Don’t forget to organise travel insurance when travelling with children. Dependent children under 21 years of age or grandchildren under 21 years of age, plus up to one other non-related dependent child under 21 years of age, travelling with an insured person are covered free of charge on a helloworld Travel Insurance policy. Their policy benefits will be shared within the travelling insured person’s policy limits.


A checklist to help make family holidays easier

Three months out, or when booking your holiday:

  • Ask your doctor whether your family needs any specific vaccines for your planned holiday destination, and monitor your children to ensure they don’t fall sick before travelling.
  • Look out for any fun and useful travel accessories, such as ride-on suitcases or aircraft cushions that bridge the gap between the seat in front of you, giving you a small single bed for your little ones to lie flat on.
  • Work out if you need to purchase any specific clothing beforehand, e.g. long sleeves to protect against mosquitoes.
  • Organise identity bracelets (and medical alert bracelets if required).
  • Purchase travel insurance and read the policy wording carefully.


Two weeks before travelling

  • Locate important information for your travel destination such as medical services, emergency phone numbers and supermarkets to buy essentials such as nappies. Save these (and share with your partner) so you both have easy access via your smartphones.
  • Load your iPad with apps that will keep children entertained while in transit.
  • Register your travel plans at safetravel.govt.nz.
  • Make photocopies of your passports to take with you.


The day before departure

  • Double-check your baggage allowance, including the allowance for any connecting flights on budget airlines. Weigh your luggage if you think you might be over, as there’s nothing worse than being surprised with a baggage charge before you even depart. 
  • If you are flying long-haul, you might like to bring a couple of treats for attendants and fellow travellers seated next to you, to start the journey on a positive note. 


Departure day

  • Some flights allow you to take fresh and dried food on flights (such as sandwiches, bananas, raisins and crackers), and liquids as long as they don’t exceed 100ml per container. If you’re allowed to take these with you, pack lots of healthy snacks including fruit, as this will keep hunger at bay. To avoid breaking any biosecurity laws, don’t forget to discard any uneaten fresh snacks at the end of the flight or declare them before you go through customs. 
  • Leave plenty of time to get to the airport, and through Customs: even if they have special lanes for families it may take longer than you expect to clear Customs with children.

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