Family trips are exciting until you're standing in the airport with two suitcases, three backpacks, a stroller, a handful of snacks and a child asking how much longer it will be.
Flying with kids comes with its own set of challenges, especially when you're trying to keep everyone's belongings organized. From winter layers and extra clothes to entertainment for a long flight, family packing can quickly become overwhelming.
The trick isn't bringing everything. It's knowing what needs to be close, what can be checked and how to make your family's luggage easy to manage.
Whether you're escaping a Canadian winter, visiting family across the country or heading off on a long-awaited vacation, a little preparation can make a big difference. Here’s how to make your next family flight a little smoother from takeoff to touchdown.
1. Start With Your Family’s Travel Essentials
Before filling your suitcases, separate the things your family absolutely needs from the things that would simply be nice to have.
Travel documents, medication, chargers, snacks and a change of clothes for young children should be easy to access throughout the journey. These items are better suited to your carry-on or personal items than checked baggage.
A good rule of thumb? If losing an item would seriously disrupt your travel day, keep it with you.
For children, consider packing:
- Headphones
- A favourite book or activity
- A small toy
- Snacks
- An empty water bottle to fill after security
- A sweater or extra layer
- A change of clothes for younger children
- Comfort items
If there's something your child would be particularly upset to lose, keep it with you rather than checking it. A favourite stuffed animal may seem small to an adult, but to a tired child in an unfamiliar place, it can make a big difference.
It can also help to think of your carry-on as a backup plan. If your checked luggage didn't arrive, what would your family need for the next day? You don't need a second wardrobe, but having the essentials on hand can give you some peace of mind.
Also, remember that there will be a return journey. Try to make sure there is enough room for souvenirs and other things you may collect along the way.
2. Pack for the Weather You’re Flying into
Families can be dealing with very different conditions depending on where they're travelling from and where they're going.
A winter departure from Montréal, Toronto or Calgary can mean bundling up before leaving home, while your destination might be warm and sunny. You don't necessarily want bulky winter coats taking up valuable suitcase space once you arrive.
Think about what you'll need during the journey versus what you'll need at your destination.
If you're travelling somewhere warm during the winter, consider wearing heavier layers through the airport instead of packing them. If you're travelling in the summer, keep a light sweater within reach for cool aircraft cabins.
The same idea works in reverse: don't let a warm departure day convince you that you won't need a layer later.
And don't forget about footwear. If your destination is warm but you're leaving home in snow and ice, comfortable shoes that work for the airport can be a better choice than travelling with multiple bulky pairs.
The goal isn't to predict every weather scenario. It's to pack with the actual conditions in mind so you're not carrying unnecessary weight across the airport.
3. Let Kids Pack a Small Bag
Giving children their own travel backpack can make family travel easier and give them a little ownership over the trip.
Depending on their age, let them choose a few things to bring along. A small backpack might contain a book, headphones, snacks and a favourite toy.
The key is keeping it manageable. A child's backpack shouldn't become a second suitcase.
Before leaving home, have your child show you what's inside. That way, you can make sure their important items are there and remove anything unnecessary.
Giving kids a packing job can also make them feel more involved. Younger children can choose a toy or activity, while older children can take responsibility for packing their own carry-on.
It doesn't have to be complicated. Even asking, “What three things do you want to bring on the plane?” can turn packing from a chore into part of the adventure.
Just remember that children may have to carry whatever they pack. If a backpack is too heavy at home, it's probably going to feel even heavier after walking through a busy airport.
4. Use Luggage That’s Easy to Spot
Baggage claim can be chaotic enough without trying to figure out which of several nearly identical suitcases belongs to your family.
Make your luggage recognizable at a glance. Choose distinctive luggage or add a recognizable luggage tag, strap or other identifier.
For families travelling with multiple suitcases, giving each person a designated bag can also make unpacking easier. Instead of wondering where someone's clothes ended up, you already know which suitcase belongs to whom.
It can also help to take a quick photo of your checked luggage before heading to the airport. If a bag goes missing, you'll have a visual reference showing its colour, size and identifying features.
You can also make luggage easier for kids to recognize. If each child has a different colour or luggage identifier, they'll be more likely to know which bag belongs to them when it's time to collect your luggage.
5. Build in Extra Time When Flying With Kids
If you're travelling with kids, the airport isn't the place to test your family's ability to sprint.
Give yourself enough time for check-in, security, bathroom breaks, snacks and the unexpected. A few extra minutes can make the difference between calmly walking to the gate and racing through the terminal with a child in tow.
Building in extra time also gives children a chance to reset. You may have time for a bathroom break before boarding, a quick snack at the gate or simply a few quiet minutes before getting on the plane.
And if something doesn't go according to plan, you have some breathing room.
That's particularly valuable with younger children. A missed nap or unexpected delay can quickly change everyone's mood, so having extra time in your schedule can help you handle those moments without feeling like you're already behind.
