With the increasing popularity of air travel and as more families desire to give their children a foreign travel experience, it is quite common to see family groups in an international airport. As more families make the decision to take everyone along on that once-in-a-lifetime trip, chances are that the group will pass through the airport that serves as a hub (central location) for international airlines.

These hubs serve as a place from which airlines send planes to many other destinations, and like most international airports, they can be quite hectic. This is especially true for families with smaller children. For this reason, careful planning and some set guidelines for family members are a must. This planning will be quite different from the arrangements made by someone flying business class or on a first class ticket. Generally, these individuals have only themselves to be concerned with and they are usually experienced in the ways of conduct in international airports.

After choosing a destination, some time will be required securing the proper reservations for seats on the plane. It won't hurt to mention that children will be included in the group. Many airlines will do all they can to accommodate kids and make the trip go smoothly for the family and for fellow passengers. Care must also be taken when making overnight accommodations in a hotel or bed-and-breakfast. Again, it is important to mention that children are included in the group. Most good hotels will use this information when assigning rooms and providing information about hotel amenities.

A key tip for those traveling with children: Start planning the trip very early, to give the family members plenty of time to prepare. A few extra days or weeks at the start may help avoid issues and situations that could delay or destroy an otherwise wonderful experience. Remember that preparation for international flights, with children, is much different than a shorter, uninvolved domestic flight. There may be different regulations or guidelines in another country that do not apply in the home country. Procedures and regulations change. For example, it may be absolutely necessary to have firm identification papers for every member of the group, including the youngest child. While this is not generally true for underage kids, there may be exceptions. It is best to be prepared. In some locations, parent's identification may be enough, but it would be best to have identification for each individual on international flights. Each child may need a passport, so it would be best to get one for every member of the family. This process can take time, so, again, it is best to begin the application process very early. Tip: Don't forget to make sure the adult passports are valid!

It would be impossible to cover every situation that may arise when traveling with children. Hopefully, these few suggestions will help the family's international travel go more smoothly. Many rules and regulations remain the same from one international airport to another. However, it would be unwise to assume this is the case. Before making that first step toward an international vacation with the family, contact the proper airport personnel and any other state or federal official you trust, to get plenty of information about international travel with kids. A bit of preparation will go a long way.