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Original poster

Late flight times with young kids

27 replies

Mamabear04 · 02/01/2024 22:40

DH and I are desperate to go on a summer holiday this year and have been looking at all inclusive around Europe. It's not the usual holiday we would go on but were open to the idea however after mindlessly scrolling through terrible websites that take x474884 hours to load we've decided that we'd actually like to go to a seaside town that we've visited before pre kids. It has everything we're looking for and within budget, so after getting very excited we searched for flights and I'm not sure how we could do it as the flights arrive at the destination around 10pm or thereabouts. DC1 will be 4.5 years old and DC2 will be just about to/will have just turned 2 years old. We keep a pretty strict bedtime at home with kids in bed by 7pm so I'm not sure how they would do travelling on a plane for the first time and arriving in a completely new country/apartment. How could we manage it? Any tips? This would be the travel times;

From home to airport 30 mins
4.5h flight
30 min taxi to accommodation

I should say that the there seems to be only one flight time available and the only other airport that we could depart from is a 3h drive away...

OP posts:
PuttingDownRoots · 02/01/2024 22:44

Whats the time difference?
Encourage them to sleep on the plane... either pyjamas or comfy clothing... including nappies if they wear them at night.
Quiet day first day, with normal bedtime in the evening.

Original poster
Mamabear04 · 02/01/2024 22:47

It's just 1h time difference. They are very good at sleeping in their own beds but never tried them sleeping on the go at bedtime...any tips?

OP posts:
WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 02/01/2024 22:52

They'd be fine, honestly. Albeit a bit cranky the next day. In the run up to the flight, I'd start keeping them up 15 minutes or so later each night (7.15, 7.30, 7.45 etc.).

Put them in comfy clothes on the plane, snuggle up to try and encourage some sleep. Have some toys etc. on the flight to occupy them in case they don't sleep. Movie on a tablet for the 4 year old. Don't plan to do much on the first day. Dont stress if they have a big nap and try and keep them on uk time when you get there if it's only an hour difference.

Pootle40 · 02/01/2024 22:53

Just go with the flow. Nothing bad will happen. They will sleep while on the go if they are that tired. Kids are more adaptable than adults.

Original poster
Mamabear04 · 02/01/2024 22:55

So we don't actually own a tablet and also worth mentioning it's a Ryanair flight. Will it be hellish with young kids? Do we need to book seats together - surely they wouldn't separate young kids from their parents?

OP posts:
minipie · 02/01/2024 22:57

They will be fine especially if you have a tablet with pre downloaded kids tv. (Plus headphones or something they will watch on silent).

My main concern would be any possibility of problems with check in. Would it be a rental or a hotel?

parietal · 02/01/2024 22:58

you definitely need to pay to have seats together.

make sure you have headphones for any tablet or phone that you are using to entertain the kids.

i'd get to the airport very early and have dinner there then encourage the kids to sleep on the flight. it will be fine.

cestlavielife · 02/01/2024 22:59

See if another airline goes there with different flight times if you anxious
Worth paying bit more for better flight times
And yes you need to pay for seats together

OneFamily · 02/01/2024 23:04

Kids are amazingly resilient when traveling, they can and do sleep when tired. They will be excited so that will tide them over. One thing I will say is even with prefect timing for flights, delays can and do happen. We should have arrived shortly after lunch this year but ended up at 2am. 2 year old coped marvellously, fell asleep at baggage reclaim, slept in the transfer taxi and transferred to bed on arrival. Try to not overthink and enjoy your time together. Do book seats though, it’s worth the extra.

LoveFridayNights · 02/01/2024 23:06

It would be fine. Took ours to America when they were 4 and 2.

Perhaps don't be quite as rigid at home. Do you never need to attend anything where they end up having to stay up later?

Zebrasinpyjamas · 02/01/2024 23:10

Have you factored in the time getting bags and through security etc at the airport in those times ? Sorry to be negative but I wouldn't book those flights with a 2 and 4 yo. Airports are such a faff and grumpy children queuing up to go through passport control at night/after their bedtime is my idea of hell.

