Military families are seasoned experts in traveling. Yet- traveling on vacation with kids, domestically and internationally, can seem daunting. Read our easy how-to guide so you can simplify your life.
Table of Contents
1. Create Buy-In
As most parents already know, creating buy-in gets you very far with children. As it pertains to family vacations, this sage old advice applies as well. Before booking a family vacation, ask your kids where they want to go. School-age children and teenagers are more likely to be engaged in travel if they are bought in on the place you are visiting. Traveling with children is a lot easier when you can create buy-in from the entire family. Children ages 5 and up are easily able to identify the things that interest them. In particular, if you are traveling with teenagers allowing them to pick where the family is going to vacation can prevent many of the infamous mood swings teenagers are known for.
Creating ownership over the trip is a great way to create buy-in. Allow your children to plan a portion of the vacation. Whether it’s an excursion or just planning stops along a road trip, allow your children to take charge. The older your children are the more they can contribute to vacation planning. For example, you may allow your school-age children to pick an excursion or a couple of stops on your road trip. However, your teenagers are capable of planning entire day itineraries. You might be pleasantly surprised at the creativity your children will exhibit when given free rein. If you are traveling with infants, it is obviously impossible to create buy-in, however, you can research child-friendly destinations.
2. Set Realistic Expectations
It is important that before traveling with your children you set some expectations as to where you are traveling and the activities you will engage in. Setting realistic expectations can help in researching places to go. For example, Disney World is a great place to visit but may want to talk to your kids about how much can be done in one day. Additionally, if this is your first time traveling with children, specifically infants, be realistic about what you can see in a day. Traveling can often wear down children and their parents, particularly if you are traveling internationally, and changing time zones.
Budgeting
You should immediately decide on a family budget prior to booking flights, hotels, and Air BnBs. It is easy that in the planning phase of your trip, for children to get excited. Your budget should reflect what is realistic and also what is most convenient. Although Air BnBs might seem better at glance for traveling with children, hotels may offer more ease and convenience. Many hotels offer cribs and other amenities for families traveling with small children. Additionally, it is easier to entertain toddlers and older children at hotels and resorts. Many of these establishments offer activities exclusively for children and at times teenagers. Renting a home or an apartment does it have its pros. You have more space to spread out and children can have their individual rooms.
If you are traveling with an infant and can afford it, booking a flight with no connections may be easier and more realistic than trying to navigate multiple stops. It might also be easier to drive with an infant instead of flying depending on how far you are traveling. Ask your doctor if you can use Benadryl or Melatonin to ease your children into sleep during major time changes. While convenient for helping children sleep during travel, it is wise to check to see if you can use them. If you have to fly with layovers, try to fly out as earliest as possible. The earlier you fly the fewer hassles you are likely to see.
If you are driving with toddlers and older children be realistic about how long you should drive between rest stops. At times it may seem too easy to drive eight hours with no rest, but with children, it is important to give them rest.
3. Check Travel Requirements
It is imperative that prior to your trip you check travel requirements. Although the world is coming out of the COVID-19 epidemic, international travel may require updated vaccinations for all of your children. If you are traveling in the fall and winter months, it may be a good idea to ask your doctor if getting the flu vaccine is advisable. After you verify the proper vaccination requirements and update all vaccine records, make sure you make copies. You want to ensure that you and your traveling partner each have a copy of the children’s vaccination records. Check vaccine requirements with the World Health Organization (WHO) https://www.who.int/travel-advice/vaccines.
Passport Requirements
In addition to checking vaccination records, it is also important to check passports. The last thing you want to do is get to the airport and realize you or your children have an expired passport. It is also important to note if the country you are visiting requires a visa. According to the State Department renewing passports can take 6-8 weeks to receive if you are applying for a new passport it may take longer. Although you can expedite your passport application at an additional fee, you want to ensure you plan enough time to receive your family’s passports. You can find more information at the State Department or at the following link: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html.
Finally, make sure that you check airline requirements on who needs a ticket and the procedures for checking in strollers and car seats. Most airlines do not require that you purchase a ticket for children 2 and under. You may want to look into the fees associated with checking in large car seats in strollers. However, if you are active duty military you may get a discounted fee or get the fee waived altogether.
