Vacation to Tampa Again! | How to Make Air Travel Easy with Kids

 

You guys know me, I can’t let a free weekend go by without planning a trip somewhere. SO as soon as Kris got his schedule for October and I saw he had four days off in a row I planned a mini vacay to Tampa. We have been twice so far and just fell in love with the area so we had to go back!

Air Travel with Kids | Rachael Burgess

The night before our flight was so hectic. I had five blog posts to write, posts to photograph, Kris had ANOTHER interview, Zander was sick, Zoey was feeling the lack of attention, and our house was in quite a state. I usually keep a pretty clean and organized house and it literally looked like a hurricane blew through. Finally, I got the kids to sleep.  After that, all I wanted to do was make sure everything was perfectly organized so our flight the next day would be seamless.

Air Travel with Kids | Rachael Burgess

Our travel goal is always to pack light. Usually I don’t quite make the goal… But this trip we used the OXO Tot Air Stroller so we could travel extra light. I knew OXO Tot made the best products for babies, like sippy cups and snack cups, but had no idea they made strollers. As soon as I found the Air Stroller I knew it would be perfect for us and had to try it. It is a compact stroller that you can fold and unfold in one quick motion. Also, it is so light you can comfortably carry it around using the attached shoulder strap when it is folded! It is the perfect stroller for navigating the airport. Oh, and it has a zip up pouch for your phone and keys right between the handles! How convenient is that?! But I am getting sidetracked here…

6 Ways to Make Air Travel Easier with Kids | Rachael Burgess

We also booked an extra seat for Zander just so we could be extra comfy on the flight. We flew with Spirit, which meant the tickets were really inexpensive, so we thought we may as well get him a seat! On our last flight he sat on my lap and all he wanted to do was escape! He was so angry and antsy the whole flight. The only time he calmed down was when Zoey and I scooted into one seat and we strapped Zander into his own seat. We buckled him in and he was a happy camper, even though the rest of us were pretty cramped.

Air Travel with Kids | Rachael Burgess

Getting an extra seat on the flight was something we did to make our trip easier. But below I will share all the other things we did to make sure the trip was smooth and organized.

Ways to Make Air Travel Easier with Kids

  1. Bring your stroller right up to the gate. You are allowed to drop it off right at the doorway to the plane. All airlines are required to allow you to do this for free. An extra light and compact stroller makes this easier, which is why we got the Air Stroller.
  2. Make sure you have good seats on the plane. We always like to sit near the very back, or the very front. That way we have quick bathroom access and space to walk around.
  3. Pack lots of snacks and candy! We don’t do a lot of candy around our house, but when we are flying it is like an all-you-can-eat candy buffet. Anything to keep the troops under control on the flight!
  4. Bring kid shows for your toddler to watch. We either bring our iPad or CineMOOD so Zoey can watch cartoons while we fly. I can’t wait till Zander is old enough to enjoy watching a show while we fly. Air travel can be tiring and overwhelming for the little ones. This makes it a whole lot easier.
  5. Try to avoid red eyes and nap time. This one is hard, because sometimes you don’t have a choice and just have to book what’s available. However, if it is at all possible I would avoid flying during bedtime or nap time. We have a hard time getting our kids to sleep on planes, so whenever we have flown during nap or bed time there are A LOT of tears.
  6. Pack light. Check as many bags as you can and only bring the essentials on to the flight with you. If possible just bring a small purse or backpack for each adult on to the plane. You are already carrying enough! So long as you have diapers, wipes, a change of clothes for the kids and snacks, you should be good.

6 Ways to Make Air Travel Easier with Kids | Rachael Burgess

We made it on to our flight to Orlando with no more than a backpack for me, one for Kris and our compact  Air Stroller. I was so proud of myself for packing so light! We had an incredible time on our vacation, just what our family needed after a hectic couple of weeks. I can’t wait to share all the pictures with you!

Have you ever done air travel with kids? How was it? What do you do to make it easier?

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3 Responses

  1. We are going on a 2 week trip to France with our 3 1/2 year old next month. I would like to bring a lightweight stroller like this that we can wheel him around in if his legs get tired as we plan to do a lot of on foot exploration. Do you think this would be too small for an older kid? Thanks!

    1. Oh my gosh that sounds SO fun!! My daughter is 4 and we use this stroller for her all the time. She is normal size for a four year old and still has a little room to grow in this stroller, so you should be fine. I would definitely recommend this one, we bring it everywhere with us. I think there website should have a weight limit in the stroller details though that you might want to check before ordering!

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