I recently had to book last minute flights for me and my son due to a family emergency. This was my first time doing any sort of last-minute travel with kids!

Here’s the story behind our trip. My husband’s father was very ill. He left within hours to fly across the country to Texas. My son and I followed behind a day later to wrap up things at home and work. We stayed in Texas for a few days, came home, and then had to fly right back a couple days later.

As a working mom with an already busy schedule, it felt chaotic to square everything away on such short notice. I can handle stress, and honestly thrive in fast-paced chaos, but this was a lot even for me!

What I learned is that it IS possible to pull off last-minute (solo!) travel with a little kid. And it’s possible to appear as a cool, calm and capable mom while doing so.

Here are a few things I learned and thought would be valuable if you ever need to book last-minute travel with kids. 

Booking flights

Luckily, we had tons of airline rewards points that we could use. Last-minute flights are so expensive! I typically use Google Flights to get an idea of pricing across different airlines. Then, I make a decision on how to book the best and most affordable ticket. 

In this case, it was using credit card points through their booking engine. It’s usually better to transfer points to an airline loyalty account, but it would have taken 48 hours to transfer. Even though that would have given me the best deal, I didn’t have enough time to transfer. I booked direct through the credit card travel portal. 

When we had to fly back the second time, I booked our flights using my Delta companion pass. I get one annually through my Amex Delta Platinum card. Buying just one ticket instead of two saved money in the short term, but offered less flexibility long term.

I needed to change the dates of the original flight I booked and my return date didn’t have companion seats available. I ended up having to purchase an additional one way ticket. Luckily, I was able to do this with points, but it was still unfortunate that I had to spend them. 

Pro tip: If you’re booking a companion pass ticket, save it for a trip where there is little chance you’ll need to change or cancel. 

Now that you know what to do if you need to book last-minute travel with kids, are you looking for more little kid travel tips? Check out my recommendations here!

Packing for last-minute travel with kids

I’m a big fan of time blocking (setting a specific amount of time for a task, and when that time is up, you’re done). This worked really well for packing at the last minute. I gave myself 15 minutes to pack for me and my son, definitely enough time to pack for a short trip. And remember, most destinations will have anything you forgot, and worst case scenario, you can buy it there. Like my dad used to say, as long as you have your wallet and your ID/passport, you’re good. 

I made sure to pack a few of my son’s favorite toys in our carryon bag (which is always this Freshly Picked backpack). I ensured our devices were fully charged and I had downloaded a few shows. You never know if there will be WiFi issues on the plane or if the in-flight entertainment will have an option your kiddo will like. Because of this, I always have a few backups downloaded. 

Prepping for and getting to the airport

If your kiddos are frequent flyers like mine, getting them excited for the airport is a great way to build some excitement. If your kiddo is a less frequent flyer, download my Toddler Travel Prep Checklist. It has great ideas for how to build excitement and confidence in fun ways before you get to the airport. 

The airport is so great for kids. My son loves looking at planes and the long hallways are great to get energy out before a flight. Last minute or unexpected trips might be confusing for little kids, so try and make this portion as fun as possible. Use those pre-packed snacks, games and toys too!

Last-minute travel is absolutely do-able with a little kid, and I hope these tips help you feel a little more prepared if you ever find yourself in this situation! It’s a great way to model adventure, resilience and flexibility, so look at it as a great learning opportunity.