When Is the Best Time of Day to Fly With Kids? All of Your Questions for Avoiding Jet Lag, Answered

Flying with kids or babies in tow is no simple feat, but there are ways to make it easier. One of which is carefully selecting the time of day you choose to take off. According to research, there are optimal periods that vary by your child's age, whether they're a newborn or a teen. “Many parents assume overnight flights are always the best option; that isn’t necessarily true for every age group,” Omar El-Gohary, chief executive and superintendent pharmacist at IQ Doctor, explains. Further, some parents disregard the possibility of jet lag altogether, as Julissa Baez, pediatrician and clinical professor at New York University, has observed in her practice. “The most common misconception…is that babies and young children do not get jet lag,” she notes. Although children of all ages are affected by the travel fatigue differently, the direction of travel matters greatly. Eastbound travel, such as the UAE to Australia, is generally harder on children than traveling west to Europe or the US. To help you make the most of your summer travels, we break down the best flight times for kids by their age category below. While popular opinion suggests red-eye flights are best for ba