Travelling through an airport with young children can sometimes feel harder than the flight itself.
There are bags to manage, queues to navigate, passports to find, security rules to remember and enormous departure boards to understand. Meanwhile, your toddler has spotted an escalator they desperately want to ride for the seventeenth time and another child has announced they need the toilet just as you reach the front of the queue.
Airports aren't designed around toddler routines.
Fortunately, they become considerably easier when you know what to expect and prepare accordingly.
The goal isn't to achieve a perfectly calm airport experience. With young children, that's an ambitious target.
The goal is to remove as many avoidable problems as possible so you can concentrate on getting everyone safely onto the aircraft.
Here is how to survive an airport with young children.
Prepare the Night Before
The easiest way to reduce airport stress is to avoid making important decisions on the morning of your flight.
Pack as much as possible the night before.
Check passports.
Confirm your flight information.
Check which terminal you're departing from.
Charge phones and tablets.
Download entertainment.
Prepare children's travel bags.
Put travel documents somewhere accessible.
If you're driving, confirm where you're parking.
If you're taking public transport, check the route.
You want the morning of departure to involve getting dressed, eating and leaving rather than searching the house for a missing passport.
Check Your Airline's Family Rules
Airlines have different policies covering pushchairs, car seats, cabin baggage, baby equipment, seat allocation and family boarding.
Check your airline's current rules before leaving home.
Don't assume the policy will be identical to the airline you used last year.
Pay particular attention to baggage allowances for babies and young children.
Some airlines allow certain baby equipment to be carried without additional charges, but exactly what qualifies can vary.
If you're taking a car seat, travel cot or pushchair, understand what happens to it at the airport.
Check Your Airport Too
Airport procedures and facilities vary.
Look at the airport's family information before travelling.
Useful things to investigate include:
baby-changing facilities
family security lanes
children's play areas
restaurants
water refill points
quiet areas
special-assistance services.
Knowing these exist before arriving can save you searching around the terminal with tired children.
Explain the Airport to Your Child
Airports can be confusing places for young children.
Explain what will happen before the journey.
Keep it simple.
“We'll take our bags to the airport.”
“Then we'll go through security.”
“After security we'll find somewhere to eat.”
“Then we'll wait for our plane.”
“After that we'll get on the aeroplane.”
Children who know what is happening may cope better with the waiting and transitions.
If it's their first flight, show them pictures of airports and aircraft beforehand.
Leave More Time Than You Think You Need
Travelling with children makes everything slower.
Getting out of the car takes longer.
Walking through the terminal takes longer.
Toilet visits take longer.
Security may take longer.
Somebody may suddenly need a nappy change.
Build extra time into the journey.
Check the arrival-time guidance provided by your airline and airport and allow additional family time where sensible.
You don't want to spend hours unnecessarily waiting in the terminal, but rushing through an airport with a toddler is considerably worse.
Dress Children for the Airport
Choose comfortable clothes.
Airports involve walking, sitting and changing temperatures.
Layers work well.
Avoid complicated clothing for recently toilet-trained children. When they announce they urgently need the toilet, you don't want to deal with an outfit requiring ten minutes to remove.
Comfortable shoes are also important.
There can be a surprising amount of walking between check-in, security and the departure gate.
Give Yourself Fewer Bags to Manage
Every additional bag becomes another thing you need to remember.
Travel as efficiently as possible.
If you have checked luggage, use it for things you won't need during the journey.
Keep cabin baggage focused on what you genuinely need.
Parents travelling with babies obviously require more equipment, but organisation still matters.
Try to avoid having five separate small bags hanging from the pushchair.
One well-organised family cabin bag can be easier than several smaller ones.
Create an Airport Essentials Bag
Keep the most important things together.
Your accessible airport bag might contain:
passports
boarding passes
wallet
phone
medication
nappies
wipes
spare clothes
snacks
children's drinks where permitted
small activities
headphones
chargers.
Don't put something you'll need repeatedly at the bottom of an enormous backpack.
Organisation saves time every time you need something.
Keep Passports in One Place
Don't distribute passports between several bags.
Choose one secure place and return them there every time.
Airport travel involves repeatedly showing documents.
Check-in.
Bag drop.
Security in some circumstances.
Border control.
Boarding.
The easiest way to lose a passport is to put it somewhere different each time.
One adult can take responsibility for the family's travel documents.
Take Screenshots of Important Information
Your phone may contain boarding passes, booking confirmations and airport information.
Download or screenshot important documents where possible so you aren't completely dependent on mobile reception or airport Wi-Fi.
Keep your phone charged.
A portable charger can provide useful backup during long travel days.
Paper copies may also be useful for some families and journeys.
Use the Pushchair Strategically
A pushchair can be extremely useful inside an airport.
Even a child who normally walks everywhere may become tired after travelling through a large terminal.
The pushchair can also provide somewhere familiar for a toddler to sit while adults deal with bags and documents.
Airline and airport procedures for pushchairs vary. You may be able to use yours until the gate or aircraft, or you may need to hand it over earlier.
