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Travel Tips for Flying With Grandkids

What to know before you go and during your flight for a smooth trip

young child looking over the back of an airplane seat
Flying with grandkids can be stressful. Here are tips to help make the journey more fun for everyone.
Getty Images
By

Blane Bachelor,

 
AARP
Published April 04, 2024

Flying can be highly stressful because of flight delays and cancellations, cramped airplane seats and the never-ending battle for overhead bin space.

But if you’re planning to take your grandkids somewhere special — their first big amusement park perhaps — flying might be the best option. And with proper preparation and the right mindset, the time spent at 30,000 feet can even be pleasant.

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Here are travel pro tips you need to know to make the experience as smooth as possible.

Research insurance and proper permissions

Before you travel, consider getting a letter of consent signed by both parents or legal guardians of your grandkids. Although it’s not required for domestic flights, the signed form helps in the event of an emergency or if your grandkids need medical treatment, says Michelle Couch-Friedman, founder and CEO of Consumer Rescue, a consumer advocacy organization. For international flights, the extra step of getting the letter notarized is a good idea, as border officials can be extra vigilant about children traveling with adults who aren’t their parents. 

Travel insurance can save the day in case of flight disruptions — and it likely covers your grandkids, too. “A good thing for grandparents to know is that most travel insurance policies will allow you to add anybody under 18 for free,” Couch-Friedman says.

Double-check devices, and pack snacks

An iPad or in-flight entertainment system is all some kids need to keep them happy throughout the flight. Before you go, make sure devices are charged and comfortable headsets are packed. Keep in mind that headphones or earbuds that are comfortable for you may not be comfortable for your grandkid, so test them out. Bob Bacheler, a flight nurse and managing director of Flying Angels, a nonemergency medical transport service, recommends earphones that connect via an old-fashioned wire instead of relying on Bluetooth capability to sync devices. “You never want to experiment with an electronic device on an aircraft,” he says.

Bacheler notes that kid-friendly snacks are another essential. Stock up on easily transportable foods such as granola bars and pretzels, and be sure to pack extra in case of delays.

Sit together without paying extra

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) addressed a long-standing complaint of adult travelers flying with children: airlines charging them to sit together. The department put pressure on airlines to ensure that children 13 and younger can sit with an older family member during the flight, without additional charges. 

DOT launched a dashboard that shows which domestic airlines allow families with kids younger than 13 to book seats together without extra fees for all fare types, as well as carriers that offer families the most support in case of flight disruptions. Only four airlines — Alaska, American, Frontier and JetBlue — have fee-free family seating. 

The process to book free family seats online varies among airlines. JetBlue has an automated family seating process that will seat minors with adults at the time of booking, depending on availability. The online system for American will detect that you’re a family traveling if you don’t select seats while booking; it will automatically assign seats the day before departure, keeping children under 15 next to at least one adult. 

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If you’re flying with an airline that doesn’t have an official policy on family seating, Couch-Friedman recommends booking seats together as soon as possible — perhaps by calling the airline to talk to someone instead of booking online. 

Checked baggage and boarding policies

Airlines have varying policies on family boarding, but if they offer it at all, it’s usually for younger children. Southwest, which has no reserved seats, allows families with children 6 and younger to board early. United’s policy allows preboarding for families with children up to 2 years old.

Checking your bags is another way to streamline the boarding process, since you can avoid trying to find overhead bin space and help your grandkid get settled onboard. Most airlines charge extra for checked bags, but Southwest offers two free checked bags, and other airlines offer free checked bags depending on their mileage or rewards program.

Utilize expedited security lines

Whether you’re traveling internationally or domestically, trusted traveler programs and expedited line services can help.

Kids up to 12 years old traveling with adults enrolled in TSA PreCheck can take advantage of the service for perks such as shorter lines and keeping shoes on while going through security. Grandkids 13 to 17 years old on the same reservation can use TSA PreCheck if they have the indicator on their boarding pass. Clear, a nongovernment-affiliated service, allows children up to 17 years old to access the expedited line with members, no separate account needed.

Traveling abroad? Global Entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for travelers returning to the U.S., can help you skip longer lines after international trips. However, children must be enrolled separately; if they aren’t enrolled, they’re not allowed to join you in the dedicated line.

When traveling back into the U.S. from another country, the free Mobile Passport Control app allows up to 12 people in a family to upload travel documents and answer necessary security questions through the app. You and your grandkids will still need to show passports and talk to a customs agent, but the app can help expedite the process at the participating 33 international airports in the U.S. 

Get your grandkids involved

Jean McMillan, 70, a retired early-childhood educator who has taken her grandkids to England, Costa Rica and Mexico as gifts for their birthdays, has an ulterior motive for every flight: teaching them to become self-sufficient travelers. “My goal is that when they have to travel by themselves, they understand how to do it,” she says. “It’s part of the process.”

To that end, McMillan lets her grandkids as young as 9 go through security lines first and answer questions from airport officials. They’re also responsible for keeping track of their suitcases and backpacks.

Letting your grandkids find your seats is another way to keep them engaged — you can make a game of it for younger grandkids, Bacheler says. It’s also helpful for older grandkids to know where your seats are, as the layout of an aircraft can be disorienting. “And this way, if they have to get up in the middle of the flight, they know ‘OK, well, I’m at 15D,’ and that can make life easier for them, and that can decrease everybody’s anxiety,” Bacheler says.

Have distractions ready

Though some kids may enjoy the extra screen time while traveling, it’s a good idea to have nondigital activities on hand, such as coloring books and markers, books or a deck of cards. These activities can save the day in a pinch if the in-flight entertainment isn’t working or if your grandkids need a change of pace from cartoons.

Be sure to keep favorite toys and blankets within reach so they’re easy to grab when needed. When turbulence strikes and a cuddle from a stuffed animal could go a long way in calming fears, you don’t want to dig around the overhead bin while the seatbelt sign is on.

Attitude is everything

Flying is full of challenges. Grandparents should set the right example when hiccups inevitably occur, says Mira Temkin, a Chicago-based travel writer who has flown several times with her grandkids.

“They’re looking at you as the adults and the parents,” she says. “So just do your best to try to reassure them that, ‘We’re gonna get there, and just think about the good time we’re going to have, and let’s not stress about this little thing.’ ”

Amsterdam-based journalist Blane Bachelor covers travel, aviation and hotel news for a variety of top media outlets.  

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