How to plan a family holiday in 15 minutes (with one app and zero spreadsheets)

Planning a family holiday should be exciting - but it can often feel like a stressful, time-consuming exercise, and yet another logistical task to add to a neverending list. Even the fun part (like choosing where to go and where to stay) can feel overwhelming. 

Enter: the Trip.com app, an all-in-one travel platform designed to help families plan and book smarter - bundling flights, trains, hotels, attractions and more into one seamless experience. And with the launch of Trip.Best, a brand-new AI-powered recommendation feature, you can tap into curated lists of family-friendly hotels, attractions, restaurants and seasonal hotspots - all backed by data, reviews, and traveller feedback. It puts hassle-free holiday planning within the palm of your hand and provides real-time insights and inspiration for families. 

Plus, all app users get access to TripGenie, a free AI-powered travel planner that acts as a worldly assistant that can build personalised, real-time itineraries for your family holidays within seconds. A great way to get the kids involved in trip planning and to build excitement ahead of a trip. Enter queries like ‘the quirkiest things to do in London with kids’ and ‘the best playgrounds in Paris’ to get the lowdown on your destination without having to sift through tiresome tabs. 

And right now you can score discounts on your next family holiday thanks to the following deals we’ve secured for Mumsnet users:

• 10% OFF selected hotels on Trip.com using promo code MUMSNET10 (click activation link to redeem) 

• 5% OFF train tickets for new app customers (download app to redeem)

• 25% OFF Railcards for Trip.com new users with promo code RC25 (users must purchase any train ticket via the app to activate the railcard)

Your step-by-step guide to planning a family holiday on Trip.com

Step 1: Pick your perfect destination

Not sure where to start? Use Trip.Best to explore a range of family-friendly destinations, from short-haul city breaks to sunny beach escapes. The brand-new Destinations for the Month feature suggests where to go and when, based on trends, reviews and real-time travel data.

Whether you're looking for summer fun, an autumn culture fix or festive magic, Trip.Best helps take the guesswork out of when to go where, providing inspiration for family-friendly escapes in destinations that are fully geared up for kids. 

Step 2: Search for family-friendly flights

Trip.com makes it easy to compare hundreds of airline options to find the flights that suit your family, whether you need early departures, short stopovers or extra legroom.

Search filters let you choose:

• Preferred departure times (ideal if you want to avoid toddler meltdowns and missed naptimes)

• Checked baggage allowances that allow for family packing flexibility

Direct or multi-leg options to suit your budget and patience levels

And once you’ve booked, everything’s stored in the app, from boarding passes to airport info, so you’re not rummaging through emails at check-in.

Step 3: Find a hotel that works for everyone

From city hotels with interconnecting rooms to scenic seaside spots and theme park resorts, Trip.Best’s Stays recommendations highlight top hotels across themes like:

• Family-friendly

• Cultural gems

• Scenic getaways

• Instagram-worthy stays

All recommendations are based on verified reviews, popularity, service quality and special family features, so you can be confident your hotel fits the bill. 

Step 3: Discover (and book) fun things to do

With Trip.Best’s ‘Things to Do’ and ‘Family-Friendly’ categories, you can find attractions and tours that kids will love. Trip.Best’s curated Top 100 lists highlight top attractions across Europe, the Americas and Asia as well as globally, making it easy for families to track down and book fun stuff to do in destinations near and far. And once again, you’ll have all tickets within easy reach via the handy app. 

Pssst: 12 of the top 100 family-friendly attractions in Europe are right here in the UK, including Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio London and Cadbury World. 

Step 4: Book a meltdown-free meal at a family-friendly restaurant

Looking for meals that please both fussy toddlers and foodie parents? Trip.Best curates top-rated restaurants known for being family-friendly, with picks that offer signature dishes, kids’ menus, scenic settings and a warm welcome for little ones. Choose between Local restaurants for casual, laid-back spots, Fine Dining restaurants where the focus is firmly on the food, and Views & Experiences for special occasion meals. 

Why Trip.com makes planning and booking easy for parents

Trip.com doesn’t just recommend where to go, it helps you book everything in one go and in one place too. In a few easy swipes and clicks, you can:

• Compare and book flights, trains, hotels, and attractions in one place

• Use the app to manage tickets, bookings and itineraries

• Access your bookings offline (perfect for limited WiFi at the airport or on the go)

• Get 24/7 multilingual support if plans change

Whether you’re planning a quick UK escape or dreaming of Disneyland (and the complicated logistical planning that goes with it), Trip.com’s smart app and tools can take the stress out of sorting family holidays, and the Trip.Best feature makes it easy to nail down top attractions, family-rated hotels, and must-see destinations, all in one place. 

About Trip.com

Trip.com is an international one-stop travel service provider, available in 24 languages across 39 countries and regions in 35 local currencies. Trip.com has an extensive hotel and flight network consisting of more than 1.7 million hotels and flights from over 600 airlines covering 3,400 airports in 220 countries and regions around the globe. Trip.com's world-class 24/7 multilingual customer service, as well as additional centres in Edinburgh, Tokyo and Seoul, help to 'create the best travel experience' for its millions of customers worldwide. To book your next trip, visit Trip.com.

About the author 

Rachel Erdos is an Editor at Mumsnet where she commissions, edits and writes content with a focus on family travel.

She has written hotel reviews, features and destination guides for top publications including the Guardian, Four Seasons Magazine, Travelzoo, Visit Britain and Visit London. She loves nothing more than researching and writing about fun things for families to do in destinations near and far, as well as trawling the Mumsnet holiday forum for inspiration for her next trip away with her husband and two kids.