You're heading to the airport for a long haul flight - what have you done to prepare by the night before?

[newyorknewyorkforevernewyork]

Its you and one young kid.

I'm thinking:
Passports ready
Visas ready
Suitcase packed, clothes ironed and ready
Multiple alarms set all around the house

...

Snacks. Lots of snacks.

Food shop booked to be delivered when we get home

Plastic bags and spare clothes handy for cabin bags for when you or the kid pukes or similar 🤔

Fridge emptied of anything that will go off
Bins out
Electrics switched off except the essentials
Multiply checks of passport & docs
Check the terminal I'm flying out of (I always forget this and I'm scrabbling round at 4am to work out where to go)

Devices charged, battery pack charged

Plants watered.
Bins emptied.
Lights on timer.

How far are we flying? If I’m going a long way, I’ve already started to manage jet lag. I’ve got a Garmin watch that tells me how to reduce it!

Hydrate, don’t arrive thirsty. Then buy water for the flight after security or take empty bottles through and refill them when you get to the lounge.

I get random bouts where I doubt myself so I have pictures taken of the oven off, the doors locked etc.

Bags packed, handbag with passports, print out of all travel documents (for emigration). Directions to get to hotel/taxis etc written/printed out in case my phone does not work.

E sim downloaded.

Plans for what to do in airport before flight (because I am there crazy number of hours before hand.

Have airline app downloaded and have researched meal options/film availability etc

Downloaded on tablet films/games and packed booked toys for child in case in flight entertainment does not work.

Pack dettol wipes or similar to wipe around seat and table as they are normally very dirty and I want to avoid bugs.

Pack snacks and empty water bottle. Snacks in case child does not like food on plane or there are long gaps between meals

I tend to way over plan!!

Download tv shows on a device

battery packs/ power banks loaded

key info printed off

What would we define as key info? @HermioneWeasley

@FruitBadger i literally went to the sainsburys app after seeing your comment, hard agree! Will ask neighbours to take it in if delayed

@wateraddict 😄 will take empty bottles through in my hand luggage and then fill with squash once through, which I will put in 100ml bottles

Good idea @curiouscat1987 , didnt think of that re dc

@Lauraa7 8 hours approx

Thank you for this

Didn't think of wipes, also need some water ones for dc

Cant I use my o2 sim? I have an international bolt on

Which has reminded me that I must call the credit card company!

What documents do people usually take? Ive got the visa, deed polls as we changed our names, a letter from me stating that I am the only parent

Should I take dc birth certificate, do we think?

Ive got one suitcase, one holdall. One bum bag and dc's backpack for tablet

Can I charge devices on the plane? British airways

Tia x

The mini squash bottles are perfect for this...

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/robinsons-squash-summer-fruits-66ml

Where you going off to op.
Yes im nosy.

Print out you return flight details and booking if you are staying in a hotel/air bnb.

I would have a battery pack or two in case the in-flight charging does not work.

Bring wooly scarfs/shawls that you can used as blankets as airplanes can be cold and the blankets they give out are often not cleaned between people.

Bags packed. Passport out with visas or paperwork needed. Clothes for next day including underwear. Alarms set. Fridge emptied of things that can go off. Bin emptied. Phones and devices on charge.

I am a just get there on time person. DP and me will have had an argument on what time to set off, as he is a 4 hours early person.

Change the central heating schedule to just a couple of hours a day to avoid problems. Then set it come on as you land back home so you get back to a warm house

Tell a friendly neighbour you are going away (our neighbour insisted on watching our house for us, rescues parcels etc)

Final check of all docs.

In theory there’s a charging socket in the seats but I wouldn’t depend on it actually working. Take everything fully charged and battery pack if you have one.
id also take lots of snacks and potentially eat before you fly. We flew at 1:30pm out of LHR a few weeks ago and “lunch” wasn’t served until nearly 3:30 so I was glad we’d eaten in the airport. The food was ok but not great and the veggie option looked pathetic (plain tomato pasta with a couple of olives! )

Okay ive got

Buy power bank - ive found one for £20, hopefully it'll be in stock
Print out hotel details, visa and return flights

How early is typical to get to an airport? I feel like 2hrs early is okay, 4 sounds like a lot, @foodlovefood 's husband ? 😄

@Timebudda take a look at my username x

@purplecorkheart my dirty mind misread your username and wondered why you were sexualising Barney 😭 - agree, have a blanket for dc anyway, plus neck pillows

Assuming I’m leaving before midday I will have packed including hand luggage with passport etc and booked transport or parking. If not leaving until later in the day I won’t have done anything

Re sim and phone. It really depends where you're going. Some add ons to your normal contract are ridiculously expensive. I used airolo in India...very easy and much cheaper than adding to my contract.

Make sure everything is charged and put charging cable in hand luggage.

My list includes headphones, if economy i take eye mask and toothbrush but not if included.
I like to take a spare pashmina for warmth.
I double check tickets, boarding pass, visa etc.
My hand baggage is actually really streamlined now

Ooo essential medicine but I always pack travel sickness tabs, diarrhoea tabs, painkillers. Nothing worse than any of those on a flight

You are all very organised, I’m a throw everything into a bag and hope for the best traveller, even when dc were little, buying a new magazine at the airport was the nod to being organised, though I did permanently have crayons and bribes (raisins) in my bag back then, once they reached 5 they packed their own hand luggage, but they were frequent fliers

• Pre-book parking through a cashback site if you’re driving to the airport.
• Charge devices and download any films/books you may need for the holiday.
• check what your mobile plan is wherever you’re going to
• if you can stretch to it, book fast-track security (can be £6 in some airports but well worth it!).
• check earplugs/eye masks for flight if at night.
• check any medications and prescriptions are in hand luggage
• change any currency before going to airport
• check you can use your card abroad without charges

Lots of child ents material - wrapped in tissue so things to unwrap

headphone and screen with battery pack for your child

a couple of sets of clothing plus a week of meds, and swim things if you need them, for you both, in hand luggage. Nothing more upsetting to the start of a holiday than losing luggage. Cosmetics etc you can easily buy