Long haul family holidays
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If you plan to travel beyond Europe think about the length of the journey and jet-lag. Toddlers and young children can find long flights difficult and try our patience. Most scheduled airlines now offer specially prepared food and entertainment for children, which increasingly include dedicated seat-back TV programmes. It's worth enquiring exactly what the airline does offer before making a final choice.
If you are travelling with an infant under the age of two they will travel free or nearly free. However, if the flight is full you will be expected to juggle them on your lap for hours. If your budget allows and you are travelling during a peak period then it is worth considering the purchase of a ticket that actually comes with a seat!
Jet-lag tends to affect people more when arriving from the West (i.e. on your way back from North America or on your way to Asia). If you are planning a trip to the East Coast of the United States, and your schedule allows, consider taking a day time flight home. These generally leave at 9 in the morning and arrive in the UK at 9 in the evening.
Think carefully about travelling long-haul with younger children for durations of less than 10 or 14 days. By the time the family has recovered from the effects of jet lag it can be nearly time to come home again.
And if you are eager to travel long-haul without being sujected to the side-effects of jet lag then South Africa and Mauritius should be high on your list. If, on the other hand, your family are happy to cope with different time zones then check out our guides to Barbados, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua, Cuba, Peru, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand, Malaysia, China, Northern California, Washington, New York, and Whistler. Even more destination features are being added shortly.
See our 'Getting There' section for more tips about flying with children.
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