We’re officially in countdown mode — next week, we leave our hometown of Newcastle, Australia and board a 3-hour, 10-minute flight to Wellington, New Zealand. It’s all starting to feel very real!

The most exciting part for us? We’ve bought a motorhome and we’re about to start a whole new chapter as a full-time travel family in NEW ZEALAND!! 🇳🇿

But first… we need to survive the flight with a toddler and a baby…

What We’re Packing in Their Carry-On Bags

Our 4-year-old has done 12 flights (his first was at 1 year old), and our 1-year-old hasn’t flown since she was 12 weeks. So while we’ve flown with them before, this is our first time flying with both kids at “on the go” ages.

Like every parent, we just want this flight to go as smoothly as possible so here’s what we’re packing in our kids’ carry-on bags for the 3+ hour flight from Sydney to Wellington.

Essentials for Comfort & Emergencies

✔️ Drink bottles (empty until through security)

✔️ Snacks — low-sugar, low-mess options like rice cakes, muesli bars and dried fruit

✔️ A full spare outfit for each child (in case of any accidents and spills)

✔️ 5x nappies, wipes, and nappy bags (to dispose of the soiled nappies, for any wet/ soiled clothing and it can also be used as a rubbish bin)

✔️ Dummy/pacifier for the 1 year old (crossing my fingers that she will nap on the plane)

💡 Parent tip: For take-off and landing, the change in cabin pressure can be rough on little ears. Offer a snack, bottle, dummy or breastfeed to help relieve the pressure naturally.

I once saw a poor boy, around 10 years old, who had his ears pop on take-off. He was in pain and cried through the entire 2 hour flight from Queensland to Newcastle. Ever since, I’ve done everything I can to help my kids avoid that from happening.

Entertainment & Distractions

✔️ Yoto player — for screen-free listening to stories or music

✔️ Headphones for our 4 year old

✔️ Scrapbook + instant print camera — our 4 year old loves snapping pics and will be “journalling” the trip

✔️ Mess free textas and colour books – whoever came up with this idea is a genius!

✔️ Fidget toys — we have a wriggly worm and pop straws but Kmart has so many to choose from.

✔️ iPad with pre-downloaded movies + shows and games that can be played offline.

We also let our 4 year-old help pack his own little backpack so he feels in control and excited – I’m just hoping he wants to carry it and I don’t end up with another bag…

Why We Chose a Mid-Afternoon Flight

Our only flight options were to land in Wellington at either 2:45pm or 12am. While a red-eye might mean sleepy kids, we didn’t love the idea of arriving at midnight and still having to sort hire cars and navigate a new country.

So we went with the 2:45pm flight, leaving in the morning and landing early afternoon. From there, we’ll pick up a hire car and drive 2 hours north to pick up our motorhome (more on that soon!).

Planning Your First Flight With Kids?

If you’re gearing up for your first family flight, I get how overwhelming it can feel. These little details (like choosing snacks that won’t turn your children into the Tassie devil) or packing a dummy to help with ear pressure — can make all the difference.

You might also like:
👉 How We’re Preparing Our Kids Emotionally and Practically for Full-Time Travel

Final Travel Day Tips (That Make a Big Difference)

✔️ Pack a small hand sanitiser spray or wipes — planes aren’t always the cleanest

✔️ Check in online and save your boarding pass to your Apple Wallet 24 hours ahead of time

✔️ Don’t forget something small for YOU —AirPods OR if your lucky enough to have a minute of peace – a book.

✔️ Expect things to go a little sideways – kids will be kids after all… and remember, it’s only a few hours of chaos for a lifetime of memories!

If you’re about to fly with little ones, I hope this gives you a few ideas to ease the stress. And if you’ve done this before let me know in the comments what YOU always pack in your kids’ carry on bag!

We’ll be documenting our journey across New Zealand in our new motorhome, so stay tuned it’s going to be a lot of fun 💛

❤ Britt
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