Red Eye Flights With Kids

[luv2sleep]

If you have taken your kids on an overnight flight how did they do? My son has high functioning autism and has never been a great sleeper. It takes a good bedtime routine, weighted blanket, and +/- low dose melatonin to get him to sleep. He's 7. He's never been able to fall asleep anywhere but a bed/crib (not in a stroller or being held, etc). I'm traveling with another family on vacation and would like to share the cost of a rental car if I can. They have booked a red eye flight home. The earlier flight leaves 7 hrs before theirs so taking the car back together would be an issue. I'm trying to decide if I should do the red eye or not. I'm leaning heavily towards not and just eating the extra cost and taking a cab back to the airport and leaving earlier. We are going to Hawaii and staying at Aulani.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

My daughter did fine when she was 7 on a red eye flight (me on the other hand ). however she has no chronic conditions such as Autism to cause issues.

If your son has such a hard time falling asleep during normal times, I wouldn't even consider trying to get him to sleep during an out of the norm situation. I would look into the cost of a cab or shuttle and not put him through that.

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

We took a 10PM flight to Orlando a couple of months ago with a 3 and 5 year old. They did fine, however, I was exhausted The flight only ended up being like 4 hours and they slept the entire time. We were full of excitement so we did breakfast and the park then took a LONG nap in the middle of the day.

You know your child best-I think you should do what would make him most comfortable. My children can sleep anywhere so I knew it wasn't going to be a big deal for them but your child might be different. Good luck

 

[Riles_and_Gabe]

It is hard to compare. I took my older son (16 now) on a 15 hour flight to Chile when he was 7. He slept ok (I on the other hand got almost no sleep ). For the rest of the plane ride we watched videos, brought his Gameboy, and had other activities. He did great, but it is hard to compare with an autistic child. I didn't face many of the challenges that you would.

 

[HM]

We took an overnight flight with our kids 8 and 10 to London.
My DD was able to sleep and did OK. The older one (DS) could not get comfortable, did not sleep, was upset, and subsequently got sick when we arrived (during the car ride from the airport to town). He also flew overseas again at age 17 and had the same experience of not being able to sleep and once again got sick after landing (except this time was sick in the Louvre).

 

[disykat]

Take the earlier flight! No amount of money is worth taking a child who thrives on routine and has sleep issues on a red eye flight!

We did it once. The child we were worried about handled it like a trooper, but the stress it caused US was ridiculous. Do you really want this hanging over your head the whole vacation?

 

[TheIncredibles!]

There will be zero compassion/tolerance from the people around you who are all trying to sleep during a red eye flight if your child cannot sit still and be quiet if he cannot sleep. If he can sit still and be quiet and/or sleep then you'll be fine. If he cannot do that then avoid this flight at all costs.

 

[h518may]

My DD is like your DS. DD takes a lot to get to sleep, will not sleep in a car, never would sleep in a stroller, needs a bed and a quiet room for sleep. Let me say I would never take her, at her age of 8, on a late flight. She would be whiny and fussy from being tire, or even more likely from my DD she would be hyper and bouncy on the plane.

 

[Katy Belle]

We lived overseas for 5 years and did many overnight flights with our kids. They always did fine. They didn't necessarily sleep, but they loved the movies and video games on the planes. That being said, my kids go to sleep easily at home. If you think he would be more comfortable with a day time flight, then you should book the daytime flight.

 

[DizBelle]

Taking the red-eye flight seems like a colossally bad idea.

 

[Skatermom23]

Take the earlier flight! No amount of money is worth taking a child who thrives on routine and has sleep issues on a red eye flight!

We did it once. The child we were worried about handled it like a trooper, but the stress it caused US was ridiculous. Do you really want this hanging over your head the whole vacation?

Listen to disykat on this one! Evening flights from Hawaii are brutal enough for people without sleeping issues. Do yourself, and everyone else, a favor and eat the cost to leave earlier.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Mine have done fine. However not all people, even grown ups, do.

I would meet your son where he is. If he can't sleep anywhere but a bed, avoid the red eye. The car rental savings won't be worth it.

 

[luv2sleep]

I agree with you all. I'm glad to hear your stories. It sounds like kids who do well are ones who are easy sleepers. Mine is not. I'll definitely book the earlier flight. Thank you!

 

[ronandannette]

I agree with you all. I'm glad to hear your stories. It sounds like kids who do well are ones who are easy sleepers. Mine is not. I'll definitely book the earlier flight. Thank you!

Good plan. And I'd recommend checking with the resort for possible airport shuttles - Aulani is an hour or more from Honolulu (where the airport is), depending on the traffic. Probably a very expensive cab ride.

 

[minkydog]

I agree with you all. I'm glad to hear your stories. It sounds like kids who do well are ones who are easy sleepers. Mine is not. I'll definitely book the earlier flight. Thank you!

Smart decision. That flight from Hawaii is so long anyway.

 

[Imzadi]

There will be zero compassion/tolerance from the people around you who are all trying to sleep during a red eye flight if your child cannot sit still and be quiet if he cannot sleep. If he can sit still and be quiet and/or sleep then you'll be fine. If he cannot do that then avoid this flight at all costs.

^^^ THIS, THIS, AND THIS! ^^^

Other people will be scheduling the red eye flight purposely so that they can sleep on the way back and be (somewhat) rested when they arrive. The flight even dims the lights for most of the flight, except for boarding & leaving and meal service. The flight attendants even skip serving people they know are dead asleep.

If you know your child will not be able to sit still & quietly for much of the flight, it will be just plain rude to the other passengers.

 

[bcla]

We've taken a cross-country flight that wasn't a redeye. Kid just slept through it, although there was a little bit of craziness. It helped that we were next to a family with two kids and the one about our kid's age got along well. It especially helped that they were understanding about how difficult is was and didn't complain.

And it might not be a redeye, but we've taken long international flights. That can be especially tough. What I made sure was to have an iPad loaded with Frozen.

 

[LiveYourLife]

Funny story.....we go out to Vegas quite often. We always take the red eye flight home. We live in Central FL. We fly in to Tampa, rather than Orlando (which is much closer). The two Delta red eye flights: one going from LV to Tampa and the other LV to Orlando are always at gates right next to each other. The flight to Orlando departs about 45-50 mins before the flight to Tampa. The Orlando gate area is like ROMPER ROOM. Those of us (typically hungover AND broke) on the Tampa flight, breathe a great sigh of relief once that Orlando flight boards and leaves. You can hear a pin drop in that gate area (again, everybody is hungover, broke, and sad to be leaving the City of Sin)

I can't even fathom the trip from hades that red eye flight from Vegas to Orlando is with all those kids at that time of night.

 

[bethy]

Haven't read the other replies but I've flown a lot with kids of all ages and my first thought was "not unless he's the mellowest, easiest kid in the world!" In your case - trust me on this - you will Die!

No amount of money savings is worth a miserable trip home. Traveling with kids under 10 is hard enough under the best of circumstances.

 

[DawnM]

I have an Asperger child and no way would I have done a red eye with him at age 7. We would have both been very miserable.