Redeye with 5 year old

[Sunstar]

I'm looking at flights for our Aug 21-27 trip to DL and the best price is a non-stop Jetblue flight that leaves Long Beach at 8:45 pm and gets into JFK at 5:05 am the next morning. My husband and I have a 5-year old who has flown before, but never across the country. Is this a crazy idea?

 

[SteveH]

IMHO, yes. Flying is already a challenge for a lot of kids, that schedule will totally disrupt their sleep routine, plus the sleep of your fellow passengers. Just my 2¢ worth.

 

[Sunstar]

That's what I was thinking, but I needed to hear it from someone else. Lol Thanks.

 

[bumbershoot]

My son has been flying since he was 17 months old and he’s still a jerk on flights that should involve sleeping. Sometimes flights like that have to happen, like internationally. But otherwise I avoid them with him.

 

[Malcon10t]

I'm looking at flights for our Aug 21-27 trip to DL and the best price is a non-stop Jetblue flight that leaves Long Beach at 8:45 pm and gets into JFK at 5:05 am the next morning. My husband and I have a 5-year old who has flown before, but never across the country. Is this a crazy idea?

Rememeber, 505a ET is 205AM our time. Will not be fun (spoken by someone who just did this to WDW in Jan.) Never again will we do a redeye with kids (grandkids 2 and 6.)

 

[Geemo]

I'm looking at flights for our Aug 21-27 trip to DL and the best price is a non-stop Jetblue flight that leaves Long Beach at 8:45 pm and gets into JFK at 5:05 am the next morning. My husband and I have a 5-year old who has flown before, but never across the country. Is this a crazy idea?

Since it's JetBlue, my answer is book the non-stop flight and go!!
JetBlue is my preferred airline due to their planes and staff. The flight crew are great!
The In-Seat Back TV's can occupy a 5-year old if they don't want to sleep.
Pack a small blanket to help get cozy for the flight duration.

Geemo

I guess I'm about the only one saying go. I traveled a lot with my kids and later grandkids at his age and it was never a problem. But it does depend on the individual one. I knew it wouldn't be an issue with ours.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I wouldn't. He might not sleep and if he doesn't it will be a nightmare, both that night and probably a few days/nights after due to being thrown off.

 

[Bubbenstein]

Honestly, it depends on your child and how well they do flying. We have done multiple red eyes with our now 5 year old and we have had no problem with her sleeping the entire flight. If your child can do it, by all means, book it!

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

My child wouldn't have been any problem at 5. She is a good traveler, quiet, and can sleep anywhere. If you have a kid like mine and can sleep in the next day, I'd go for the savings.

 

[midnight star]

If they are able to sleep. That’s actually how my parents would fly with me when I was 5 y/o and under. I was good at falling asleep anywhere and would fall asleep before taking off.

 

[ParkHopper1]

I am NEVER a fan of Red Eye flights inbound for any trip. Kids are lucky, most can sleep anywhere and I miss those days, but the sleep deprivation that you induce as an adult takes 2-3 days for the average person to fully recover from. Even if you can sleep on the plane you will get a few hours at best if any meaningful REM sleep...and the last thing I would wanna do is start out a DL trip tired!

 

[Sunstar]

I am NEVER a fan of Red Eye flights inbound for any trip. Kids are lucky, most can sleep anywhere and I miss those days, but the sleep deprivation that you induce as an adult takes 2-3 days for the average person to fully recover from. Even of you can sleep on the plane you will get a few hours at best if any meaningful REM sleep...and the last thing I would wanna do is start out a DL trip tired!

No, I would not want to do that either! Lol. I'm talking about our return trip.

 

[LorrieAnn5]

I did almost this exact flight last month on Jet Blue and I'm doing it again in July with a 9 year old and 4 year old.
Just make sure you take off from work the day you arrive home too because you'll need to sleep at 5am even if you sleep on the plane.
Jet Blue provides eye mask and ear plugs for free. They turn off the cabin lights. You can turn off your TV too. Pack a blanket and a stuffed animal to use as a pillow for your kid.

 

[Malcon10t]

No, I would not want to do that either! Lol. I'm talking about our return trip.

That's a little different. If she/he can go home and go back to bed and sleep, I'd say go for it.

 

[lcp9]

I think it just depends on your kid and if he can sleep outside of a bed (stroller, etc.) My kids fall asleep anywhere, so late/redeyes have not been a problem for us. SW cancelled our flight last trip to DL, so we had to take a 10pm to oakland, sleep in oakland airport (SW checked for hotels, no availability) and fly to LAX at 4am. Frankly, those flights were the quietest my kids have ever been on a flight because all of them slept the whole time. haha.

 

[planningjollyholiday]

if this flight is going home then I will say go for it. My kids always have slept on red eye flights, making the flight easier since there is no need to entertain them. once home just put them in their own beds and let them continue sleeping.

 

[Mama_Cass]

We have been doing red eyes home to Toronto since my daughter was 18 mths and my son was 4. We go to 2-3 times a year and always take the red eye home to maximize our last day! Never an issue, they settle and sleep on the flight. Quiet travelers. However, we are all exhausted the next day as by the time the flight actually takes off and you settle in until the time you start to wake up for landing is really only a few hours. So we are definitely out of commission that first day.

 

[VandVsmama]

If your child can fall asleep anywhere, then go for it. Otherwise if they're like my kids, then no way in heck would I recommend it!

 

[corrie563]

We have flown the 11h over night flight from Melbourn, Australia to Hawaii twice with our kids at 3, 5 and 7, it is never fun, they usually sleep 3-5 hours, but as long as you don't stress, they don't stress and it can still be okay... We are about to do the 15h flight to California, and I am sticking with the same plan... Because it is coming home, it feels even less problematic, I think go for it!

 

[avalovesminnie]

I did a red eye to Orlando with my then 7 year old and 5 year old. I won't do it again because I couldn't sleep and felt like I was going crazy the next day. However my kids were fine! The five year old kept sprawling into the aisle and would sleep on my lap, the flight attendants kept asking me to get her legs out of the aisle. It was Frontier so super tight seats.