What Are the Best Seats on a Plane for Young Kids?

The front row in the middle. Request it right away. Don't worry, Florida is close. I took my teething 7 month old to Brazil alone. You can do it.

We do that flight every year, and my favorite spot is the back row as well. I found the flight attendants kind of hung out back there and were great with my kids, talking to them about the plane etc. It was a bit of precious time mommy didn't have to be entertaining them :)

Ask the airlines for tips... they will tell you their own opinion... Or, go to www.seatguru.com to see the airplane and the seating and you can choose yourself.

Every parent/family has their own feelings of what is the 'best' seats...

Good luck,
Susan

Hey C. - we do this flight (LAX to Tampa and/or Ft. Lauderdale) at least several times a year...with a 5, 4 and 3 year old (now!) but have been doing it since the first one was 4 months old. So, over the course of the past almost 6 years, we've pretty much sat about everywhere on the plane!

The bulk head is GREAT! There is no one in front of you (a wall separates the bulk head from first class) and it allows a little space at your feet if you need to change anyone or for the kids to sit on the floor and play. It also prevents the littler ones from kicking the person in front of you, which is no fun for you or that person :)

The problem is, the bulk head is usually held until the time of the flight for people who may need assistance (wheelchair, etc) or booked in advance for the same issues, so it's not always available. You can ask at the time you make your reservations, and if you don't get it, you can ask at the gate which usually opens up about an hour before your flight.

Also, what we do now (because at some point, they all like to try and kick the seat in front of them) is we sit one row behind the other...and put our youngest son behind one of our other children, so if he does kick, he isn't kicking anyone that it will bother.

Something else we used for our 3 year old on our last trip (LAX to Turks and Caicos) which was a LONG flight...was the Fly Safe Cares Harness...it's a 5-point harness that attaches directly to the airplane seat...so it's like a car seat without dragging the car seat on the plane. It was FANTASTIC! We used to drag on the car seat when the kids were still 3...it's hard for them to sit still that long at that age and we like the safety it provided. This system allows them to feel "big" because they have their own seat...and it also keeps them sitting in it rather than moving all over. Here's the website: http://www.kidsflysafe.com/. It's a little pricey, but SO worth it...especially if you will fly again and your daughter will be able to use it.

Good luck! :)

Oh, and one more thing - be careful about relying on the airline/reservation agent to give you the correct info about where to sit. We've learned over the years they will tell you things that aren't true (where you can sit with kids, a carseat, etc) and that the gate is really the best place to trust...we've been sat in seats by the reservation agent, only to be all settled, and then moved by the flight attendant because we were too close to the exit rows, etc. Do tell them you are flying with small children, and definitely request the bulk head...it's worth a shot, and again, ALWAYS check with the gate as soon as they open :)

Take the two seats together, his next to the window, yours next to the aisle. That way he will be entertained during take off and landing, and he cannot escape and run down the aisle without you. They will proabably seat you towards the back...seems they put a lot of families towards the back. If you have a portable DVD player, take it...so much easier to keep him still. Have fun!

when i fly with my daughter i always seat her next to the window. she had her first flight at 8 months old and her last flight at 15 months. shes 2 now. heres my fyis of flying with kids lol-
- pack a lot of snacks so you dont have to buy over priced plane food lol (buy your drinks after the security check)
- in the diaper bag pack only what you will need on the flight for your little one (10 diapers, travel pack of wipes, change of clothes, paci if used, empty bottle/cup, any medications your kids are on, and all your needed things (wallet, id, credit cards pack your purse in your suitcase).
- PRE BOARD PRE BOARD PRE BOARD!!!!!!
- pack a bag with fun things in it for the kids (color wonder items, favorite stuffed toy, light blanket for each child, dvd player with headphones etc)
- have your baby drink on the take off and landing this will help her ears.
- if your son is able have him bring his own backpack with special things to do in it.
- hope no one sits by you so your daughter has a place to sit when your arms are tired and she wants to walk around and get down.
- let her sit and play at your feet (i did but there was no one sitting next to me)
- dont be afraid to get up and walk with them up and down the plane once or twice (if it is safe to do so)
- take your stroller and check it at the gate to the plane.
- try to get the first row it usually has a little more leg room lol.
-dont worry if your baby cries. shes a baby and if people dont like it then they can move seats.

i think thats all my tips i can remember. have fun on your flight!!!

