11pm flight with 2 young kids

[goldilocks8]

Has anybody done a late night flight while returning from holiday with the flight being 11pm? I’ve been going around in circles for two weeks now looking for a family holiday for June. I found one in Ibiza that takes a lot of our boxes put the flight times are rubbish and you can’t book the flight separate as it’s a package. We have a four year-old and a one year-old and we’ve been on many family holidays, but we’ve always had a morning outbound flight and then a late morning/lunchtime flight going back home. We wouldn’t arrive home from holiday until around 3 AM and it just sounds awful to be honest, but the thought of starting my search scratch again is making me want to scream! Has anybody done a flight this late coming back from holiday with young kids and how did you find it?

Only accidentally when flights were cancelled and then the replacement was delayed for hours. Arrived home about 4.30am. It wasn't ideal obviously but it's only one day so I wouldn't call it disastrous. And I wouldn't be too concerned about doing it again if the rest of the holiday works well.

Yes, a few times over their lifetimes. I've never really factored it as an issue. If they are tired, they sleep. What is worrying you about it?

We did once, the flight was great as DS slept most of it, we cleverly (or so we thought) arrange a pick up service to collect us outside the airport and drive us to our car . They were clearly asleep as they were 90 min late!! So that was horrific but the flight was fine

Sounds awful to me but only you know your kids and their sleep. I wouldn't want that hanging over me all holiday worrying about it on the way back! It costs more but we always book day time flights. Also imagine if the 11pm one gets delayed or cancelled.

Yes, it’s fine. They sleep, so in some ways it’s easier than a day flight. Just have one of the carry-on buggies for the 1yo to ease the transition from either end.

Yes. Several times. Just be prepared for tears at some point! If your flight is at 11pm, then a package operator will look to have you at the airport by 8:30pm probably and so, depending on transfer time and route, you could easily be being picked up from the hotel at 7:30pm which works quite nicely with having dinner at about 6pm and then having a bit of a run around after that.
The hotel will be used to it and may well have a room you can use to change & shower. If not, there will probably be a pool side or beach side shower. I would get everyone changed before dinner just because there may well be other people in the hotel on a similar set up and so your plan of quickly using the room to shower after dinner may not work if there’s are people already in there! Then you could change the DC into PJs at the airport if you wanted to.