What time of day to fly with an active 16 month old?

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to finalize holiday travel and we'll be traveling with our now 13 month old. Buying him his own seat is out of the question - we are barely able to afford to travel with 2 adult tickets. The cheapest tickets are early in the AM ( leaving at 7AM) and returning late (11PM). I would tihink that he'd more likely to sleep on the plane during those times. This seems like a good idea - cost wise and time wise. Am I missing something? Any tips for keeping a toddler occupied on a plane?

[Anonymous]

Go with those times. He'll probably be wide awake on the outbound; make sure he's extremely well-rested and you have plenty of things to keep him occupied. Hopefully he'll sleep on the return. For us, it was a difficult age to travel. Just be as prepared as possible.

[Anonymous]

Travel around his naptime. When you check-in, beg and plead for the bulkhead (if the plane has one). They are not held for infants for domestic flights, as I previoulsy thought. You will be so glad to have that extra space fr him to stand and sit and play with toys. Plan on many walks up and down the aisle. Bring lots of snacks-more than you think you will need. His favorite dvds can be a lifesaver! If the you cant get bulkhead-see if you can get an empty seat next to you.