The ones on a different flight!!! I have traveled a lot with my son. I try to make sure I have an isle seat for frequent potty trips. I also try to be as close to the bathroom as possible so sit at the back or the front. The middle is no fun. Get on the plane last instead of first and plan to have a bag that goes under the seat and doesn't need to go overhead. The best bet is to sit near an old lady. They like kids and if they don't they are more likely to be deaf! Good luck with your adventure. No matter where you sit just remember that the plane will land and everyone will get off and go on with their lives so don't worry if your kids aren't under as much control as you'd normally expect. Make sure your kids have a good experience. It's more important for your kids to have an adventure than it is for the business man across the isle to get in a nap. You probably will never see that guy again but you are going to have to travel with your kids a lot so make it cool.

Your children will not be allowed to sit in the row of exit seats and usually 1 row in front or 1 row behind. They also are not allowed to sit in an aisle seat. It is up to the airline as to whether or not they enforce these rules so you might want to call the airline directly to find out for sure. The reason those laws are put in to place is in the event of an emergency, people need to be able to get out as quickly as possible without children blocking the way. In the emergency exit row, they need people that are able to get the doors open and assist. Honestly, children like to look out the window, so that would be a good spot for your son. He could lean against the side if he gets tired too. It might not be pleasant for you to take a middle seat, but it would probably work out best. Be sure your son goes to the bathroom before getting on the plane too! Good luck!!!

Fly at night, a red eye and have them either in a window seat or on the end. We flew quite a bit with our first two kids. This worked for every flight we took like a charm!! Take quiet toys for them or a leap pad with headphones if you travel during the day.
Best wishes on your trip and have fun.

Being prior military I have flown plenty of times when we lived overseas to come home and visit family. I always prefered to sit in the first row behind a wall. It makes for a good place to change a diaper if you have to, and you don't have to worry about your son kicking the seat in front of him. Also, I know alot of people might recomend a car seat, but I think it was to constricting. My son preffered when I didn't make him travel in his seat cause he could move around a bit and get comfy with his blankie. Good luck!

When I traveled alone with my son, I got two seats by the window so we could look out. If you are traveling with your husband or you and the 2 kids only, I would try to get the 3 in the middle so you can have more room. If you are traveling without your husband, I would even buy 3 seats so you can put the baby down for awhile (the baby's seat should be 1/2 price). Bring plenty of snacks, books and little toys for your son and bring a portable DVD player for him too if you can. Those things are life savers!!!

My son always fell asleep as soon as the plane took off so hopefully your kids will sleep for a good part of the trip so you can relax a little. If you have 3 seats, you can put your daughter down to nap.

The first time we flew from LA to NY we only bought 2 seats but were able to get 3 together in the middle. It really helped since you can't really hold the baby for 5 hours and take care of a 3 year old. After that first trip, I always bought my son his own seat.

Hope this helps! Have a great trip!

When we flew with our 3 1/2 yr old and 5 month old we were in the last row. Great for 'containment' and space, except that the line for the bathroom starts right by your chair and you can get a 'whiff' of the bathroom from time to time. If that doesn't bother you, then go for it. Personally, I have a very sensitive nose and it almost did me in. The children, however, were just fine.

Have a great trip! :)

Hello C., I would agree with the other ladies. Seat near the bathroom area just in case u need to go to it without going through the walkway. The back would be best b/c usually depending on what time u fly, the back is usual empty or not much people in the back. Depend how much you fly, u could put your oldest child at the window if he or she loves to look out the window. My son love it and that kept him entertain for a while. Hope all this info from us all helps. Good luck and have a great flight!!

HAH! The closer to the bathroom, the better! I was flying back from Denver this past winter with my son (16 months at the time) and he got "sick" all over me and himself and our stuff! It was SO awful. The flight attendants were amazing though and they helped us get cleaned up but it helped that we were near the rear of the plane and therefore relatively close to the bathroom.

Have fun in FL!

~V.

If you have a car seat for your son, a window seat is the best. Just call the airline and tell them you have 2 small children, one of which has his own seat, and they will tell you what the best seats are. I just did exactly that last week as a matter of fact! Continental told me they 'require' car seats to be in a window seat, so that people don't have to climb over it if they need to go to the bathroom or whatever and also as a safety issue. Also, people with kids can't sit in the emergency exit isles she told me... call your airline and get details, I'm sure they will be very helpful! Good luck :)

Economy plus seats will give you a little more room. And, the bulk head (the first row of seats that sit behind a wall) is nice because there's no seats in front of you, so you don't have to worry about the people ahead of you and you get a little more room. Good luck.

If you are only buying two seats, try to schedule your flight on a 777 or other large plane that has only two seats next to the window so you wont have another person in the row with you. I recommend sitting towards the back of the plane so you are near the pottys and can get up and walk around if necessary (you can't loiter near the front of the plane).

The bulkhead seats whenever possible! Window seats too. Looking out the window always helps to keep my kids occupied.