Long-Haul Airport Transit with 4 Kids - What We Learned

After our first long-haul flight with the whole family, here are the practical lessons we learned about managing airport transits with kids aged 3 to 19.

Pre-Boarding Strategy

Download offline entertainment: Each child had their own device with downloaded content. Critical for the 3-year-old Simeon who doesn’t understand “airplane mode” yet.

Pack individual snack bags: Avoid arguments over sharing. Each child gets their own bag with familiar Slovak snacks mixed with new treats to try.

Bring extra phone chargers: With 6 people using devices, battery management becomes crucial. Pack at least 3 portable chargers.

During Transit

Find the family area first: Most major airports have dedicated family zones with play areas. Abu Dhabi airport had an excellent one near Gate 5.

Rotate responsibility: Leo (19) took turns watching Arthur (7) and Simeon (3) while we handled logistics with Matyas (13). This gave everyone breaks.

Use bathroom strategy: Always travel in pairs - one parent with two kids, never leave anyone alone, especially in unfamiliar airports.

What Didn’t Work

Expecting everyone to stay together: The older boys wanted to explore the airport. We learned to set meeting points instead of forcing group movement.

Packing all snacks in checked luggage: Security restrictions vary by airport. Keep backup snacks in carry-on always.

Airport-Specific Tips

Abu Dhabi International Airport is incredibly family-friendly. The prayer rooms are quiet spaces perfect for calming an overwhelmed toddler, and staff spoke multiple languages which helped with our basic Arabic attempts.

Bottom line: Flexibility trumps rigid scheduling when traveling with this age range. Plan for delays and have backup entertainment ready.