10. Bring the Pack’n’Play. I am so glad I decided to bring ours. I love it, and my kids are used to it. It was so easy to just check it through with the baggage.
9. Buy the ice cream in the airport. This is especially important if you have a longer layover. It is worth $2.50 a scoop (I bought everyone a “tiny” instead of a “small”) to reward good behavior for the first leg of the trip and encourage more smiles for the rest of the way.
8. Don’t make your “home base” in the airport while you wait for your next flight at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the Admirals Club. Enough said.
7. Keep baby wipes handy. Even if you’ve only been a parent for 2 days you probably know this one. However, baby wipes have so many other incredible uses like wiping spit-up off your clothes, washing sticky fingers and faces after eating an over-priced airport, but on this trip I learned yet another use for them. You can actually use a baby wipe to erase a work of art off the window shade on a plane.
6. Avoid American Airlines if possible. This is the least kid-friendly airline I’ve ever encountered. Even with 2 babies, 2 car seats and 2 children, they refused to let us pre-board. We were in Group 5 or 6 every time. I was still installing car seats and getting kids situated as they were telling us to prepare for take off. And unless you want to pay $3 for a cookie bring plenty of snacks for the kids. Not even peanuts on this airline. (Oh, and the headphones are $5 each if you don’t bring your own…)
5. Bring a stroller. It is so easy to gate check an umbrella stroller – it is so worth it. In our case I just brought one stroller and the boys took turns. Some airports will also let you go through the handicap security line if you have a stroller. Even if you factor in the extra time it takes to remove the child and collapse the stroller for the x-ray machine chances are it may save you more time by not waiting in line.
4. Be persistent about trying to get your car seat on board. Sometimes it isn’t always financially practical to buy a ticket for a baby since it isn’t required. But let’s face it, most “lap children” are done with your lap before the plane has reached its cruising altitude. If the plane isn’t full try to bring your car seat on board. It will save your back and possibly your sanity. Southwest is great about this. I learned this time however, that it can be more difficult on other airlines (like American)
3. Give older kids a special job. Assign an older child to push the stroller, carry a tote bag or entertain a younger one. It gives them something productive to do and the special responsibility will encourage them to be on their best behavior.
2. Plan ahead & buy large ziplock bags. I filled one for each child with special things to do on the plane. I included things like a card game, a new art notebook & crayons, a favorite paperback book, a skein of yarn for the older kids. Max’s had some Elmo crackers too.
1. Bring Grandma & Grandpa. I couldn’t have survived that many plane rides without them!
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