4. Entertainment
The most important part of your trip is finding creative ways to keep your kids engaged. Toddlers and infants are hard to keep entertained. If possible, try to book travel or hit the road during scheduled nap times. This will not only keep your child in their regular routine but it will make it easier to travel. Again, if you are flying with infants make sure that they are up to date on all key vaccinations and that you consult with your doctor prior to traveling. Infants and toddlers often have ear popping at take-off and landing, make sure you bring a pacifier. Most importantly, keep your infant and toddler distracted so they do not think of the pain as the aircraft ascends and descends.
Older Children
If you are traveling with school-age children make sure that you bring plenty of activities to distract them during long flights or road trips. iPads and other electronic devices should be fully charged prior to traveling, and if possible buy a portable charger. Many streaming services such as Netflix allow you to download your content directly to your device. Make sure that you download your child’s favorite shows and movies. Any toys should be packed in packing cubes which we will talk about later, for ease of access.
Teenagers are the easiest to travel with as they can source their own entertainment. However, make sure that you check your teenager-packed chargers and downloaded all they wanted to bring on their trip. Make sure you make them aware of roaming fees if you are traveling internationally. Airlines offer wi-fi on flights but it comes at a cost. It is important to discuss all of these with your teenager. Once in the country, you may also want to discuss how much screen time they will be allowed on vacation. The last thing you want is to travel abroad and have your teenager only focus on their device.
5. Packing
Packing is perhaps one of the most stressful parts of traveling, especially with children. It can be easy to overpack, not pack enough, or be tempted to check all bags. We recommend that if you are traveling with infants and toddlers you have both checked luggage and a carry-on full of clothes and other essentials in case of accidents. A reminder that when you are packing bring all prescription medications in your carry-on luggage and that you do not put it in your checked luggage. Any important documents also need to be in your carry-on luggage instead of checked luggage. You should also carry a first-aid kit in your carry-on luggage.
If you are traveling with an infant, make sure that you check in your strollers and car seats at curbside check-in. This will make it easier to travel through the airport. Call the hotel you are staying at ahead of time to ensure that they have available cribs or pack-and-plays to prevent you from traveling with one. Outside of these items, make sure to pack all the favorite blankets, stuffed animals, extra pacifiers, formula, and diapers as possible. On international trips, it is better to overpack than to realize you didn’t pack enough baby wipes. If you are breastfeeding don’t forget to pack all the necessary items for your breast pump.
Toddlers and Older Kids
Traveling with toddlers and older children is easier. You get a backpack for your toddler to carry all their favorite toys and blankets in. Each airline allows a carry-on for all ticketed passengers. This alleviates what you carry in your own carry-on. If you are going to engage in water activities make sure you bring flotation devices or whatever is necessary to ensure safe swimming practices for your children.
Packing cubes can help in sorting through different clothes and toys. We highly recommend them to assure great organization throughout your trip. Packing cubes from Amazon Basic can be purchased for as low as $22. Make sure you look at the weather and pack accordingly. Depending on the season you may need to pack winter or raincoats.
6. Lounges
No matter the age of the children you are traveling with, an airport lounge offers many benefits. Many airlines offer a lounge in which they offer snacks, free wi-fi, and easy access to lactation rooms. A lounge can offer charging stations for all your kid’s devices and a less stimulating environment for children to relax in. Lounges typically come at a cost per traveler, depending on the age, or complimentary if you have a credit card associated with specific airlines.
If you are traveling on a budget, access to the lounge may reduce the costs of food. If you are an active duty member, American Express offers the American Platinum card with complimentary access to Delta Sky Lounge, if flying with Delta. American Express also offers access to The Centurion Lounge in which you simply just need to present your card for admission. Do your research on whether you want to do a lounge prior to traveling and see if it is worth the cost to you and your family. Although they offer many benefits, they might not be an economical option for your family vacation.
United Service Organization (USO)
If you do not want to purchase lounger access, look to see if the airport you are flying through has a USO. The United Service Organization (USO) is a non-profit that serves active-duty and retired military members and dependents. The USOs at many airports offer the same benefits as any lounge at no cost to service members or their families. All you need to enter the USO is your military identification. Many USOs typically have playrooms for children, toys, and other kid-friendly activities. They also offer sleeping rooms and comfortable areas for families to rest.
7. Eating and Nutrition
Eating and nutrition while traveling can be quite challenging. From scheduling snack times and maintaining feeding routines, planning meal times with children can be difficult. For infants, it is important you keep their regular feeding schedules to prevent having a fussy baby on a plane. It is also important that if you are breastfeeding that you take the time to also eat and find nutritious meals at the airport. Many airports are now offering healthier options instead of just junk food.
