What to Know About Flying Long-Haul From Toronto With Young Children

Long haul flights with kids are very doable, but they reward planning. A 14 to 20 hour journey out of Toronto Pearson (YYZ) looks different when one of your travellers is a toddler and another is still a baby. This guide is researched advice for families planning that trip, built around the decisions that matter most: where to sit, how bassinets work, what to do about car seats, what to pack, how to move through Pearson, and how to handle jet lag on the other side.

Costs and policies below are typical ranges, not promises. Airlines change rules often, so confirm the details with your carrier before you book.

Before You Book: Choosing the Flight

The best long-haul itinerary for young children is rarely the cheapest one. A few things to weigh:

• Nonstop versus one stop. From Toronto, nonstop flights to Europe run roughly 7 to 8 hours, while Asia routes often involve a stop. A stop breaks up the journey, but it also means a second boarding, a second security or customs process, and a tight connection with tired kids. Many families find one long stretch easier than two shorter ones; others prefer a stopover with room to run around. Know your own kids.
• Overnight versus daytime. For babies and toddlers who sleep reasonably well in motion, overnight flights line up with bedtime. For wakeful kids, a daytime flight can be less stressful because you are not fighting the cabin lights and noise.
• Layover length. Aim for at least 90 minutes on an international connection with children, and longer if you must change terminals or clear immigration. Diapers, bathroom stops and slow walkers eat time quickly.

Infant Fares and Lap Seating

Most airlines let children under two travel on an adult's lap on international flights. The fare is not free, though. Expect to pay taxes and fees, and often a percentage of the adult fare (commonly 10 per cent, sometimes more). On a long-haul route, that can add up to a few hundred dollars CAD per infant, and sometimes considerably more on certain carriers.

Once a child turns two, they need their own seat at the full child or adult fare, depending on the airline. If your toddler's second birthday falls during a round trip, the return leg usually requires a purchased seat. Check this before you book, because it changes the budget.

Seat Selection: Where to Sit

Seat choice is the single biggest comfort lever you have. Pay for it if you can, because families who wait until check-in often get scattered across the cabin.

• Choose seats at booking. Fees vary widely, from nothing on some fare types to roughly $50 to $200 CAD per person per long-haul flight for preferred seats. If you are travelling with two adults, a toddler and a lap infant, you want to sit together.
• Aisle plus window in a row. In a 3-4-3 or 3-3-3 layout, many parents choose the side pair or a window and aisle with the middle seat empty. Airlines often leave middle seats open if the flight is not full, and nobody wants to be the third person in a row with a baby.
• Be wary of the last rows. They are close to the lavatories and galleys, which means traffic and noise, but they are also convenient for diaper changes. It is a trade-off.
• Think about exits. Infants and young children are not permitted in emergency exit rows, so do not try to book them.

Bassinet Seats: How They Work

Bassinet seats are the reason many parents pick one airline over another on long-haul routes. They are positioned at the bulkhead, the wall dividing cabin sections, where there is room for a small fold-down cot attached to the wall.

Here is what is generally true:

• Limits on size and weight. Airlines typically cap bassinet use at around 10 to 14 kg and a length of about 70 to 76 cm, and the baby must not yet be able to push up on hands and knees. Many babies outgrow the bassinet before their first birthday, so check the specific limits on your carrier.
• Request early. Bassinets are limited per aircraft, often only a handful. Call the airline after booking to reserve one, and confirm again before you travel. Booking online does not always guarantee it.
• Not usable during takeoff, landing or turbulence. Your baby must be held in your arms when the seatbelt sign is on. A bassinet is for the stable cruising part of the flight.
• Bulkhead trade-offs. There is more legroom, but armrests are often fixed, which makes the row feel narrower. Tray tables are in the armrests, and there is no under-seat storage in front of you, so you will keep your bag in the overhead bin during takeoff and landing.
• Toddlers do not use them. If you have an older child, the bassinet is only for the baby, so think about where the toddler sits and who is next to them.

Car Seat Rules

This is where families get tripped up, because there are really two questions: using a car seat on the plane, and getting one to your destination.

On the aircraft. Transport Canada and many airlines allow approved child restraint systems on board when the child has a purchased seat. Look for a label stating the seat is certified for use in aircraft. Most Canadian-sold car seats carry this approval, but check the sticker, and note that the seat generally needs to fit in a window position so it does not block another passenger's exit. A lap infant cannot use a car seat in a seat they have not paid for, unless there is an empty one and the airline permits it.

Checking it. Many airlines allow families to check a car seat and a stroller at no charge, but confirm this for your specific carrier. Gate-checking a stroller is common. A padded travel bag helps protect a car seat and costs around $40 to $80 CAD.

At the destination. If you plan to rent a car, ask the rental company about child seats and their cost (often $10 to $20 CAD per day), or bring your own. If you will be using taxis or ride shares abroad, find out in advance whether car seats are legally required, since rules vary by country and are often looser than in Canada. A lightweight, compact travel seat or a harness-style alternative can be a good fit if you are mostly relying on local transport.