6. Know What to Check and What to Keep as Carry On
Checked baggage can free up your hands, but your most important items should remain accessible.
Keep travel documents, medication and essential electronics in your carry-on luggage rather than checked luggage. For young children, it's also wise to keep an extra outfit close by.
This becomes particularly useful when travelling with babies or toddlers. Spills, unexpected delays and changes in temperature are easier to manage when you have a backup outfit within reach.
Think of your carry-on as your family's “just in case” bag.
When deciding what belongs in it, consider the journey in stages. What will you need at the airport? What might you need on the plane? What would you want to have available if your checked luggage was delayed?
You don't need to bring everything. You just want to make sure the things you can't easily replace are never too far away.
For younger children, this might mean diapers, wipes, snacks and a change of clothes. For older kids, it could mean headphones, entertainment and a sweater. For parents, it may mean travel documents, medication and chargers.
Small pouches or packing cubes can also keep similar items together, making it easier to find what you need without unpacking the entire bag.
7. Make a Luggage Routine
Kids thrive on routines, and so can your luggage.
Before leaving a hotel, restaurant, airport gate or other stop, do the same quick check every time:
- Kids? Check.
- Backpacks? Check.
- Suitcases? Check.
- Phones? Check.
- Travel documents? Check.
You can even make older children responsible for checking their own backpack before the family moves on.
It may sound simple, but having a repeatable routine helps prevent those “Where did we put that?” moments that are especially common when you're travelling with a full family. If something does go missing, it makes retracing steps easier as well since you will be certain of the last waypoint you had that object.
The important thing is doing it consistently. When everyone knows that the family does a quick bag check before moving on, it becomes second nature.
Even younger children can learn to look around their seat for their backpack, water bottle or favourite toy before the family leaves.
8. Keep Boarding Simple
Getting to the gate is one thing. Getting everyone, and everything, onto the plane is another.
Before boarding, take a moment to make sure your family has what it needs. This is a good time for a bathroom break, a snack and a quick check that everyone's backpack is accounted for.
Keep the items you'll want during the flight somewhere easy to reach. If your child's headphones or favourite activity is buried at the bottom of a carry-on, you'll probably hear about it as soon as everyone is seated.
For younger children, it can also help to explain what will happen next. Let them know when you'll board, where the bags will go and when they'll be able to use their toys or activities.
Once you're on the plane, settle your family's essentials before getting too comfortable. If you're using an overhead compartment, make sure the items you'll need during the flight aren't buried behind everything else.
And remember: you don't have to make the flight entertaining every second. Sometimes a snack, a movie, a book and a little patience are enough.
9. Choose Luggage That Works for Family Travel
When you're travelling as a family, luggage needs to keep up with you.
Smooth-rolling luggage with comfortable handles and practical interior organization can make navigating an airport, hotel or train station much easier when your attention is already divided between children and travel plans.
The right suitcase won't prevent a child from asking “Are we there yet?” for the tenth time. But it can make the rest of the journey a little easier.
Consider how your luggage will actually be used throughout the trip. You'll be rolling it through the airport, lifting it into a car, moving it through a hotel and potentially navigating public transportation. Features that make those transitions easier can make a noticeable difference.
It's also worth considering suitcase size. Bigger isn't always better. A suitcase packed to the limit can be difficult to lift, manoeuvre and organize, while a more appropriately sized bag may be easier for the whole family to manage.
For families, the best luggage is the luggage that works with your travel style rather than against it.
10. Don't Forget to Plan for the Trip Home
The journey home deserves just as much planning as the trip there.
After a holiday, everyone is tired, suitcases are usually fuller and there may be souvenirs to squeeze in. Give yourself enough time to repack without rushing.
Before leaving your accommodation, check drawers, closets, bathrooms and charging areas. Have everyone account for their own backpack and personal items.
If you purchased souvenirs, distribute them carefully rather than stuffing everything into one suitcase. Keeping the weight and contents organized can make your return journey much easier.
It's also a good idea to do one final luggage check before leaving. When you've been in the same place for several days, it's easy for chargers, toys and small items to end up in unexpected places.
If your family has accumulated extra items, take a few minutes to reorganize everything before heading to the airport. You don't want to discover that your suitcase has become impossible to close when you're already running late.
And don't forget the travel day itself. Just because you're heading home doesn't mean the kids won't need snacks, entertainment, layers or a change of clothes. Pack your carry-ons with the same care you used on the way there.
Family Travel Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect
There will probably be a forgotten snack, a misplaced toy or at least one moment when everyone needs a break.
That's family travel.
The goal isn't to eliminate every little inconvenience. It's to make the things you can control packing, organizing and keeping track of luggage as simple as possible.
Keep important items close, give everyone a job, leave plenty of time and create a luggage routine your whole family can follow.
Then relax, settle in and enjoy the journey.
Because the best family trips aren't about everything going perfectly. They're about getting there together.