https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 28 May 2026 22:49:30 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427409 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 11:05:17 +0000 Zbug 2427409@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did a very similar trip with DD was almost two. It was hard, but she did better than expected. You can do it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427381 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 10:50:16 +0000 peachykeen 2427381@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs.Someone: Good luck with your travels! I wish I could wait to hear how your trip went before I book!</p> <p>@T-Mom: I think I'm really leaning towards the extra seat. I know *I* would sleep better in business but her sleep schedule is probably a lot different than mine and I won't have to worry about waking her if I move or get up.</p> <p>Thanks for the great advice! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427368 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 10:42:15 +0000 T-Mom 2427368@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We flew to SE Asia/Asia twice in 6 months with my almost (at the time) 2 yr old. After our experience we said it would have been great if we had bought a separate seat for her (she flew lap child). We did fly in the bulkhead and this was crucial for extra space to spread our legs and for her to stand and walk around. She even took a nap on the floor (obviously not advisable but it was a horrific flight and she had night terrors on the plane). I can't imagine how this would have went over in first class. We are still a little traumatized by this and she is now 7 ;-) . The worst part was changing diapers. Just no space at all! But you can do it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427355 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 10:31:24 +0000 Mrs.Someone 2427355@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're taking a 17ish hour trip (1 stop) in April when DS will be 20mo. He is "spirited" and I'm scared! Our last 2hr flight was hard... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427329 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 10:09:34 +0000 peachykeen 2427329@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@psw27: I feel your pain - LO turns 17 months this week. Our trip won't be until June, but I'll try to report back for anyone thinking of a similar trip! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427321 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 10:03:17 +0000 psw27 2427321@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@peachykeen: Exactly. :happy: I loveeee Thailand, I would go back in a heartbeat. Maybe I should ask DH if he wants to try taking LO there? (he's 17 months and high energy so... yeah! that would be an adventure!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427320 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 10:00:59 +0000 peachykeen 2427320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@psw27: Haha I like the way you think! I'm leaning more towards own seat with car seat for that reason... plus then I have easier access to my tray table for said wine, right? :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427316 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 09:59:04 +0000 psw27 2427316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you can do it! I haven't flown that far with LO, just lots of domestic flights around the country. I just always go in with low expectations. </p> <p>In this situation, I think having a seat for LO and the car seat would help with sleep, unless your LO is the type who likes to cuddle up and sleep with you? Mine is not, so I would get a seat and hope for the best. </p> <p>I think the hardest part about flying with a toddler is how DH and I react to things. We need to just take a sip of wine and relax sometimes and realize that people can shoot dagger stares at us as much as they want. We are always doing the best we can so they can mind their own business! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427220 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 09:20:51 +0000 peachykeen 2427220@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ree723: That sounds like an awful flight! I'm sorry :sad:<br /> That is good reassurance that she won't turn into a crazier child, though - thank you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427206 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 09:14:36 +0000 Ree723 2427206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@peachykeen: Yes, sleep is the big thing! LO1 can sleep on an airplane just fine - we've always been able to keep to her normal schedule whilst flying long haul and that really helps. LO2 has never been a good sleeper on planes - even as a tiny infant (2 and 3 months old), she didn't sleep well on them, and that has just continued as she gets older. This weekend's hellish journey was an overnight flight that she just would not sleep on and being so overtired made her a monster. In a 24 hr period, she had precisely 1.5 hrs of sleep (that was her short nap at home before we left for the airport), so I knew why she was being a nightmare, but it didn't really make it any easier.....</p> <p>So if your LO sleeps on planes, you should be ok I would think.....</p> <p>ETA: also, we knew our LO2 was a spirited child from the time she was about 6 weeks old - it didn't just come on gradually, so if your LO has been pretty easy so far, chances are she's not going to suddenly change overnight! :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427179 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 09:05:00 +0000 peachykeen 2427179@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ree723: That's the thing - she's been SUCH an easy baby so far but has just started asserting her independence. Probably normal toddler stuff, so we'll probably be fine, but she is my first so I have nothing to compare her to :wink: </p> <p>We've had a few mini tantrums at 16 months, but I think they're primarily when we're not understanding her so hopefully that will get better by this summer. She is a little bit advanced verbally, so I know she'll be able to communicate really effectively soon. If we can manage the sleep, we MIGHT be fine... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427175 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 09:00:19 +0000 Ree723 2427175@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What is your Lo's temperament like? My oldest LO did a number of long haul flights (US to Australia) as a toddler and was a dream as she has a really mellow, calm personality. We flew 29 hrs with her (with layovers) at 23 months old, and then I flew solo to Europe with her at 25 months old, along with 5 month old LO2 and once again, she was a dream.