Planning with kids
How to plan a trip with kids of different ages
Plan a trip with kids of different ages by working through each child's documents, seat, airport and sleep one at a time, then building the days around the youngest and the oldest. This guide gives you that order, with the official facts we could confirm and the gaps we could not.
Last checked 21 October 2026. Every fact below links to the page it came from. Some official pages could not be loaded when we checked, so we left those facts out rather than repeat them second-hand. Rules differ by country and airline, so confirm yours before you book. This is a planning guide, not medical or legal advice.
Start with each child's documents
Check passports first, because everything else depends on the dates. The UK government says a child passport is valid for 5 years, and that someone with parental responsibility must apply. Its page also says: do not book travel until you have a valid passport. If your family holds passports from another country, read that government's own page for its rules.
A 5-year child passport can run out sooner than the adult passports in the same family. Write each traveller's passport expiry date next to their name when you plan, and check the entry rules for your destination. The free family vacation itinerary template has a place for each date.
Work out the seat for each age
The youngest child decides the flight plan. The CDC says the safest place for a child on an airplane is in a government-approved child safety restraint system, and that the FAA strongly urges travelers to secure children in one for the duration of the flight. It also says car seats cannot be used in all seats or on all planes, so ask your airline about its rules and which restraints it allows.
For a child under 2, the choice is a lap or a seat, and the airlines price them differently. Air Canada, for example, charges 10% of the adult fare for an international lap infant, excluding taxes and fees. Read the lap infant vs own seat guide before you book.
Plan the airport for each age
The TSA says children 12 and under can leave their shoes, light jackets and headwear on during screening, and that children will not be separated from their parent or guardian. Car seats and strollers go through the X-ray screening. That means a family with a baby and a 10 year old has two different screening routines, so decide who handles which before you get to the belt.
Plan sleep and time zones
The CDC says crossing time zones and disrupted schedules can disturb sleep patterns in infants and children, just as in adults. It also says cribs in some locations might not meet US safety standards. For a family, that means two jobs: shift bedtimes before you go, and plan where the youngest will sleep. The kids jet lag calculator builds the bedtime plan, and the toddler hotel sleep guide covers the room.
Build days that work for every age
These are suggestions, not sourced facts. We did not find official travel guidance written for specific ages beyond the passport, seat and screening facts above, and none for teenagers.
- Anchor each day on the youngest child's rhythm. Put the nap or quiet time in first, then fit the rest around it.
- Give each child one thing that is theirs. One pick per child per trip keeps the day from running on one person's taste.
- Split when it helps. One adult can take the older kids to the thing the baby would miss, and swap the next day.
- Leave one slot empty each day. It absorbs the late start, the meltdown or the thing nobody planned.
- Ask the older kids to plan a part. A 12 or 15 year old who chose the afternoon is easier to bring along.
A planning order that works
- Passports. List each child's expiry date and apply for any that are missing before you book.
- Seats. Decide lap or seat for each child under 2, and ask the airline about car seat rules.
- Lodging. Ask for a crib or play yard and check what it is.
- Days. Place one anchor and one pick per child on each day.
- Sleep. Set the bedtime shift if you are crossing time zones.
To see what the trip costs with each child's fare, use the family trip budget calculator. If one resort has to suit every age, read our all-inclusive family resorts guide. Ula, your AI travel companion, plans and books trips with your OK and remembers how you travel. It is in early access, and you can join the waitlist.
What we could not confirm
On 21 October 2026 the US State Department passport and travel checklist pages and the FAA's child travel page could not be loaded, so this guide leaves out US passport validity, consent letter and FAA details. Lufthansa, American Airlines, Air France, Emirates and British Airways child fare pages also could not be confirmed, and we did not find a verified United page. We will add them as we verify them.
Sources
- UK government, get a child passport: gov.uk, sourced 21 October 2026
- CDC Yellow Book, traveling safely with infants and children: cdc.gov, sourced 21 October 2026
- TSA, traveling with children: tsa.gov, sourced 21 October 2026
- Air Canada, travelling with children: aircanada.com, sourced 21 October 2026
- Delta, children and infant travel: delta.com, sourced 21 October 2026
Questions
How do I plan a trip with a baby and a teenager?
Plan the flight and sleep around the baby, and give the teenager a part of the plan to choose. The documents, seat and screening facts in this guide apply by age, and we found no official teen-specific travel guidance, so the day plan is our suggestion.
How long is a child passport valid?
The UK government says a child passport is valid for 5 years. Other countries set their own rules, so check your own government's page, and write each child's expiry date into your plan.
Do older children go through airport security differently?
The TSA says children 12 and under can leave shoes, light jackets and headwear on during screening, and that children will not be separated from their parent or guardian. Car seats and strollers go through the X-ray.
Will time zones affect my children's sleep?
The CDC says crossing time zones and schedule changes can disturb sleep in infants and children, just as in adults. Plan a bedtime shift before you go and a safe place for the youngest to sleep.
When should I book flights for a family trip?
The UK government says not to book travel until you have a valid passport. After that, decide the seat for each child before you book, because the lap or seat choice for a child under 2 changes the fare.