Long-haul travel with under-fives is a logistics exercise more than anything else. Get the planning right and the holiday begins the moment you leave the front door — get it wrong and the journey colours the entire trip.
Choose flight times around sleep cycles rather than convenience. Overnight long-haul in a premium cabin with a bassinet or sky cot consistently delivers the calmest journeys for children under two.
Pre-book bassinets and child meals at the time of booking, not at check-in. UK carriers' allocation is limited and frequently full on popular family routes to the Caribbean, Dubai and Florida.
Arrange car seats and cots in resort in advance. Most premium family resorts — Beaches, Ikos, Sani, Disney Deluxe — provide them as standard but it must be requested in writing pre-arrival.
Pack a dedicated 'first night' bag — pyjamas, nappies, calpol, dummies, comforter, a change of clothes — and keep it in your cabin baggage. It is the single biggest stress-reducer on arrival.
Build in a quiet day either side of any internal flight or transfer. Under-fives travel best with rhythm — alternating active days with slower poolside ones makes for a calmer family week.
