Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Fly Smarter: Kid Travel Essentials & Mom Hacks
25
items I live on airplanes for work, and my kids have logged enough miles to qualify for elite status themselves. After countless flights, delays, and snack emergencies, I’ve rounded up the chic mom-approved essentials, genius hacks, and sanity-saving finds... You do not need 47 kinds of snacks, this is not a trip to the moon. Trust.
Sections
3
For You
For the Kids
Lets Talk About Snacks
For You
This one is for EVERYONE in the family. These collapsible water bottles are space-saving, healthy, oddly entertaining, and somehow become a full airport activity. Pack them empty and condensed in your carry-on, then let the kids “expand” them and fil...
My rule: you must drink all the water before landing so the bottle can collapse back down. Suddenly hydration becomes a game, and kids act like their water bottle is cutting-edge technology.
My rule: you must drink all the water before landing so the bottle can collapse back down. Suddenly hydration becomes a game, and kids act like their water bottle is cutting-edge technology.
Nefeeko Collapsible BPA Free Silicone Water Bottle
1
White noise on a crowded, chaotic plane? Absolutely yes. This tiny little gadget is worth its weight in gold. It creates a cozy cocoon of calm with soothing sounds that help kids (and honestly, nearby adults) fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer...
Babelio White Noise Machine, 15 Sounds, Mini
I’ve tried nearly every travel pillow on the market, and the **Trtl Pillow** is the first one that actually *works* the way it claims. The moment I wrapped it around my neck, I understood the hype. It’s not a fluffy “pillow” — it’s a structured, ergo...
trtl Pillow - Soft Neck Support Travel Pillow
This is the travel trick every family member benefits from. Roll-on magnesium is calming, soothing, helps prevent leg cramps on long flights, and smells amazing. Kids love applying their own “magic travel roll-on,” especially before takeoff or nap ti...
Magnesium Roll On for Adults & Kids, 3 fl oz
Planes are wildly dehydrating. At some point mid-flight, you’ll look down in horror and realize your cuticles now resemble the Sahara Desert. This little magic stick fixes the situation in 30 seconds. Swipe on, rub in, suddenly your hands are soft ag...
Sally Hansen Nail Treatment Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil Pen - 0.06 fl oz
You have no idea how exciting these are to kids. Somehow, these tiny, disposable, complete toothbrushes convince children that dental hygiene is a thrill ride. Perfect for brushing teeth before landing or after the endless plane snacks — especially f...
Colgate Max Fresh Wisp Disposable Travel Toothbrushes - Mini - Peppermint - Trial Size -24ct
You may not have applied for the role of Chief Cord & Charger Officer, but congratulations — the position is yours. Without a plan, family travel turns into a spaghetti bowl of chargers, cables, and people asking “does anyone have a USB-C?” every...
FYY Travel Cable Organizer Pouch Waterproof
Assume the outlet at your plane seat is decorative. About 40% actually work. This power bank is my travel security blanket — charges a phone and tablet at the same time, has built-in cords (bless), and saves you from arriving with 3% battery and no b...
10000mAh PD20W Portable Charger w/ Cables
For the Kids
One of the best investments you can make? Great carry-on luggage for your kids. Let them roll their own bags, keep track of their belongings, and take ownership while traveling. It keeps little hands busy in the airport, makes transitions between fli...
The Kids Carry-On in Dragonfly Blue
Your kid’s tablet is the main character of successful air travel. This is not the moment to battle screen time — this is survival. I’d hype it up for days before the trip, then unleash unlimited flight mode. It will feel like a treat for your kids. Pair it with a sturdy case (because it will hit the floor) and kid headphones, and congratulations: you just covered 80% of the flight. Pro tip: download your airline's wifi app before the flight, so you'll just need to connect and go.
ProCase Kids iPad 11th/10th Gen Case Blue
The MVP of kid travel. Small enough for them to carry themselves (character building!), but roomy enough for snacks, tablets, headphones, and all the plane entertainment. The little pouches are genius — pull out one activity at a time and suddenly un...
3pc Kid Travel Backpack Set w/ 2 Pouches & AirTag Holder
Have you ever reached the point in a trip where you’d happily pay cash for your child to simply close their eyes? Good news: it only costs about $10. These blackout sleep masks are the ultimate travel parenting hack. Tiny enough to toss in a carry-on...