Packing your favorite snacks for on-the-road or international travel is a good method to keep your toddlers and older children relaxed while you travel. As mentioned earlier, one of the benefits of gaining access to a lounge or using the USO is the access to snacks and food if you are on a budget. Make sure that you and your children are staying hydrated. Flying can often be dehydrating.
Children can be picky eaters so it is important that as you plan your travel itinerary you keep food considerations in mind. You may want to do research on the children’s menu prior to making reservations for a restaurant.
One of the benefits of booking an all-inclusive resort or staying at a hotel is that you do not have to worry about food. Food is easily accessible through buffets or room service. If you are staying at an Air BnB food is more challenging as you have to make sure your Air BnB is equipped for cooking. Additionally, you need to check to see if there are local grocery stores near your stay. On the flip side, you can make mealtime at an Air BnB an adventure. If your stay is longer than a week renting an apartment or a house may make it easier for you and your wallet to feed your children.
8. Pre-Boarding
Take advantage of pre-boarding! This can range from checking in car seats and strollers at curbside check-in, to boarding the plane prior to all other groups. The majority of airlines offer pre-boarding for those traveling with children and active-duty military traveling with ID.
We recommend that if you are traveling with a partner and children under 4, one partner boards the plane first to load the traveling stroller and any bags. The other partner should remain with the children through the boarding process. This strategy also limits the time that your child is on the airplane and reduces restlessness. We also recommend that all parties check in the night before. Traveling with children requires extra time. Use all the benefits available to you. Here are the airlines that offer pre-boarding for families traveling with small children:
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Delta Airlines
- Frontier Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Jet Blue Airways
- Southwest Airlines
- Spirit Airlines
- United Airlines
9. Sick Away from Home
Prior to traveling, you should get all your routine care out of the way for yourself and your children. In the unfortunate event that your children should all be sick, as an active-duty service member, Tricare covers your medical emergency. You can use resources such as Tell-A-Nurse for free to discuss telephonically what symptoms your kids are experiencing. This phone line can also help you get a pre-authorization to go to urgent care domestically or abroad. As always, if you are experiencing a medical emergency do not hesitate to call 911 or head to an emergency room. Your first-aide kit should come stocked with things like Benadryl or Children’s Tylenol in case of an emergency.
Depending on your Tricare coverage, you might have more accessibility to urgent care than other plans. Make sure that you check your dental coverage as well, just in case your kids need emergency dental work. If your children take prescription medications and you happen to lose it, you can always get a refill at the nearest military pharmacy. You can also call and coordinate for pick-up at a network pharmacy. More information about Tricare and its different coverage plans can be found at this link: https://www.tricare.mil/FindDoctor/Traveling/Travel_Prime
10. Have a Plan, But Be Flexible
Traveling with kids can be challenging and as much as you plan you have to remain flexible. The key to alleviating a lot of worries is to do research in advance. Research airlines, military benefits, military discounts, and of course child-friendly locations. USA Today released a list of their top 39 destinations that are kid friendly. Here are a couple of cities on their list:
- Disney World
- Buckingham Palace
- Tenifire, Spain
- Redwood National and State Parks
- Riviera Maya, Mexico
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- Waikiki Beach
These are a couple of suggestions to get you started on your vacation planning. As you decide what location to travel to keep in mind that it is all an adventure. Remind yourself to try new things with your children that will build memories. Ask for help at various stages of your trip. Flight attendants, concierges, and the various help staff are eager to help families, but you have to remember to ask. As always make sure that you document your adventures with plenty of pictures.
Managing Emotions
Traveling can be exhausting for you as a parent and for your child as well. It can be a fun time to spend with your kids and build memories but undoubtedly emotions can fluctuate. At every point of transition, which usually leads to stress, make sure to do an emotional check-in with yourself, your children, and your travel partners. Ask everyone how they are really doing? If they want to continue on the excursion or the planned itinerary? If they are tired or ready to eat before the planned meal time? These types of questions can prevent tempers from flailing and can ensure the entire family stays on task instead of commiserating about not wanting to be somewhere.
If you are traveling to visit family, it is especially important that you do emotional check-ins. Children and even teenagers are used to routines. When they are visiting extended family that routine is disrupted and thus can cause stress. Children might feel uncomfortable around family members they have not seen in months or even years. Be patient with your children and teenagers. Allow them time to get comfortable meeting new family members. Respect boundaries and listen to what your children are asking for.
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