We flew with our kids last Nov as a whole family for the first time. All kids have flown before - DH, and the boys who were 11 and 5 at the time flew to meet DD and I for a wedding her and I were in (thus had to leave earlier than the boys, so we drove out ahead of time), and DD and I took a mom-DD trip to Mall of America when she was 8.
In Nov, the kids were 13, 9, and 7 1/2, and they did just fine. And we fly out from O'Hare in Chicago, so if we can navigate that airport with three kids, you should be able to do it from any other one! My advice is to get there EARLY....waiting at the airport is totally worth the lack of stress from getting there late and rushing. We live about 20-25 minutes from Ohare, and for a 9am flight, we get there at 7am. We always take a cab or have someone drop us off, but I know that is not a feasible choice for everyone. If we drove ourselves, I would give it three hours. We always get through security (for some reason, Ohare security is really, really fast unlike ORLANDO security where I was afraid we would miss our flight home if it didn't get moving!!! AAGGHH!!!). After security, we find our gate, THEN start looking around, exploring the airport, getting food/drinks, etc.
2 of my three kids have ear/sinus problems, so I start them on Sudafed a week before flights. It seems to help a little. I also showed them how to swallow and yawn to break the pressure, and of course everyone gets a new pack of gum (my kids love those "dessert" gums that are out now)
They bring their phones WITH headphones, and books. I do not let them bring toys. Too much of a pain to keep track of. I also buy them Invisible Ink books when we go on trips. That keeps them busy for a while!
Have fun, and leave for the airport early!!!
ETA: If you want to know what REAL stress is in an airport, you should have seen DS13's 8th grade Social Studies teacher this past weekend...it was the annual 8th grade Washington DC trip, and he had to wrangle 50 8th graders through security, bag check, and onto the airplane, then back again on the way home! I'm truly amazed they all made it home in one piece LOL