</p> <p>Now LO2, on the other hand, is a spirited child who has no qualms about expressing her opinions/feelings quite loudly, through tantrums, screaming, and whatever else. I just flew solo with her and LO1 to Europe from the States this past weekend and it was absolute hell. She is 23 months old and was seriously the living, breathing example of every stereotype out there of toddlers flying. I anticipated it being bad though and just accepted it was going to be awful, although I must say, she exceeded my expectations of how bad it could really be! :-)</p> <p>Anyway, I don't mean to scare you, that is all just to say that I don't think it's the age so much as it is the personality. With the trip you described, I would have done it in a second with LO1 at that age. With LO2, you couldn't pay me all the money in the world! Oh, and it also second the idea of ditching the car seat - not worth the hassle! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427174 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 09:00:11 +0000 lamariniere 2427174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@peachykeen: That's kind of what we did, Thailand with 1. Portugal with 1, Spain with 2! But Portugal was incredibly easy, and the roads are great if you want to travel by car. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427171 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 08:58:41 +0000 peachykeen 2427171@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: That's about the same way I've been thinking - it's good to hear I'm not too crazy! Thailand with 1 LO and Spain/Portugal with 2 LOs was the original plan - sounds like we should probably go for it :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427162 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 08:54:33 +0000 hilsy85 2427162@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@peachykeen: yeah I think 16 months is a really hard age--I feel like walking and running is still a novelty so they just want to do that as much as possible. Also, we took an overnight flight which was a disaster--he slept for like 2 hours. With such a long flight it won't be as much of an issue for you guys. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427157 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 08:50:30 +0000 peachykeen 2427157@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: That is good to hear - thanks! LO is currently 16 months, so that's probably where I'm getting my anxiety from, haha. We had a traveling fiasco on Christmas Eve/New Year's Day (6 hours of delays, change of airport, then flight cancellation and overnight at a hotel) PLUS LO was sick, so I think that is what's making me really question the long trip this summer... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427153 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 08:48:09 +0000 lamariniere 2427153@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@peachykeen: Truthfully, I wouldn't bring a car seat. There are no car seat laws in Thailand (at least, not when we were there in 2012), and really, if you are getting a taxi, it is unlikely that you would be able to strap it in or strap it in safely, and then what do you do with the seat when you arrive at your destination? I am all about car seat safety, but it's kind of one of those "when in Rome" situations...Also, all of my dad's family is in Thailand and I have a lot of (USA educated) cousins with young kids. For better or worse, none of them use carseats at all.</p> <p>As for your other options, I would still go with Thailand! Thailand with one kid would be easier than with two. A Spain/Portugal trip would be fun and manageable with 2 LOs! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427145 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 08:45:14 +0000 hilsy85 2427145@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did a 12 hour flight at 16 months, and it was brutal...that being said, I think 22 months is better because your LO will hopefully have the attention span to watch a full movie and just generally be more ok with staying in a confined space than a really young toddler. I am conflicted about the seating--it would be awesome to have the extra space in business, but when we flew, we went economy and took the carseat because I didn't think he'd be able to sleep comfortably in just a seat. In a business class seat it might be different. Oh wait, just saw that she'd be sleeping in a chair with you or your DH...not sure then in that case. </p> <p>I think it's definitely do able, just have low expectations for the flight :) and remember that it's a finite length of time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427125 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 08:30:21 +0000 peachykeen 2427125@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We could also do a trip to Quebec (Montreal &amp; Quebec City) or Spain/Portugal (Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon) for the shorter flights, but I hate to give up on Thailand if we could make it work without being too painful... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427098 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 07:59:11 +0000 peachykeen 2427098@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: Thanks for the tips! This is another reason we're debating bringing her car seat (cheap travel one). We're hoping not to have to use taxis much and are thinking about storing her car seat once we get there and only using it for the flight. Do you think it's worth it to carry it around with us? (expecting to visit 2-3 different areas) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427094 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 07:51:53 +0000 lamariniere 2427094@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've done a couple of long haul flights with our LOs. You can definitely do it! As for seats, I would probably let budget dictate ticket purchase...</p> <p>One thing on car seats in Thailand (we took DS when he was about 27 months). Cars/taxis aren't always going to have backseat seatbelts to strap in a car seat. There are private cars that you can hire with car seats, but the few times we did that, the seats were older and not installed properly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-long-haul-with-toddler#post-2427086 Tue, 19 Jan 2016 07:39:15 +0000 peachykeen 2427086@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Any advice or insights into flying long-haul with a toddler?</p> <p>Hubby and I are deciding whether to take our toddler to Thailand this summer. She will be 22 months and we plan to have a second LO soon, so this will probably be our last opportunity to do this trip for a while. ETA - I think she will be fine once we are there - she's a pretty easy baby. </p> <p>She's been on lots of flights and mostly done fine, including 9-hour flights to/from Europe last summer which were fine as well, but she was 9 months and barely mobile.</p> <p>The flights are about 20-21 flying hours with a short layover (so 23-24 hours of travel). We may break it up with an overnight on the way back. We have the option to do 2 business class seats (LO sits/sleeps with one of us) or fly economy and buy her her own seat (with car seat). I know car seat is always safer, but I'm focusing on making this trip as easy as possible. Advice? </p>