In one word....YES!!!!!!!!!

I think it's worth it with my 2 year old, yes.

$2K? For one night's travel? Wow. I mean, if money is not really an object, then go for it.

But to me $2K is a helluva lot of money to spend. How do you know your child will even do well on the nonstop? Either way, it might be a really rough night, but you will survive and so will your child.

I'd pay it and go direct

Traveled quite a bit with twin boys from the age of 7 months. A connection to Europe is not that bad, actually it would break up the flight.

I would not pay $2k more. If it were $100 - $200 per ticket I may consider it.

$2k is a lot of money to me.

I actually appreciate layovers. We fly to California a lot, and I hate switching planes in la or sf because the main flight is so long. Much prefer breaking it up in Denver or Texas.

Anonymous wrote:When mine was younger, I actually liked the stop over so he could move around. It all depends on your kid, I guess.

This was definitely our story, because mine was a squirmy wormy. I'd chase him around an empty gate to help him get tired out before the next leg. But I get that your kid might be very different.

Any way you can shift the itinerary to leave earlier and spend more time at the connecting airport? So e.g. if your itinerary is an 8.30 flight DC-Newark, arriving at 9.30, then leaving at 10.30, can you shift it so you fly to Newark at 6.30? You do that, eat dinner on the plane with your kids, land in Newark, everyone gets to wander around a bit, change into PJs, and hunker down at your gate. Older kids watch a movie, maybe the toddler falls asleep. Then you just have to carry a sleeping toddler down the jetway and into the seat.

But if you can't take that, I'd risk the meltdown to save 2K.

Anonymous wrote:I have traveled quite a bit with my three kids and no I would not pay extra to fly non-stop, even when I flew alone with them during toddler years. I just find that if I check everything I don't need, take a stroller and a backpack that had things to do and snacks and food for them to eat, bought milk at the airport so I had enough (back then many airlines did not serve milk as a drink option), it was fine.

+1. Same here.

It would be worth it for me. I would only pay this premium while DC is a toddler though - even my active kid became a great traveler by 4.

yes

Anonymous wrote:I'd never do a daytime flight to Europe with a toddler. Toddlers are most usually fine on night flights as they usually are good with the darkened cabin to sleep.

This is what I was thinking too. Which is why I'm scared to interrupt her sleep by waking her to catch a connecting flight.

I'd never do a daytime flight to Europe with a toddler. Toddlers are most usually fine on night flights as they usually are good with the darkened cabin to sleep.