I'm planning an overseas trip to Scotland for October when our baby will be 8 months old. We have several flight options- all are 2 stops- some with 1.5-2 hour layovers and some with longer (3-5 hours). I hate layovers but wondering about taking a longer time to get between gates with the baby and do we need an opportunity for baby to stretch his legs? Or is it better to do the 2 hour layovers and just get the travel over with?s

Thanks in advance!

Which airports? Do you need to change terminals or will the distances between gates be short? An 8 month old will likely not be walking yet.

No way would I pick 3-5 hour layovers. I see no benefit in that. How is a little baby going to be stretching his legs?

>>No way would I pick 3-5 hour layovers<<

That would be how long one usually needs on the flight that lands them at Immigration (whichever is the first port of entry). Less than 3 hours makes often makes catching the next flight really difficult. With a baby and immigration etc., I'd think 3 hours would be absolute minimum.

Other (domestic) flights, shorter connections are fine.

It depends somewhat on where the layovers are.
If you are landing in the UK and then flying to Scotland you will need a long layover to clear immigration, and allow yourself and you baby time to negotiate everything without worrying about you next flight.
If you are landing in Europe and then flying to Scotland provided it is within the same terminal you could get away with a short connection, but why put yourselves through rushing with a baby and all the gear a baby needs. With the longer layover the baby can lie flat and have a good kick, or if they are far enough developed stand against the chairs, you can maybe have a meal, and the luxury of changing a diaper in a decent bathroom rather than on the plane.

Well if they have 2 stops they aren't going to be doing customs/immigration at both of them. And I should have been clearer... 5 hours is not 3 hours.

>>Well if they have 2 stops they aren't going to be doing customs/immigration at both of them. And I should have been clearer... <<

More than likely one connection is stateside and one is at a major airport in Europe -- LHR or maybe Amsterdam or ?? Which ever they have to do immigration at they will need probably 4-ish hours.

baby can stretch legs on plane - 2 - 2 hours layovers much better.

The baby can certainly stretch his/her legs on the plane. And you will probably encounter lines via whatever connection so he/she can do some major stretching then.

Everyone is right about checking the immigration needs on your routing. But I am thinking you are flying within the states to your first stop and then trekking across the Atlantic.

Your instincts are right. Get it over with. I'm thinking less about the baby and far more about you. My kids at under two years seemed to get one view of a plane and go into explosive diarrhea mode. We survived. You parents will survive; your child, no matter what, will thrive.

But you have to do the math first to decide. Gates are always flexible, terminals rarely are. See into which terminal your plane will land and which terminal from where your next will depart. Map out your path from terminal to terminal. Give yourself some sort of timing. Plan on your first flight's being delayed at least one hour. Figure out what happens if they don't deliver your stroller to you until every last passenger has deplaned. Add in your terminal to terminal "trek" time.

And go with God.

I'm rooting for you!
AZ

Two changes are a pain. Two opportunities for things to go wrong instead of one. How much time do you have for the trip? Could you make one of the layovers a stopover? Where are you flying from? This will all be on one ticket, right?

You say all itineraries have 2 stops - While there are some non-stops from the States in to GLA and EDI, there aren't many - so more than likely you are talking routes with connections both in the US and somewhere in the UK or mainland Europe.

Where is your home airport - maybe we can help you find the easiest routing . . .

I am with the cold-ass think-of-the-parents view on this, having lugged babies all over the world. An 8-month-old baby, no matter how precocious, doesn't have a flying clue what's happening to him when his parents decide to take the darling to Europe. Get it over as soon as possible. So he cries, so he poops, so he upsets other passengers, it will all be over as soon as you let it be. Think of long layovers as prolongations of hell.

StCirq--I started laughing when I read your post. As a teacher, I had been threatened with a knife, had to be walked to a car with police because one parent and his son had decided to be snipers to kill all faculty, etc. But I never knew the meaning of a "cold sweat" until I was in charge of a screaming, ever-pooping baby on a plane. I could plan, plan, plan, but babies just ARE.
Yep, get the trip done.

Thank you all for your input. Yes, one of the layovers is stateside (Detroit, Charlotte or Atlanta) and one is in Europe (Amsterdam, LHR or CDG Paris).

Some of the better options are a 3.5 hour layover in Detroit then 1.5 hours in Amsterdam (or vice versa). We could also do a 3 hour layover in Atlanta and 4 hour layover in AMS. We could also do a 2.5 hour layover in atl and a 75 minute layover in AMS. And finally, a 2 hour layover in Detroit and then a 2 hour layover in Amsterdam.

I could drive 2 hours to the Atlanta airport and just have one layover, but on planning for Atlanta traffic, security through that airport.... It takes just as much time if not longer

Oooh that is tricky. I'd be tempted to drive the 2 hours for only one connection. Maybe

As far as the other options you need the longer layover time in Europe (immigration/customs) not for your change that is still in the US.

UGH!! Take a ship.

>>I could drive 2 hours to the Atlanta airport and just have one layover, but on planning for Atlanta traffic, security through that airport.... It takes just as much time if not longer<<

What I would do -- is drive to Atlanta the evening before and stay the night at an airport hotel. Then you just have to take a shuttle to yur departure terminal. Sure a heck a lot better than schlepping through an additional airport.o

We live in Chattanooga. I'd prefer not to drive to Atlanta if I can help it. We might just do 2 hour layovers for each of the stops and a 3 hour one when coming back from Europe to the US to account for customs? I forget but when traveling from US--> amsterdam --> scotland you don't go through immigration/customs until Scotland right?

There are one-stop flights out of Chattanooga. The American option, connecting in Philly, is listed on skyscanner for just over $1,000 for random dates in October..The connections in Philly are tight, but would be protected.