Check before travelling.
If you need to fold it at security, knowing how to collapse it quickly will help.
Consider a Baby Carrier
A baby carrier can be invaluable at airports.
It keeps your hands free and can make moving through crowded areas easier.
It can also provide a backup if your pushchair has already been checked.
Security procedures involving baby carriers can vary, so follow staff instructions.
If you're travelling alone with a baby, a carrier can be particularly useful while managing cabin baggage.
Prepare for Security Before Reaching It
Airport security becomes much easier when you prepare before reaching the front.
Don't wait until you're standing beside the trays to begin reorganising everything.
Follow the current instructions at the airport you're using.
Security technology and procedures aren't identical everywhere, so pay attention to signs and staff rather than assuming the rules will be exactly the same as your previous trip.
Keep anything that may need to be presented separately somewhere accessible.
Travelling with Baby Milk and Food
UK airport security rules make specific allowances for baby food and baby milk needed for the journey, although screening may still be required.
Rules can depend on exactly what you're carrying, so check current UK government and departure-airport guidance before travelling.
Keep baby supplies accessible rather than underneath everything else.
Allow extra time for security screening.
If you're travelling internationally, remember that the rules at the airport you use for the return journey may be different.
Don't Promise Children Security Will Be Quick
Sometimes you walk straight through.
Sometimes you don't.
Tell children there may be some waiting.
Turn it into part of the airport experience.
You can ask them to help put items into trays where appropriate or look for the signs showing where you're going.
For toddlers, having a small toy or comfort item available immediately after security can help them settle again.
Find the Toilet After Security
Once you've cleared security, locate the toilets.
Encourage younger children to go before you become involved in shopping, eating or walking towards a distant gate.
Airport law seems to dictate that children will announce they need the toilet precisely when boarding begins.
You can't completely prevent this.
But strategic toilet stops improve your chances.
Don't Head Straight for the Gate Too Early
Check the airport's instructions and departure screens carefully.
If your gate hasn't been announced, use the waiting time productively.
Let children eat.
Visit the toilet.
Find somewhere they can move around.
Explore any children's facilities.
Once you're at a remote gate, options may be more limited.
However, don't leave it so late that you need to rush when the gate is announced.
Large airports can involve lengthy walks or transport between terminal areas.
Let Children Move
Young children are about to spend a long time sitting on an aircraft.
The airport is their opportunity to move.
If there is a children's play area, use it.
If not, find a safe area where they can walk around without disturbing other passengers.
You don't need to keep a toddler strapped into the pushchair for three hours simply because you're worried they'll become difficult.
Supervised movement can make the flight itself easier.
Airport Play Areas Are Worth Finding
Some airports provide dedicated children's play areas.
These can be extremely useful during longer waits.
Children can burn energy while adults take turns supervising and organising everything else.
Check where the play areas are before travelling because they may be located in particular terminals or departure zones.
Also check age restrictions.
Even 20 minutes of active play before boarding can be valuable.
Feed Children Before Boarding
Don't assume children will eat the airline meal or onboard food.
If your child is hungry and suitable food is available in the airport, consider feeding them before the flight.
A proper meal can make boarding much calmer.
Take appropriate snacks for the flight too.
Choose foods that travel well and won't create an enormous mess.
Check any restrictions relevant to your destination, particularly if you plan to carry uneaten food through customs on arrival.
Refill Water Bottles
Empty reusable bottles can be useful when travelling through airports.
After security, refill them where facilities are available or purchase drinks for the journey.
Hydration is important during travel, and having water immediately available prevents you relying entirely on cabin service.
For young children, use bottles or cups they already know how to use.
Save Some Entertainment for the Flight
Don't use everything in the terminal.
If you've brought a new sticker book, small toy or downloaded film specifically for the flight, keep it hidden.
Children can become bored with activities remarkably quickly.
Staggering entertainment throughout the journey makes your supplies last longer.
At the airport, use the surroundings first.
Watch aircraft.
Explore.
Eat.
Play.
Save the emergency entertainment for later.
Watch the Aircraft
One of the easiest airport activities is completely free.
Find a window overlooking the airfield.
Watch planes taxiing, taking off and landing.
Try identifying airlines.
Count aircraft.
Look for baggage vehicles.
Watch catering trucks and airport equipment.
For a child fascinated by vehicles, this may be more entertaining than anything you packed.
Play Airport Games
Turn waiting into a game.
Try airport I Spy.
Find five different airlines.
Spot a pilot.
Count suitcases of a particular colour.
Find three aircraft with different tail designs.
Look for a destination beginning with each letter of your child's name on the departure board.
For older children, try identifying countries from airline names and destinations.
Waiting becomes much easier when children have something to look for.
Don't Spend the Entire Wait Shopping
Airport shops are deliberately tempting.
Taking a toddler through a large toy or sweet shop immediately before boarding can create problems you don't need.
If you don't intend to buy anything, consider simply avoiding those shops.
