Many celebrities have access to things that make traveling with a child easier: first-class seats, nannies or assistants, the latest tech, and familiar faces that make everyone treat them a little nicer. The funny thing about flying with young kids, though, is that all the money in the world will not entertain a two-year-old eleven hours into a 15-hour flight, nor will it make them sleep, or keep them from kicking the seat in front of them. A baby on a plane can humble us all.
Over the years of chatting with actors, authors, musicians, entrepreneurs, and A-listers of all stripes, we at Condé Nast Traveler have heard some pretty solid tips that even the most down-to-earth traveler can use while they’re up in the air with some tots. This holiday season, take all the help you can get—even if it’s from a billionaire—and here’s hoping the skies are friendly to you and your whole family.
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Just accept the iPad
Today’s parents tend to be hyper-aware that too much screen time can be detrimental to kids, but air travel is certainly a time when the rules can be relaxed, for everyone’s peace and entertainment. After all, we adults are watching movies in flight too, right? “I’m very conscious about screen time for children, but when we travel, I just let it go,” said actor Gal Gadot. Virgin Air founder Richard Branson, who has two kids and five grandkids, also weighed in: “Obviously, the easiest way of traveling with kids on a plane is to put them in front of a screen, and they’ll be forever grateful. We’re no different from most grandparents or parents [in that respect]. We will spoil ’em on a long journey in order for everybody else to have a good sleep around them.”
Release the guilt, according to singer Kelly Clarkson: “I know there’s a lot of hippy dippy moms out there who don’t approve of iPads, and I think that’s great for them. More power to you,” she laughed. “But we definitely have iPads, because at some point travel can be total hell.” Her fellow pop star Katy Perry has a rule around airplane screen time that eases her mind. “I use an iPad if the flight is over nine hours, so she gets to watch her favorite movies and play games,” she said. But there are unfortunately, limits: “Even if you let the child have her iPad for two hours, they get bored. They want other types of stimulation.”
A key aspect of pre-plane tablet prep: Don’t forget your charger, or to download content ahead of time. “You have to have all the things they love that keep them entertained,” said singer Ciara. “If you bring their iPads, have the shows downloaded that they like—because oftentimes the Wi-Fi doesn’t work.”
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Pack more snacks and clothes than you think
Actor Christina Ricci’s advice is straight forward: “Lots of snacks, a tremendous amount of snacks,” she said. “It’s always a crap shoot. You just never know how it’s going to go with children below the age of four.” The queen of organization, Marie Kondo, is naturally prepared. “I carry small, healthy snacks like dried fruit or rice crackers for when the kids get hungry.”