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 02/01/2024 23:15

Ryanair - book seats together. Being sat next to your child can mean across the aisle or in front of/behind each other h other. Do not rely on other people, who may have paid to book specific seats, being happy to move because you haven't paid to book seats.

toomanyleggings · 02/01/2024 23:22

I wouldn’t book night flights because you might get delayed. We had 8pm flights that got delayed until 11:30 pm and it was awful. Even on a 2 hour 50 mins flight to Majorca. It was 2:30 ish by the time we landed, took an hour through passport control and luggage, 40 minute transfer and then when we arrived the hotel had messed our room up. I think it was about 5 am by the time we got to bed by that time the toddler had had a micro snooze on the transfer and wouldn’t settle. My toddler is pita though when over tired. I wouldn’t do a 4.5 hour flight with mine even in the day time. The return journey was even worse because my older one had food poisoning. Your kids may be more amenable though. I’ve decided against going abroad next year. Too many variables and stress

NYName · 02/01/2024 23:28

With preschoolers we only ever booked flights that took off after 8am and landed before 8pm.

As PP says you could be delayed, have long queues at passport control with tired, cranky children.

Saschka · 02/01/2024 23:44

The two year old will be fine, they will fall asleep. Your 4.5 year old will probably be in a stroppy mood the next day, so do plan too much and expect them to need a forced nap.

We regularly get the Friday night flight to Munich with DS6, and usually get to our accommodation at midnight. He stays awake now, and is then massively stroppy the next day and needs a nap (never usually has a nap), but is fine the day after that.

Fairymother · 03/01/2024 01:06

Its holidays, just go with the flow. If they get tired encourage them to sleep. If they are watching stuff just leave them be. Be prepared for them to be cranky at the airport after landing. They will be exhausted and mine always get annoying when waiting for passport control and luggage.. But if you travel with your DH just find a bench to sit with the kids while DH gets the luggage or something.
Then at the hotel straight to bed.
Oh and bring lots of snacks! Keeps them busy and happy.

I travel with mine from EU to Aus twice a year. Once with DH and once on my own, to see my in-law family. Ive honestly never paid for seats together. I didnt even know that was a thing. I always check in online the day before though and when checking in i can always pick the seats without additional payment.

Fairymother · 03/01/2024 01:07

Its holidays, just go with the flow. If they get tired encourage them to sleep. If they are watching stuff just leave them be. Be prepared for them to be cranky at the airport after landing. They will be exhausted and mine always get annoying when waiting for passport control and luggage.. But if you travel with your DH just find a bench to sit with the kids while DH gets the luggage or something.
Then at the hotel straight to bed.
Oh and bring lots of snacks! Keeps them busy and happy.

I travel with mine from EU to Aus twice a year. Once with DH and once on my own, to see my in-law family. Ive honestly never paid for seats together. I didnt even know that was a thing. I always check in online the day before though and when checking in i can always pick the seats without additional payment.

Ladyj84 · 03/01/2024 01:43

At home our 3 toddlers have bedtimes on holidays everything is relaxed. Stop stressing we've done it and yes one got a little narky but all was good the next day

comfyshoes2022 · 03/01/2024 02:03

I think it depends on how much you want to go to this particular destination and your parenting attitude. Personally I always choose flight times very carefully to avoid late-night flights because the chance of a delay is so real, and I do NOT want to deal with that with children. It just would add a huge amount of stress to my life in the lead-up even if everything went fine. But I can see why other people would make a different choice.

Josette77 · 03/01/2024 02:06

Just be chill and your kids will be fine.
Put them in pj's and bring travel blankets. Snuggle them up, buy a tablet and put on a show. They will sleep. They will take their cues from you, so try and be a calm example.

MrsFezziwig · 03/01/2024 02:23

@Fairymother
I travel with mine from EU to Aus twice a year. Once with DH and once on my own, to see my in-law family. Ive honestly never paid for seats together. I didnt even know that was a thing. I always check in online the day before though and when checking in i can always pick the seats without additional payment.

Transcontinental flight seat selection does not work in the same way as with budget airlines. The OP needs to book seats together, the last thing she needs when boarding with children who are ready to go to sleep is to be wrangling over where they should sit.

amylou8 · 03/01/2024 04:31

I avoid late flights now. I'll book days and destinations around flights that are sensible times. I just find being knackered, especially on the outbound, no fun at all.
Also please pay for seat allocation. If you're not sat with your 2 year old you'll probably end up on YouTube trying to guilt the person that has paid to move.

Longma · 03/01/2024 04:42

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines. at the request of it's author.

laladoodoo · 03/01/2024 04:48

For Ryanair absolutely book the seats together.
I take it you also know that if your (nearly) two year old turns two on your holiday you will have to book a seat for them as soon as they turn two from the birthday onwards

PuttingDownRoots · 03/01/2024 05:13

Ryanair does free seat reservations for children, and adults pay. System doesn't let you not do it.
Even if toddler isn't quite two... get them their own seat.

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