Day or night flight with just turned 2 year old?

[Bakingandaching]

Planning to take just turned 2 year old on holiday with an 8 hour flight each way. Would a night or day flight be best? Toddler is not the best sleeper and generally needs to be in pitch black with white noise etc. I'm scared of having that child crying and screaming whilst everyone is trying to sleep, but I think 8 hours in the day will be unbearable trying to keep them entertained.

Go short haul before it’s too late! It will be hell for you and everyone around you.

Have they ever been on a plane?
My oldest DOES NOT sleep on planes. He never has. Night flights are horrific. His "record" is 3 hours sleep in 36 hours. And until recently I had to stay awake too, which made for a pretty horrifying subsequent day for me! I used to get to my parents and collapse for half a day of sleep!
DS2 will sleep on planes.

Day flights all the way where we get a choice. But if I only had a DS2 type child, night flights would be fine.

My two did both at that age and were fine, we took plane approved car seats

Not what you want to hear but I wouldn’t take a 2 year old on an 8h flight at all. Ours are much older and only now are we contemplate long haul and it won’t be this year.
i think 2 is about the worst age as they don’t understand they need to sit still! Is Easier with a baby or if they are 3 +.
if a choice I would do a day flight but if you’re going either east or west it will likely be the opposite coming back anyway?

I hope it's a damned long holiday because that's a long time for a 2yo to be on a plane.

I’m fairly well versed as used to live in the US when DD was small so quite well versed in flights of that length and I’d personally go day flight every time. There’s no stress of whether or not they’ll sleep for starters. For our route we’d land late U.K. time, go straight to bed, sleep it off and wake up the next morning with no jet lag. 8 hours passes pretty easily with a screen, plenty of snacks and a nap. We’ve done ok on the night flight but once you cut out take off, landing and meal service the sleep time is about 5 hours and that makes for one grouchy toddler that you really don’t want to oversleep during the day as you want them to adjust to local time.

I took mine on night flights at that age (at six I still do), he sleeps well on me, so he has always slept well on flights.

Another vote for day time flight. Itll be bright and noisier.

The other passengers will not thank you for taking a non-sleeping toddler on a night flight.......

Another vote for day time. Ours have done multiple long and short haul since they were very small, and a plane generally isn't the most comfortable, quiet or dark and it's hard to sleep properly on, on a day flight we've never really had an issue amusing them to be honest, although I did have a friend whose toddler just had no interest at all in screens, I imagine that child would have been much harder to keep amused and fairly still for so long so I do know we were lucky.

It depends on behaviour but broadly, I'm in favour of night flights. Even if they don't sleep much, I find they're tired so more likely to just sit watching a movie on their iPad or whatever. Whereas on a day flight at that age they want to be moving around and that is impossible on a flight. Also, at 2 they'll have their own seat so that helps as well, especially if you can get a row (assuming it's at least 3 of you) as they are more likely to either sleep/doze or lie back and watch a movie.

To be honest, it's going to be hell whichever you choose.

I took my then 2 year old DS on his first flight (3 hours in the daytime) and can remember feeling relieved that I hadn't opted to travel at night. We didn't go far and he was fairly quiet, but I got the impression that we could've been in the air for a further 8 hours and there's no way he would've gone to sleep.

With it being a day time flight, there was more going on, other passengers were walking around, talking etc and that dulled the noise of his incessant chatter and excited noises. If people around were trying to sleep, I would've felt really uncomfortable.

I did a 9 hour night flight with my then 4 year old. He didn't sleep a wink until just before landing.

He actually coped very well for the entire duration, thank god. Me not so much. I'm not sure I would have dared try it when he was 2 though....

I don’t think you can predict anything. Just book whatever costs less/is most convenient. It’s a crap shoot regardless.

I recently took a toddler on a plane. He was great on the way out (late afternoon) but horrific on the way back (which should have been nap time).

I don’t think I could cope with 8 hours of him in a confined space.

And you’ll feel less bad about a grumpy toddler.

Experienced traveller here, who has taken DC from 18 months on long haul.
Who are you flying with and if you are happy what is the destination?

Holiday flights, such as UK to Orlando no issue with fussy DC, that is what the plane is full of whether it is a charter or scheduled flight

Business routes especially not during holiday times the cabin is usually quiet day and night outside of food service times. For instance I flew London to NY last month, the lights were dimmed after lunch had been cleared and only turned back on for the light refreshments prior to landing. There were a few DC on the flight but no more than 12.

My DC both slept in buggies and out and about so were fine on planes, if your DC is used to only sleeping in a cot in total darkness you may have issues. I will never forget a flight back from Singapore where the family in front had a under 2 and around 4 year old, both cried, screamed and were miserable for the whole 14 hours. The parents had no answer as the DC had always only slept in their own beds in total silence and darkness. They had also not brought with them any distractions (snacks, toys, devices etc.)