxury, it’s essential. Your toddler can stand, play with toys, and you won’t be constantly apologising to the person in front when tiny feet inevitably kick their seat. Most airlines will also provide a bassinet, though by toddler age, they’ve usually outgrown those.
The Kids Travel Tray creates a perfect play surface that attaches to the seat, and it’s been worth every penny on our trips!!
The Toddler Essentials You Absolutely Cannot Board Without
Forget everything you think you know about packing light. When it comes to long-haul flights with toddlers, your carry on is your everything.
1. First up, snacks. Not just any snacks – special snacks. I’m talking the good stuff. Dried mango, mini cheddars, those little packets of raisins, breadsticks, rice cakes. Pack twice because toddlers have an ability to be ravenous at the exact moment the seatbelt sign pings on.
2. Get them their own little backpack (I love these lightweight kids backpacks on Amazon). Let them pack a few small toys themselves. It gives them ownership and something to be excited about if they’re old enough to understand. Plus, it’s adorable watching them waddle through the airport with their tiny backpack.
3. A complete change of clothes for both of you goes in your bag. Trust me on this. After the incident of 2024, I learned that travelling in soaked leggings for eight hours is precisely as awful as it sounds.
4. Your tablet or phone loaded with downloaded content is non-negotiable. Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Kids – download everything before you leave. You don’t want to be that parent with Blippi buffering whilst your toddler has a meltdown. Get a tablet holder that attaches to the tray table.
5. New toys are absolute gold. Pop into Poundland before every flight and grab five or six little bits – sticker books, small figurines, anything. The newness factor gives you at least 15 minutes per toy, and suddenly you’ve filled over an hour. Wrap them individually if you’re feeling extra organised (I rarely am, but when I do, it’s brilliant).
My Amazon favourites for this:
- Water Wow reusable water painting books (genius, mess-free, lightweight)
- Window gel clings (stick them on the airplane window for ages of entertainment)
- Magnetic drawing board (mess-free drawing)
- Reusable sticker books
- Pipe cleaners (so many possibilities, weighs nothing)
Screen Time is Limitless
Can we please just acknowledge that long-haul flights are not the time for screen time rules? Whatever keeps them calm and quiet is perfectly acceptable parenting. Click here to shop the tablet we have!
Download a variety of shows and apps before you fly. Roman loves In The Night Garden and Peppa Pig episodes we’ve seen 847 times.
Pro tip: Bring toddler headphones if yours will wear them. The airline ones are rubbish and fall off tiny heads.
The Timing Game
The first two hours are crucial. If you can keep your toddler relatively calm and happy during takeoff and the initial portion of the flight, you’re setting yourself up for success.
Don’t blow through all your entertainment options immediately. Start with a snack wheel and looking out the window. Then maybe a colouring book – we love crayola wonder mess free colouring kits! The markers don’t work anywhere but on the wonder mess paper! Magic! Save the tablet for when things start getting sketchy, usually around hour three when the novelty has thoroughly worn off.
Meal times are fantastic. They provide natural breaks and give your toddler something to focus on. Even if they don’t eat much (Roman never does), the ritual of the tray table, the little packages, and the strange airplane food keeps them occupied.
Movement is Everything
Toddlers were not designed to sit still for extended periods. Fighting this biological reality is like arguing with gravity – pointless and exhausting.
Every hour or so, take a walk up and down the aisle. Chat to the flight attendants (they’re usually lovely), look at the galley area. Turn it into a game – counting how many people are sleeping, spotting different colored shirts, waving at people.
The toilet trips are also surprisingly helpful. Even if they don’t actually need to go, the change of scenery is valuable. We probably visit the loo six times and honestly, I’m past caring what other passengers think.
Managing Meltdowns
Your toddler will probably have a moment. Or three. It’s fine. It’s normal. It’s not a reflection on your parenting.
When the tears start, here’s my approach: stay calm (even if you’re internally screaming), keep your voice low and soothing, and don’t panic. Other passengers are more understanding than you’d think, especially if they’ve had children themselves.
Sometimes a complete change of tactics works wonders. If nothing is helping, try something totally random – play peekaboo with a sick bag, make shadow puppets with the overhead light, have an impromptu dance party in the galley.
The magic of distraction cannot be overstated.
Sleep Strategies That Actually Work
Stick to your usual bedtime routine as much as possible. We do stories, cuddles, and his favourite fox. The setting might be bizarre, but the familiarity helps. I bring a small blanket from home that smells like our house – sounds silly, but the comfort factor is real.
Dress them in pyjamas. It signals bedtime in a way that staying in day clothes doesn’t. We change in the loo, make a little fuss about it being sleepy time, and honestly, it makes a difference.
Food Food Food
Airline toddler meals are hit or miss, mostly miss if we’re being honest. I’ve learned to come prepared.
Pack substantial snacks that won’t make a massive mess. Sandwiches, cheese cubes, cucumber sticks, crackers. Things that are filling and relatively tidy. Save the treat snacks for when you need distraction.
The airplane pressure can do weird things to little appetites, so don’t stress if they’re not eating much. Keep them hydrated instead – water, diluted juice, whatever they’ll actually drink.
Bring an empty water bottle through security and fill it after you’ve gone through.
Managing Expectations
This is probably the most important bit, so listen up.
There will be mess. There will be noise. There will be moments where you question every life choice that led to this moment. And that’s completely, utterly normal.
Some flights will be better than others – we once had a dream eight-hour flight where Roman slept for six hours and played quietly for the rest. Then our next flight was essentially five hours of chaos. That’s just the way it goes.
The Little Things That Make Big Differences
Wet wipes. Pack approximately one million.
A change of clothes for you in your personal item, not the overhead locker. Because when your toddler vomits/spills/has a nappy explosion, you need immediate access.
Layers for temperature control. Airplanes are either arctic or tropical with no middle ground. Dress in layers and bring a hoodie for your little one.
The Arrival Strategy
You’ve made it through the flight (congratulations), but your work isn’t quite done. Toddlers get weird after long flights – overtired, overstimulated, completely discombobulated.
Keep expectations low for the first 24 hours. Don’t plan major activities. Let them decompress. The jet lag will be real, and trying to force them into a new schedule immediately rarely works.
Bring a pushchair right up to the gate if you can. After a long flight, you don’t want to carry an exhausted toddler through a massive airport. We take ours on every time so we have it when we land.
Final Thoughts
Innational travel with toddlers is never going to be a relaxing experience. If you’re looking for a zen holiday vibe, maybe wait a few years. But the memories you’re creating, the experiences you’re giving them, the way their little faces light up when they see something new – it’s absolutely worth the temporary chaos of a long flight.
When you finally arrive at your destination and your toddler points at something exciting and squeals with delight, you’ll forget all about those hours in the sky.
Well, mostly forget. Some memories are seared into your brain forever, but that’s parenthood for you.
Have you survived a long-haul flight with your little one? What are your sanity saving tips? Drop them in the comments – we’re all in this together!
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