Practical tips for a long flight with children

Flight time matters more than duration

When possible, choosing a flight that aligns with the child's normal sleep time (often a night flight) reduces the hours you need to keep them occupied while awake. The children's meal, offered by most full-service carriers, must usually be requested at least 24 hours in advance; some require up to 48 hours: on board, last-minute availability is almost never there.

Entertainment in rotation, not a single resource

Alternating several brief activities, rather than relying on a single prolonged game or video, keeps the child's attention longer than any single form of entertainment. If counting on the onboard system, it's useful to bring your own headphones suited to the child's age: on some aircraft, especially older ones, the audio jack is a dual-pin plug and an adapter is needed to use standard headphones.

Familiar snacks and movement breaks

Bringing familiar snacks and already-enjoyed ones, plus the meal offered by the airline, prevents the child from refusing food they've never tasted right in the middle of a flight. During stable flight phases, a brief walk down the aisle helps burn off built-up energy; scheduling diaper changes at regular intervals, rather than waiting for an urgent need, makes managing longer hours easier. Guidance on frequency and right moments to move around applies, with appropriate adjustments, to the youngest passengers too.

If the flight is really long, request the children's meal at the time of booking or as soon as possible: it's the detail easiest to forget and hardest to remedy on board.