Night flights with kids

[packedlunches]

Returning home from holiday on a night flight that leaves at 2 ish and gets in at 5.30am.

Has anyone done this with tween age kids and have any solutions?

To make it worse we then have a 2.5 hr drive home. I feel like we will need to get a hotel but usually check in isn't til 3 so just no idea what to do as we will be too tired to drive.

We didn't deliberately book these flights - holiday company changed them and we pretty much had to accept or lose the whole holiday booking.

[packedlunches]

Hopeful bump!

[BEAM123]

That sucks!

You can book the hotel for the night before and explain that you will be checking in (very) late

[Yodaisawally]

IME just crack on with it, let them sleep when they want, watch screens when they want. Once cabin service is over the blinds will be down, the lights will be off, they'll sleep a bit. Just accept they'll be tired the next day, depending on time difference.

Just drive, one of you sleep in the car, and then swap if you are really that tired. We have always driven on the back of night flights. Wouldn't have crossed my mine to get a hotel.

[packedlunches]

@Yodaisawally

IME just crack on with it, let them sleep when they want, watch screens when they want. Once cabin service is over the blinds will be down, the lights will be off, they'll sleep a bit. Just accept they'll be tired the next day, depending on time difference.

Just drive, one of you sleep in the car, and then swap if you are really that tired. We have always driven on the back of night flights. Wouldn't have crossed my mine to get a hotel.

It's the fact that the flight is only just over 2 hours so we will probably get no sleep on the plane or maybe an hour max.

Won't be able to sleep beforehand as will be travelling to airport/ in airport.

So driving for 2.5 hours after a night of zero sleep I just find it pretty dangerous?

[devonianBiatch]

Book the hotel for the night before you leave and tell them you will be late at want extended/late checkout. They will deal with this ALL the time.

[Triffid1]

Honestly, I think booking a hotel is crazy. By the time you've landed, got your stuff, got to the hotel etc.... you won't feel like sleeping. And you'll only sleep for a bit and then be knackered.

How old are the DC? Can they sleep at all on your lap at the airport while you're waiting for your flight or in the hire car on the way to the airport? But really, I think as a PP said, you let them have screens, doze etc. When you land, you take turns to drive back while kids sleep in the back seat. Make no plans for the day itself as you'll all be knackered and dozing etc. Then early bed that night.

[Aroundtheworldin80moves]

Some airports have hotels where you can pay for a few hours, not for a whole night.

[KarrotKake]

Arrange late check out on holiday, and have an afternoon nap.
If there are 2 adults, one snoozers in the car to the airport, and prioritises sleep, not childcare, on the plane. Then they drive home.
If one adult, just deal with it. It sucks. It's one night. Or use Train as travel to/from UK airport.

[SpaceRaiders]

I agree with others. Get plenty of rest the day before and soldier on home. Expect to do very little if anything when you get home, tweens will be ok toddlers not so much.

[reluctantbrit]

We would go for the hotel option, I wouldn’t be physically able to drive after a day with no sleep.

it may not be a lot of sleep, you don’t want to cause a total screw up with your sleep pattern but a couple of hours and a meal would the only way for us to drive afterwards.

[Yodaisawally]

Sorry op I assumed you meant long haul night flight. Can you get a cab to and from airport?

[declutteringmymind]

If you can't share the driving then yes get a cheap room.

[ChangedMyNamrButStillMe]

It’s not a long drive if you split it between you and dh, surely? One drives, the other sleeps, kids are old enough to not be crying/ vomiting/ needing frequent toilet stops/ nappy changes. I’ve done similar with my 6yo and 9yo but with a 6 hour drive from the airport and it’s been a slog but fine. I’ve always booked the hotel for an extra night before departure though so we could stay in the room until 8/9pm ish.

Alternatively if you don’t feel safe to drive when you land would then train be an option? It obviously depends on where you’re trying to get to but if you land at 5.30 realistically by the time you get through security and get bags trains will be running.