Carry-On Essentials

Pack your carry-on as though your checked luggage could be late, because sometimes it is. Think in layers: what you need in the first hour, what you need mid-flight, and what you need on arrival.

• Diapers and wipes. Plan for one diaper per hour of travel, plus a few extra for delays.
• Two changes of clothes for the child, and one for each adult. Spit-up and spills happen at the worst time.
• Feeding supplies. Formula, breast milk and baby food are generally exempt from the standard liquids limit at Canadian security, but they may be screened separately. Pack a bit more than you think you need. Bring empty bottles or a sippy cup to fill after security.
• Snacks. Dry, low-mess options that take time to eat are ideal: puffed snacks, crackers, fruit pouches, cereal.
• Comfort items. A familiar blanket, a lovey, a small pillow. These make strange spaces feel safer.
• New and old entertainment. Download shows to a tablet, bring headphones sized for children, and pack a few small, quiet toys, ideally some that are new. Stickers, small books and a magnetic drawing board earn their weight.
• Sanitizing wipes and a plastic bag for garbage. Handy for tray tables and soiled clothes.
• Basic medicine. Infant or children's pain and fever medication in the original packaging, plus any prescriptions.
• Documents. Passports for every traveller, including babies, and any consent letters if one parent is travelling alone. Keep them in a single easy-to-reach pouch.

For babies, sucking during takeoff and landing (a bottle, breast, or pacifier) can help with ear pressure. Toddlers can use a snack or a sippy cup.

Navigating Toronto Pearson

Pearson is Canada's busiest airport, and with children, a little advance planning helps.

• Know your terminal. Most international departures use Terminal 1 or Terminal 3. Check your airline's terminal before you leave home so you do not waste time at the wrong curb.
• Arrive early. For international flights, aim to be there about three hours before departure. With a stroller, a car seat and kids, you will use that time.
• Use family-friendly security lanes where available. Pearson has had designated lines for families and passengers needing assistance. Ask a staff member at the checkpoint if you are not sure where to go. Strollers usually go through the scanner, and children may need to be carried through the metal detector.
• Nursing and family rooms. Look at the airport map for family washrooms and nursing areas, and check where they are before you need them.
• Parking and drop-off. Short-term parking is expensive, and it adds up on a long trip. Many families choose off-site lots with shuttles, or ask a friend to drop them at departures. Allow extra time for the shuttle if you have a car seat to install and remove.
• Gate area. Look for the open spaces near the gate where a toddler can move around. A short walk before boarding does wonders.
• Pre-board. Most airlines let families with young children board early. Take it, since it gives you time to settle in and stow your things, but do not feel you must be first on board with a toddler who will then sit for another 20 minutes.

During the Flight

• Keep a loose schedule. Aim to match mealtimes and naps to the destination's time zone where you can, but be flexible.
• Walk the aisle. Toddlers need to move. Walk when the seatbelt sign is off, and use the galley area if the crew allows.
• Ask the crew early. Flight attendants can warm bottles, share a spare blanket, and often have a kids' meal ready if you pre-order it. Pre-order special meals at least 24 hours ahead.
• Lower your standards for screen time. A long-haul flight is not the place to hold the line on tablets. Everyone gets through it.
• Stay hydrated. Cabin air is dry. Offer water often and drink some yourself.

Easing Jet Lag With Young Children

Jet lag is real for little ones, and it usually takes a day for each time zone crossed to fully settle, though kids can adapt faster than adults. A few practical steps:

• Shift gently before you leave. If the time difference is large, moving bedtime 30 to 60 minutes earlier or later for a few days beforehand can soften the transition.
• Get daylight. On arrival, spend time outdoors in morning light. It is the strongest signal to reset the body clock.
• Anchor with meals and naps. Try to eat at local mealtimes from the first day, and cap naps so they do not push bedtime too far.
• Keep the sleep environment familiar. A portable blackout cover, a white noise app and the same bedtime routine can make a new room feel like home.
• Expect a rough night or two. Early waking, a few hours awake in the middle of the night, and cranky afternoons are normal. Plan a light first few days with no rigid itinerary.
• Adults need rest too. If you can, trade off so each parent gets one longer stretch of sleep on arrival.

A Quick Pre-Departure Checklist

1. Confirm infant fares and, if needed, purchased seats for children over two.
2. Reserve seats together and request the bassinet.
3. Check your car seat for aircraft approval and decide whether you will check or carry it.
4. Pack a carry-on with extra diapers, clothing, food and entertainment.
5. Pre-order children's meals.
6. Check your terminal and arrive about three hours early.
7. Plan a light schedule for the first days after landing.

Final Thoughts

Long haul flights with kids are rarely smooth from start to finish, but they are usually more manageable than you fear. The families who do best tend to book smartly, pack for the unexpected, and give themselves permission to take things one hour at a time. If you are still building confidence with shorter trips first, our Toronto Zoo day out with a toddler and a baby and our indoor guide for families with toddlers are good places to start getting a feel for outings with little ones. And if you are thinking about where to go once you land, our Top 10 Mistakes in Paris post is worth a read before you finalize your plans.

Safe travels, and take it slowly. The airport is only the start of the adventure.