First Flight with DD - Direct or Layover?

SarahE22nd · August 2012

(I accidentally originally posted this on the July '11 board)

My DH and I are looking at taking DD with us to San Fran later this summer. There are 2 flight options

1 that is overnight, but direct

2 longer day, better flight times, but 1 layover each way.

For those who have flown, what would you do? (this will be her first flight)

KKinATX · August 2012

I have flown with DS a couple times and personally I would prefer a layover. Even though it might make your total travel time longer a layover is a great opportunity to let your LO out of your lap and allow them to blow off some steam. During layovers we found an open gate without passengers waiting and let DS crawl around and cruise along the open seats. He loved it! It was like a big playground to him. If we hadn't had that layover he would have had to sit in our laps for nearly 4 hours. I think anything beyond 2-2.5 hours is really hard for our age LOs to sit through. Just my opinion.

Dana_Loves_J · August 2012

We flew from CA to FL on an overnight flight and it was awesome! DS slept the entire flight.

kaitylin · August 2012

I disagree with PP. I would 100% fly direct and at night. Best combo! I have done about 16 flights so far with DD and all our trips have been about 5 hour flights... It's much harder getting on and off the plane with DD (but I've been traveling by myself so that might play into it) but once we get situated it's so much better. She has slept on every single night flight and it made it so much easier. I try to time flights around her nap/bed time because if she's tired the sound of the plane helps her fall asleep. The last trip I did I couldnt get a non stop and had two 2.5 hour flights and DD fell asleep just as we landed on the first flight and had to get woken up as we went through the airport and was grumpy, restless and overtired on the next flight. If we could have just stayed on the first plane it would have been way better. I cannot reccommend direct enough... It is so much easier on everyone.

march2008 · August 2012

DD has been on 4 nonstop flights when she was between 9 and 11 months old that were 4 hours long each, but they morning flights. She did pretty well; barely napped at all on the planes, but it wasn't awful.

She just started walking a few weeks ago, though, so I'm not sure if things would be different now that she likes to walk around.

Normally I would recommend a direct flight hands down. But personally, I would not do an overnight flight because I'd feel terrible for the other passengers if DD did not sleep and the people around us were trying to sleep. She did cry on the plane when she got overtired and would not sleep and I didn't feel so bad about it because it was like 10 am and there were lots of other children on the plane. Although, we still got some dirty looks when she was fussing.

MommaA117 · August 2012

DEFINITELY straight through. Getting on, seated and settled is the hard part. Plus landing and taking of again adds a LOT of time.

soontobe05 · August 2012

I've flown both non-stop and layovers with both kids and it really just depends on the time of day. If it's at night, I'd say definitely go for the non-stop. Doing a non-stop in the early evening was awful because it was after nap but before bed time so DS was awake the whole time. He didn't fuss or anything but it's hard to hold them when they just want to look around at stuff.

tulipblossom · August 2012

Overnight direct flights are the best. They are my preferred flights with O.

march2008 · August 2012

tulipblossom:
Overnight direct flights are the best. They are my preferred flights with O.

I'm surprised so many people like the overnight flights! What do you do for a shorter overnight flight - like 4-6 hours in length? Are you able to move your LO through the airport while they're still asleep?

tulipblossom · August 2012

Cant quote from my phone but DD has never slept while walking around in the airport. I have a problem with my shoulder so I can't wear her for too long so I always have my stroller and you have to put the stroller in the X-ray machine so obviously taking her out of the stroller wakes her up. When we went from LAX to JFK she had her own seat (carseat went on the plane) and not soon after takeoff she went to sleep and slept the entire flight. (this flight left at like 11:30 pm) when we went from Denver to JFK she did not have her own seat so I had her in the carrier so she could sleep on my chest while I also slept. That flight also left about 11pm or so.

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First Flight with DD - Direct or Layover?

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