[packedlunches]

@Triffid1

Honestly, I think booking a hotel is crazy. By the time you've landed, got your stuff, got to the hotel etc.... you won't feel like sleeping. And you'll only sleep for a bit and then be knackered.

How old are the DC? Can they sleep at all on your lap at the airport while you're waiting for your flight or in the hire car on the way to the airport? But really, I think as a PP said, you let them have screens, doze etc. When you land, you take turns to drive back while kids sleep in the back seat. Make no plans for the day itself as you'll all be knackered and dozing etc. Then early bed that night.

Kids are 9 and 12

We have bus transfers so they may be able to doze a bit then but unlikely!

[packedlunches]

@reluctantbrit

We would go for the hotel option, I wouldn’t be physically able to drive after a day with no sleep.

it may not be a lot of sleep, you don’t want to cause a total screw up with your sleep pattern but a couple of hours and a meal would the only way for us to drive afterwards.

Same here - neither DH nor I can function after a full night without sleep. I'd never forgive myself if we had a car accident,

[packedlunches]

@ChangedMyNamrButStillMe

It’s not a long drive if you split it between you and dh, surely? One drives, the other sleeps, kids are old enough to not be crying/ vomiting/ needing frequent toilet stops/ nappy changes. I’ve done similar with my 6yo and 9yo but with a 6 hour drive from the airport and it’s been a slog but fine. I’ve always booked the hotel for an extra night before departure though so we could stay in the room until 8/9pm ish.

Alternatively if you don’t feel safe to drive when you land would then train be an option? It obviously depends on where you’re trying to get to but if you land at 5.30 realistically by the time you get through security and get bags trains will be running.

Could have done train but DH has already booked the non refundable parking 😬

[CasperGutman]

If you're worried about driving after the flight, maybe consider other options for travelling to and from the airport rather than driving. Could you book an airport transfer with a private hire company, or use bus/train? Could you ask a friend or relative to pick you up, if not from the airport then from a station closer to home?

I understand why you're worried about driving after so little sleep, but I know that my family would be unlikely to get any more sleep in a hotel in the morning, after the sun rose (and we'd all end up falling out!).

[CasperGutman]

Sorry, just seen you've already booked non-refundable parking. I suspect paying for unneeded parking plus alternative transport won't cost much if anything more than paying for parking plus hotel though, so rationally it makes no more sense to choose the latter option in order to prevent the parking being "wasted".

[SD1978]

Sounds like the concern/ issue is you and your husband, not the kids. If you want a hotel because you think it's safer, then get one. The kids don't seem to be your concern but your own tiredness?

[wonderstuff]

weve done night flights from the states a few times and we now get a taxi or train to and from the airport. I have done a drive and found coffee and taking it easy is the thing, but it’s not nice and I’d not be keen to do it again.

[packedlunches]

@CasperGutman

Sorry, just seen you've already booked non-refundable parking. I suspect paying for unneeded parking plus alternative transport won't cost much if anything more than paying for parking plus hotel though, so rationally it makes no more sense to choose the latter option in order to prevent the parking being "wasted".

Definitely agree with you - however with the imminent rail strikes I don't think that's going to be an option sadly! No other way of getting there.

[packedlunches]

@wonderstuff

weve done night flights from the states a few times and we now get a taxi or train to and from the airport. I have done a drive and found coffee and taking it easy is the thing, but it’s not nice and I’d not be keen to do it again.

If we were flying longer haul it wouldn't be a problem as we'd get a decent sleep on the plane. The issue is that our flight leaves at 2am and gets in at 5.30am - so very little (if any) sleep will be had.

[packedlunches]

@SD1978

Sounds like the concern/ issue is you and your husband, not the kids. If you want a hotel because you think it's safer, then get one. The kids don't seem to be your concern but your own tiredness?

Yes a bit of both to be honest