Flying with children is mostly about the hours before the plane: getting everyone and everything from the house to the gate without a meltdown, yours or theirs. Most of what makes it easier is decided at home, weeks before, from the type of parking you book to the bag you pack for security. This guide covers the airport day with children, in order: documents, parking, the drive, security, and the wait at the gate.
Weeks before: documents and bookings
- Every child needs their own passport to travel abroad, including babies. Children cannot travel on a parent's passport. Passports for children under 16 last five years, so check expiry dates for everyone when you book, not the week before.
- Check your airline's baby and child equipment allowance. Most airlines let you check in a pushchair and a car seat free of charge, and many let you take a pushchair to the gate, but the rules differ on size, weight and how many items. Your airline's website has the details.
- Book parking that suits the family, not just the cheapest. More on that below.
- Book the flexible rate. Children get ill, and a flexible parking booking can be cancelled up to 72 hours before arrival for a full refund. See the cancellation FAQs.
Which parking suits a family
Meet & Greet is the one most families find easiest. You drive to the handover point at the terminal, a driver takes the car, and you walk straight in, with no shuttle to load children, bags and a pushchair onto. The driver will help move your bags to a trolley if you need it. On the way home, the car is brought back to you at the terminal, which is the moment it matters most: tired children, late flight, no wait at a cold bus stop.
It often costs less extra than people expect. When we compared prices for an eight-day trip, Meet & Greet was about £10 to £17 more than Park & Ride at several big airports, and at Edinburgh, East Midlands and Cardiff it was the cheapest option of all. Our Meet & Greet or Park & Ride guide has the comparison.
Park & Ride is usually the cheapest for a week or more, and works well with children if you plan for it: allow the full 25 to 35 minutes from the car park barrier to check-in, keep a bag of snacks and drinks to hand rather than in the boot, and photograph where you parked before you get on the shuttle.
Whichever you choose, compare parking at your airport for your real dates.
The night before
- Pack the hand luggage for security (see below), and put the children's essentials in one bag you can reach: nappies, wipes, a change of clothes, snacks, a drink and something to do.
- Charge tablets and headphones, and download anything they will watch, because airport and in-flight Wi-Fi cannot be relied on.
- Work out your leaving time from the airline's bag-drop deadline backwards, adding time for the car park and the drive. With children, add more than you think. Our how early to arrive guide walks through it.
- For a dawn flight, consider a hotel the night before. A hotel close to the terminal means a short trip in the morning instead of waking children at 3am. Search airport hotels.
Security with children
- Baby food and milk are allowed in more than 100ml. You can take enough baby food, baby milk and sterilised water for the journey through security when you are travelling with your baby. Staff may open containers to screen them.
- Other drinks still count as liquids. Juice cartons and water bottles for older children are covered by the liquids rules at your airport, which are 100ml at some airports and up to 2 litres at others. Buy drinks after security if in doubt.
- The pushchair goes through screening too. Fold it when asked, and expect it to be checked by hand at some airports.
- Get the tray ready while you queue. Coats off, pockets emptied into your bag, and children's tablets and anything else your airport asks for ready to go on top.
At the airport
- Find somewhere to sit first. Once through security, settle in before the shopping and the toilet trips.
- Check the lounge rules before you book one. Many lounges welcome children, often at a lower price, and babies are frequently free. Some are adults only, such as Manchester's 1903 Lounge, and Exeter's Executive Lounge does not admit under-12s. Our lounge guide covers what to check.
- Go to the gate when it is shown, not when boarding is called. Gates can be a long walk with small legs and a pushchair.
Coming home
Plan the return before you leave. Keep the parking confirmation, with the operator's phone number, on your phone. With Meet & Greet, call once you have your bags and the car is brought to you. With Park & Ride, call for the shuttle and keep the children together at the stop. If you are flying back in winter, a warm layer for each child in the hand luggage makes the walk to the car much easier.
For the full list of what to sort before any trip, see the Before You Fly checklist, and for school-holiday dates and busy days, our February half-term guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take baby milk through airport security?
Yes. You can take enough baby food, baby milk and sterilised water for the journey when you are travelling with your baby, even in containers over 100ml. Staff may open them to screen them.
Does my baby need a passport?
Yes. Every child, including a newborn, needs their own passport to travel abroad. Passports for children under 16 last five years.
Can I take a pushchair to the plane?
Most airlines let you take a pushchair to the gate and check a pushchair and car seat free of charge, but sizes, weights and numbers vary. Check your airline's rules before you fly.
What is the best airport parking for families?
Meet & Greet is usually the easiest, because you walk straight into the terminal and the car is brought back to you, with no shuttle with children and bags. Park & Ride is usually cheaper and works well if you allow enough time.
Sorted before you fly.
