The Best Time Of Day To Fly With Kids (According To Their Age)

One badly-timed flight can quickly turn into a nightmare few days if they're overtired.

Parents editor at HuffPost UK

If you’re considering booking flights for your family, you might want to think carefully about the times you book in order to try and swerve jet lag and the inevitable meltdowns that can happen when kids are overtired.

One badly-timed flight can end up with children refusing to sleep at 3am, emotional airport meltdowns and exhausted parents spending the first three days of the holiday trying to “fix” everyone’s body clocks.

Omar El-Gohary, CEO and superintendent pharmacist at IQ Doctor, suggested the time families choose to fly can have a bigger impact on children’s jet lag than most people realise. And while many parents assume overnight flights are always the best option, he argues that isn’t necessarily true for every age group.

Here, El-Gohary recommends the best time of day to fly with children depending on their age, plus practical tricks to reduce travel exhaustion.

The best flight times for each age group

Mid-morning flights often work best (9am-12pm), said the expert.

“For babies and young toddlers, consistency matters more than forcing them into overnight sleep patterns........

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