Should you take advantage of a free lap child flight or not?

One of the things I love about flying with children under 2 is that they are, in general, free (or gosh darn close to it)! This is especially great for newborns and young babies who will mostly want to be on mom—or dad—anyways and it’s also a real money saver, especially when taking an international flight. It’s a nice perk that makes traveling with young ones just a little bit easier.

But then there are the toddlers. (Shudder)

We recently traveled with our almost-two year old and just had a lap child ticket for her so that we could take advantage of the last few weeks of her “free” status. For three of our four flights, she did amazingly (she’s an old pro at flying). But that fourth flight? Yikes. She screamed, she wanted to run around and she most certainly did NOT want to be on my lap, especially when her older siblings had seats of their own. And she let the whole plane know it! I think we were both crying at one point.

So should you book that lap child ticket or suck it up and pay the cash for your child’s own seat? Read on for our general rule of thumb:

A “usually yes” for children under 12 months

While some children at this age are already very independent and mobile (and stable in their mobility), the vast majority are still young enough that sitting on mom or dad will be a positive experience. I’ve found that baby wearing on the plane at this age is especially helpful (I’m a fan of the Ergo and the Moby ring sling, but there are hundreds of options!) if allowed— some carriers do not allow baby wearing during takeoff and landing—and it also works well if you’re breastfeeding. Generally speaking, this age is a “usually yes”.

A “strong maybe” for children 13-18 months

By this point, most children are much more mobile and like to express their physical independence. At the same time, they’re usually still very emotionally attached to mom and/or dad (and some are still breastfeeding) while at the same time being easily distractible when frustrated or upset, especially with our favorite helpful plane items. You know your child best: will they want to be on top of you or will they want to be able to explore a little bit more, even if just at your feet? And is more space worth the cost of a plane ticket? For us, this age is a “strong maybe”.

A “probably not” for children 19-23 months

There’s a reason they call it the terrible 2s. Children at this age usually want to express their independence in ALL ways and have often been mobile for quite a while. They frequently have also developed more of their personalities and may have VERY STRONG FEELINGS about, well, everything. They’re also just physically bigger and harder to hold on your lap. At this point, it’s probably worth paying for that ticket and getting kiddo his or her own seat.

Travel with children- especially travel on a budget- is full of constant judgement calls. But you can use the general guidelines above to hopefully make travel with young ones pleasant…for everybody.

Unexpected Highlights

We’ve all been there. You’ve envisioned how a trip would go and what would amaze and delight your children. The magic of the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night. The immense power of Niagara Falls. The thrill of exploring a coral reef with a snorkel for the first time. And yet, when you ask your kid to recount their top memories, often times what sticks out the most to them aren’t these grand places, but rather more mundane (in our minds, at least!) or ordinary things. These unexpected highlights from a trip are simply small moments that tickle their brains in some way and leave a lasting impression.

On one particularly hectic travel day last summer, we were visiting Kravica Falls in Bosnia and Herzegovina before crossing the border back into Croatia to drive south to Dubrovnik. It was a long day, but the highlight was supposed to be these waterfalls where we would swim in the emerald waters surrounded by lush nature. My kids were excited, and I was certain this memory of swimming in the Bosnian waterfalls would become a top trip moment.

On the drive through the mountains to Dubrovnik, however, our little rental car was stopped, literally, by something apparently more impressive. An unattended herd of cattle just waltzed along and stopped in the middle of the road. We were stuck. Not wanting to risk damage to the rental car, my husband wisely decided we needed to wait them out. Our wimpy rental car horn did nothing to persuade the cattle from moving along. Yet while Mom and Dad were frustrated (“We’ll be so late to check in! What about dinner plans? Why won’t they MOVE?!”), our children were utterly fascinated and entertained. These lazy mountain cows didn’t care one bit about us and had zero intention of getting a move on. There were so many jokes made and at many points my kids were in fits of laughter, especially as my husband’s annoyance grew at the wayward Balkan bovine.

When we reminisce on that trip, there are many moments that are “top” memories for the kids, but what always sets off the giggles is when someone says, “But remember THOSE COWS?!” A seemingly insignificant, and certainly unplanned interaction became an unexpected highlight of the trip. You just never know what will stick out in a child’s mind!

How to explore more and pay less using a simple Google Flights tool

Do you know about the Google Flights “open jaw” or multi-city flight search? This type of search gives you the ability to search the price of flights into one city and out of another. While these types of flights aren’t always less expensive, the search often does produce cost savings when you plan to fly into a secondary or smaller city first and then out of a larger hub.

Last summer, our family took advantage of an amazing IcelandAir multi-city flight itinerary that got our family of 5 great tickets flying into Bergen, Norway and out of Copenhagen, Denmark for the same price as a roundtrip ticket to Copenhagen alone. That meant we didn’t have to waste any of our precious vacation days trying to get back to Copenhagen and could, instead, make a relatively linear trip from Bergen to Oslo to Copenhagen- with a few other places sprinkled in between.

