Making the best of getting through the airport with kids

Cheers!

Flying with little kids is not easy and is often stressful. My kids are always full of energy even if it’s a 6 am flight. I usually try and have them look pretty cute when flying even if it’s early. This might make no difference but we’ve had people buy them cookies, the flight attendants get them little pilot wings and activities and even let them in the cockpit once for pictures with the pilots. 

Look Mom I'm flying

Who knows if it had anything to do with how they looked but I feel like you can’t pass by cute kids in little matching or vacation themed outfits.

Ready for Mickey

matching super heroes

If flying in the U.S. we try and make our flights non-stop. This helps avoid all the extra time wasted trying to entertain the kids in connecting airports. Depending on how early our flights are we always do the curbside check in for our baggage check. This is nice because you can use both adults to carry everything from the car to the curb side check. 

Curb side check in (photo credit airfarewatchdog)

We check everything here including car seats and do our main check in for the flight. After checking in Keith takes the car (and his ticket) to the cheapest long term parking lot which for us in Columbus is the green lot at $5 a night.  I on the other hand take the kids, carry ons and stroller inside to get the infant in arms ticket.

Inside (Main) ticket counter

For some reason if you have an infant under two you need to go to the main counter inside to check ids and get the infant ticket to get through TSA security.  I'm not sure if this has happened every time we have flown but it seems to lately. Going to the inside counter can be a pain but when using curb side check at least you aren’t lugging around the big bags. 

I then take the kids through security usually by myself. We have TSA pre check which is a perk that we got from opening a certain credit card. I usually get all this accomplished prior to Keith getting back from dropping off the car. I will admit getting three kids through security by myself is tricky with holding the baby and folding the stroller up one handed but somehow I manage. Side bar comment you’d be surprised how few people actually offer to help. I choose to go through ahead of Keith and not wait for the extra hands because let’s face it that Starbucks line on the other side is always long and I need my coffee ASAP! I will say though, I have learned that if you are cutting it pretty close to your plane boarding don’t get anything bigger than a tall. It’s really tough to board a plane, carry a baby, carry a bag, lead the kids on to the plane and not spill that coffee everywhere. So I get a tall and drink before we board.

Once we get to the gate I head up to the counter and get a gate check ticket for the baby car seat and or stroller. 

Gate customer service counter

I always ask at this time if it is a full flight so I know whether I can try and snag that extra seat for my infant in arms. If it is not a full flight then I usually take up a whole row with a toddler in the window seat, baby sitting in the middle seat and I act busy in the aisle seat getting out toys snacks etc. Keith and Lincoln usually take the row right across from us. I have yet to have anyone ask me to move my baby so they can sit in between me with baby and toddler. Let’s be honest no one will want that seat and now you have extra space to let the baby hang out, sleep or whatever.

I need the entire middle seat!

We fly southwest a lot so we honestly don’t even mess with trying to check in early. They have family boarding for families with kids under the age of 6, after the A group boards. So as of now we go on with family boarding and always get seats together and even an extra on non-full flights. If it is full we put an adult with both big kids in one row and an adult in the opposite isle and just pass the baby back and forth. Once you get to the end of the boarding ramp just prior to entering the plane there is a door to your right. This where you leave gate check strollers and car seats and also where they will be waiting when you exit the plane.

Another thing I strongly suggest is getting a drink! As past Southwest credit card holders we used to get 4 drink tickets per year per card. We need to get those cards again!  So I always make sure to have those handy for flights, or a credit card if I’m out of vouchers. If you ask me, vacation starts when you’re on the plane and a drink usually seems to help me alleviate some of the stress.

Now sit back, try to relax and enjoy the flight!