If children have spending money, agree a limit before browsing.
A holiday doesn't need to begin with an argument over an enormous toy aircraft.
Decide Whether Priority Boarding Helps You
Families with young children may sometimes be offered or able to purchase priority or family boarding, depending on the airline.
Whether this helps depends on your family.
Boarding early can give you time to organise bags, install an approved child restraint where applicable and settle children without feeling rushed.
The disadvantage is that children then spend longer sitting on the aircraft.
If your toddler struggles with sitting still, you may prefer to keep them moving in the terminal for as long as possible while another adult boards earlier with the bags, if airline procedures permit.
There isn't one correct approach.
Change Nappies Before Boarding
If your baby needs changing close to boarding time, do it in the terminal.
Aircraft toilets are considerably smaller than airport changing facilities.
A fresh nappy immediately before boarding may buy you valuable time once you're on the aircraft.
Pack a small changing pouch inside your cabin bag so you don't need to take the entire bag into the aircraft toilet later.
Make One Last Toilet Visit
Even if your child says they don't need to go, consider encouraging a final toilet visit before boarding.
Once onboard, passengers may need to remain seated during boarding, taxiing and take-off.
Young children don't always provide much warning.
A final airport toilet stop can save a stressful situation.
Prepare Children for Boarding
Explain what happens next.
“We're going to show our boarding passes.”
“Then we'll walk onto the aeroplane.”
“We'll find our seats.”
“We'll put our bags away.”
“Then we'll sit down and put our seatbelts on.”
For a child taking their first flight, this can be incredibly exciting.
Let them enjoy it.
Keep a Comfort Item Accessible
If your child has a favourite small teddy, blanket or comforter, keep it in the cabin bag rather than checked luggage.
Airports and aircraft are unfamiliar environments.
A familiar item can help children settle.
If the item is absolutely irreplaceable, consider attaching it securely to the child's bag where practical.
Losing the world's most important teddy somewhere between security and Gate 42 isn't the start to a holiday anyone wants.
Prepare for Delays
Delays are where good airport preparation becomes particularly valuable.
Take enough nappies, food, medication and children's essentials to cover longer than the scheduled journey.
Keep chargers available.
Don't use every snack in the first hour.
If the flight is delayed, break the additional waiting time into activities.
Play.
Snack.
Walk.
Screen.
Toilet.
Watch aircraft.
Repeat.
Try not to repeatedly tell young children that you'll be boarding “soon” unless you actually know that.
If Your Toddler Has a Meltdown
Airports are perfect environments for toddler meltdowns.
They're noisy, crowded and unfamiliar.
Children may be tired, hungry or overstimulated.
If a meltdown begins, move somewhere quieter if possible.
Check basic needs first.
Food.
Drink.
Toilet.
Nappy.
Temperature.
Tiredness.
Keep your language simple and remain nearby.
You don't need to explain the entire concept of international aviation to a screaming three-year-old.
Help them regulate first.
Don't Worry Too Much About Other Passengers
Parents can become extremely conscious of other travellers.
Most people understand that young children aren't silent.
You should obviously prevent children from unnecessarily disturbing others where possible.
But a crying baby isn't a parenting failure.
A tired toddler having a difficult moment isn't evidence that your family shouldn't travel.
Focus on helping your child rather than imagining what everyone else might be thinking.
Airport Packing Checklist for Young Children
Your accessible cabin bag might include:
passports
boarding passes
wallet
phone
charging cable
portable charger
nappies
wipes
nappy bags
changing mat
spare clothes
spare underwear
essential medication
baby feeding supplies
water bottle
snacks
comfort item
sticker book
colouring activities
small toys
tablet
downloaded programmes or films
headphones
light jumper or extra layer
waterproof bag for dirty clothing.
Exactly what you need will depend on your child's age and the length of the journey.
Don't Overpack the Cabin Bag
Preparation is useful.
Carrying 14 kilograms of children's entertainment around an airport isn't.
Choose a small number of activities that offer plenty of entertainment.
One sticker book.
One drawing activity.
One favourite toy.
One new surprise.
A tablet.
Snacks.
That may be enough.
Remember that you're responsible for moving everything through the airport while also supervising children.
The easier your luggage is to manage, the easier the entire journey becomes.
Getting Through the Airport Is the First Victory
Airports with young children are rarely relaxing.
Something will probably go differently from the plan.
Your toddler may refuse to walk.
Someone will need the toilet at exactly the wrong moment.
A favourite snack will suddenly become unacceptable.
Your carefully packed activity may entertain your child for approximately 90 seconds.
That's normal.
The secret is preparation without expecting perfection.
Arrive with enough time.
Keep documents organised.
Bring food, drinks and spare clothing.
Let children move before boarding.
Use the airport itself as entertainment.
And save some activities for the aircraft.
Eventually you'll reach the gate, board the plane and everyone will be sitting down.
At that point, you can congratulate yourself.
You've successfully completed the first stage of travelling with young children.
Now you only have the flight to survive.