These less expensive “open jaw” flight options nearly always require a layover of some sort on at least one leg of the trip. They also tend to be most common on airlines that have one main European hub, such as IcelandAir, PLAY and TAP (airlines on which we suggest you consider paying for space and baggage upgrades, so make sure you take those extra costs into consideration), but can also be found on the large code-share partners if you play around with dates and cities.

More exploring, less backtracking. We like the sound of that.

Confessions From A Reformed Over-scheduler

I get it. You’re on a long-awaited vacation with your kids. There is SO much you want to see and experience in this new place. You’re itinerary is perfect, you have all the maps and local information you need, and nothing can get in your way! Except…for that one little variable you brought along. Your children.

As much as we’d like to think otherwise, bringing kids on vacation changes things. It makes the experience different and brings so many opportunities to learn together, see new interests blossom, and create lifelong memories as a family. In my mind, there’s nothing better! But as someone who loves to plan, I’ve also learned that sometimes you need to put that schedule aside.

The most vivid example of this was our last big vacation as a family to Croatia in August 2023. This was a trip planned for 2020 (womp, womp), and to say I was excited to finally be there was an understatement. My husband gave me full authority to plan our 15 days adventure and I did so with gusto. Towards the end of our trip, we were staying in Dubrovnik in the southern tip of the country. Just an hour’s drive south (plus summer traffic, plus border crossings) was the glorious Bay of Kotor, Montenegro, a place that had been on my bucket list for a while. In my mind, this was an obvious day trip.

In the morning, I was up early to pack snacks and make sure everyone had a change of clothes and necessary things for the day. As my husband and I put together a quick breakfast, our children came out of their room all bleary-eyed and decidedly NOT enthusiastic about getting in the car and driving again. To put this in perspective, we had already driven quite a lot. We’d taken the kids down the entire Dalmatian coast, across the island Bol, in and around eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina…and the next day we were going to spend the whole day driving back north.

“Mom…”, my 9-year old started, “I really don’t want to take another day trip.”

“What?! But this place is going to be so beautiful! I really think you’ll love it!”

My 7-year old chimed in next. “Yeah but I like this place. Can’t we just go to the beach?”

By the time my 2 year old made his opinions known, it was clear that no child wanted to go anywhere other than the beach and out for gelato.

I was shocked. My heart sank and I felt my whole body deflate a little. And then I realized that while this was my vacation, it was also theirs. And I had tried to squeeze every bit of magic out of every beach, fortress, castle, or vineyard we visited, without stopping often enough to assess what it was my kids needed.

My husband and I looked at each other and knew that today, we were going to have to throw out my perfectly crafted schedule. Not because it was bad but because in some moments you need to be flexible enough to adjust course and listen to the needs of your tiny travelers.

And you know what? The day ended up being blissfully near-perfect. We ate fresh goodies from a bakery, played for hours on the beach, strolled amongst the throngs of tourists inside the Old City walls, and ate gelato all at the pace our kids needed. The kids had so much fun that day and I knew we made the right call.

I’m a reformed over-scheduler, and I’m so grateful for my kids helping me to embrace the more leisurely pace of vacation.

Successfully Packing Light

Kids come with a lot of…extras. Toys, safety equipment, strollers, feeding tools, and all the gear. You seemingly can’t leave the house without a diaper or tote bag busting at the seams, so how are you going to holiday in a different country while traveling light? Believe me, it’s possible! Whether out of desire or necessity, you can have a successful trip while packing light.

Your Luggage Matters

My husband and I can approach certain purchases quite differently. I’m usually looking to save money, while he focuses on the long-term investment. After 13 years of marriage and a whole lot of travel under our belts, I’ve come to see his approach as the wisest one. Investing in high quality, durable, and lightweight luggage is something I advise everyone to do. In the days when airlines are really pinching their pennies and issuing tight restrictions on luggage weight, it’s important that your luggage is as light as possible in order to maximize how much you can bring (and also, bring back home with you!).

Have A List

Before every trip, I make an itemized list of what I am packing for each member of the family. Seeing it written down helps to keep me organized and to make sure that I stick to a plan instead of throwing in a lot of extra outfits at the last minute. It also helps for packing up on the return trip, too! I try to keep the same rules for every member of the household (for example, everyone brings 2 swimsuits, 2 pairs of shoes, and 7 outfits). In terms of clothing, plan in terms of multifunctional, mix - and - match pieces. This way you can get the most mileage out of your clothing while still keeping your wardrobe feeling fresh during your travels.

Plan To Do Laundry

One of the reasons why we usually opt for staying at apartment rentals is for the convenience of doing laundry. That way, we only have to pack clothes for half the number of days if we do laundry mid-trip. (And let’s be honest, when traveling with kids, things are bound to get messy and dirty and need a good clean sooner than you anticipate) If you opt for a hotel rather than an AirBNB or VRBO rental, check to see if your hotel offers laundry services.