Kids 3D Sleep Mask Adjustable Strap Blackout
These fold down tiny, have zero cords, and cost under $20. Repeat after me: I will not pack extra cords on the plane. Cute colors, easy to toss in a bag, and shockingly good sound quality. Honestly, what’s not to love?
JoySpark Kids Bluetooth Headphones, 85/94dB Volume
This book is a favorite. Both of my kids completed every page. Interesting, varied activities that held their attention. Include 2 pencils (one will roll off the tray table and on to the floor, trust) and a few colored pencils or small pack of crayon... Ages 5-9.
On The Plane Activity Book: Puzzles & Mazes
Zero mess. Maximum entertainment. The real fun? Sending the kids to the airplane bathroom to fill the water pens — boom, there’s 20 minutes of your flight handled. Then they color, erase, and do it all over again. Only two pens to keep track of, whic...
Melissa & Doug Write-On Reusable Games Book
Another travel activity book favorite, for kids 9+. We found the activities to be varied, interesting and sometimes challenging. You'll need a couple pencils and some colored pencils to complete the tasks.
Really Fun Travel Activity Book for 9-11 Year Olds
Everything on an airplane tray table eventually launches itself onto the floor. Especially pencils. But these? Tiny. Cute. Impossible to roll away at 32,000 feet. Save yourself from doing the in-flight crawl of shame under three stranger’s seats look...
Ticonderoga My First Short Triangular Pencils, 4ct
Great imaginative play set — and the magnetic pieces are the real hero here. Never bring plane activities with loose pieces. They will hit the floor. All of them. Then you’ll be crawling under seats while your tiny overlord demands every missing piec...
Story Magic Dress-Up Dolls Magnetic Playset
Perfect for keeping little hands busy while secretly building fine motor skills. Slides easily into a backpack and buys you precious minutes of peace on a flight. Once my kids mastered it after a few trips, I passed it along to another mom across the...
Buckle Toys Buster Square - Learning Toy
Remember! If the activity has pieces, they must be magnetic. This is how you avoid crawling around on the filthy airplane floor. And these are fun!
Magnetic Face Dress Up Puzzle Travel Game
Lets Talk About Snacks
The best plane snacks are boring enough not to stain, exciting enough to feel special, and easy enough to open one-handed while someone asks you 14 times when you’re landing.
Pinterest says pack a bento box with 47 snacks. Reality says airplane tray tables are the size of a cocktail napkin.
This stackable snack kit is the travel hero. Pull out one container at a time, avoid snack avalanches, and save room for the tablet that’s actually doing the heavy lifting. I pack veggies, fruit, hummus, and one “don’t judge me” treat. Bonus: the air...
This stackable snack kit is the travel hero. Pull out one container at a time, avoid snack avalanches, and save room for the tablet that’s actually doing the heavy lifting. I pack veggies, fruit, hummus, and one “don’t judge me” treat. Bonus: the air...
humangear STAX 4-Piece Leak-Proof Snack Containers
Poop happens. Or…sometimes doesn’t after a flight. Travel constipation with kids is REAL. These clean, no sugar added lollipops are secretly genius: they help little ears pop during takeoff, add fiber to keep things moving, and make kids thirsty enou...
Kids Prebiotic Fiber Lollipops by Beekeeper's Naturals, 15 ct
Love these — or honestly any of the Justin’s Nut or Almond Butter Packs. Perfect for dipping airplane pretzels or apple slices… or just squeezing directly into your mouth while trying to survive the flight. Great source of protein, filling, perfectly...
Justin's Honey Peanut Butter Squeeze Packs, 10ct
Why is Babybel on this list? Because it takes kids 14 business minutes to open one. Built-in entertainment. Plus, they’re tasty, packed with protein, and survive hours in a backpack without turning into a science experiment.
Mini Babybel Variety Net Snack Cheese, 18 Pack
Uncrustables are a travel multitasker. Toss it into the backpack frozen and it keeps the rest of your snacks cool, then magically thaws right in time for a mid-flight meal. The key: only pack these if they aren’t your kid’s normal lunch. Plane food s...
Smucker's Uncrustables Frozen Peanut Butter & Strawberry Jam Sandwich- 30oz/15ct