Make The Most of Your Space

I was first introduced to packing cubes when I backpacked around Europe with friends after graduating college (cliche, I know). That was my first time having to be extremely mindful of what I was packing, as I was literally carrying everything on my back. My friend told me that packing cubes were a non-negotiable and after using them for that trip, I’ve never looked back. Packing cubes serve multiple purposes that are helpful when traveling with a family. For one, they allow you to fit more into a space as the clothes get (slightly) compacted. Secondly, it’s easier to keep clothes wrinkle-free when packed in cubes (although the debate rages on whether to fold or roll clothes…I prefer to roll!). Lastly, it’s a great method for separating peoples’ clothes. This is especially helpful if you are sharing suitcases! When my family of 5 went to Croatia for 15 days last summer, we packed carry-on only. Packing cubes were a tremendous help in being able to do this. I assigned each person one packing cube, put all our swimsuits in another, and our beach towels in yet another. And that was that!

Purchase At Your Destination

Think about what you absolutely need to bring versus what will be available to purchase (or rent) at your destination. Things like diapers, wipes, sunscreen, and general toiletries are easy to find in grocery stores or pharmacies in most places. Also, if you are renting a car and trying to travel light, consider renting a car seat through your rental company. This is of course an extra charge, but some people find this convenience worth every penny.

Test Run! Weigh Your Luggage

This is one step many people overlook! Weighing your luggage is especially important if you are flying a budget airline or if you just can’t cut back on what you plan to bring for your family trip. And don’t forget to take into account space (and weight) for souvineers you might plan to bring home (wine from France? Leather shoes from Milan? German beer? Bulky Norweigan wool sweaters?).

Try these tips above for your next family adventure and let us know about your success in traveling light!

How to Find the Best Flights

Sometimes it feels like finding the best flight deals is next to impossible, unless you’re willing to search at exactly 2:27am on the third Wednesday of the month, while wearing one sock on your right foot and three rings on your left middle finger. Impossible, right?

Guess what: it doesn’t have to be that difficult. You just need to know a few tips and tricks we’ve outlined below, and you’ll be on your way to some of the best flight deals around the globe.

Tip #1: Utilize Google Flights

If you don’t know about it already, make sure you bookmark the Google Flights search page, a great tool to use to search across multiple airlines and days. While a very few number of airlines don’t list their flights with Google, the vast majority do. Google Flights also has extensive filters that are easy to utilize, as well as an easy multi-city function. One warning: we always suggest booking directly with airlines over a third party vendor. While these vendors may have slightly lower prices, they usually provide no support should you have to deal with a flight cancelation or delay. Google Flights almost always shows both the third-party and direct airline option.

Tip #2: Fly on Certain Days

Travelers used to claim that flights were always cheapest on Tuesdays. And while that might have been the case at some point long ago, it’s simply not true anymore. What is still true, however, is that it’s cheaper to fly on certain days over others. According to an analysis done by NerdWallet, if you want to save a little on domestic flights, look to depart on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And if you’re headed off internationally, book those international flights for Wednesday.

Tip #3: Consider Nearby Airports (for arrivals & departures)

Here in the Washington, DC area, we’re lucky to have not one but three airports to choose from (four if you include Richmond, VA) for our departures, and prices can vary significantly depending on which one you choose. Likewise, many large cities around the globe either have multiple airports or large cities close by that can save you hundreds of dollars. Interested in Edinburgh? Consider flying into Glasgow, an hour’s train ride away and often a hundred dollars cheaper. Want to soak up the sun in Naples, Italy? Check flights into Rome, paired with a train ride down the coast of Italy.

Tip #4: Off-Season (or Earlier Season) Travel

We get it: most families understandably choose to travel during the summer break from school. Unfortunately, that also usually means higher prices, longer lines and crowds, crowds, crowds. But here’s a pro-tip if you’re traveling to Europe: European school summer breaks don’t usually start until mid-July, making travel in most of June and earlier July much less crowded and potentially less expensive, especially once in-country. It’s also worth considering off-season travel: the holiday markets of Germany and Austria are gorgeous during the winter, or the beautiful Croatian coast shines in the early autumn. The South of France for Spring Break? Oui, s’il vous plaît!

Tip #5: Book at the Right Time

Here’s one way procrastination rarely pays off: waiting to purchase airline tickets. According to Scott’s Cheap Flights (now Going), domestic airline tickets should be purchased between one and three months before departure, while international tickets are usually best booked two to eight months before departure. While last minute deals can be found, the best prices usually fall within these windows.

We know traveling with your family- especially when children are young- can be stressful. But booking your flights doesn’t have to be. Just remember these 5 tips and you’ll be well on your way to a fabulous family vacation.