Mid-Term Break Checklist for Families Flying from Dublin Airport
Mid-term break is one of the busiest times of the year at Dublin Airport. Schools are off, families are heading away, and everyone seems to want the same flights on the same mornings. Travelling with kids is lovely once you get there. Getting there is another story. One forgotten passport, one missing charger or one long walk with tired children can turn a happy morning into a stressful one very quickly. So here is a simple checklist, nothing fancy, just the things families tend to forget and a few tips that make the day easier.
A Week Before You Go
This is the time to sort out anything that cannot be fixed on the morning of the flight. Check every passport, not just yours. Children's passports run out faster than adult ones, and it is easy to miss. Check your airline's rules on bag sizes, weight limits and check-in times, because they are different for every airline. Have a quick look at the current liquid rules on the Dublin Airport website before you pack any drinks, creams or baby food. And book your airport parking now. Mid-term is busy, and leaving it until the last minute means fewer options.
Two Days Before
Check in online if your airline allows it, and download the boarding passes to your phone, with a screenshot as a backup in case the app is slow. Charge everything: phones, tablets, headphones and power banks. Download a few shows and games for the kids, because you cannot count on Wi-Fi at the airport or on the plane. Then plan your route to the airport. The M50 can be very slow at busy times, so give yourself more time than you think you need.
The Night Before
This is when the real checklist comes out. Go through it with your partner, or even with the older kids, who usually enjoy ticking things off.
- Passports for everyone
- Boarding passes on your phone
- Booking emails for parking, hotel and car hire
- Snacks for the kids, and plenty of them
- Chargers, a power bank and headphones for each child
- A change of clothes for little ones in your hand luggage
- Any medicines your family needs, in your hand luggage
- Something small to keep the kids busy, like a book or colouring
- Airport parking sorted
If you drive an electric car, make sure it is charged too, and check whether you can add EV charging to your parking.
On the Morning
Get everyone up a little earlier than feels necessary. With kids, everything takes longer: breakfast, shoes, the last trip to the toilet, and the toy that suddenly cannot be left behind. Before you lock the front door, do one quick check of passports, phones, wallets and keys. If you have those four things, almost anything else can be sorted later.
Why Valet Parking Helps When You Travel With Kids
Anyone who has travelled with children knows the hard part is often not the flight. It is the bit before. Driving around a big car park looking for a space, unloading suitcases, car seats and buggies, then walking a long way or waiting for a shuttle with tired kids and heavy bags. Valet or Meet and Greet parking removes almost all of this. You drive to the terminal, hand over your keys, and walk straight in. There is no shuttle, no long walk with bags, and no hunting for your car when you land. For families, those saved minutes can change how the whole holiday starts.
How Dublin Valet Park Makes It Easier
At Dublin Valet Park, you book everything online before you travel: your dates, your choice of Standard or Premium Meet and Greet, your details and any extras. If you want your car charged or cleaned when you land, you can add EV charging or an exterior wash at checkout, so there is one less thing to think about on the day. While you are away, your car is watched by CCTV 24/7.
We also count your parking in real 24 hour periods from your exact drop-off time, not by calendar dates. So if your mid-term flight leaves late in the evening or lands early in the morning, you will not pay for a full extra day you barely used.
Do the Boring Jobs Early
The secret to a calm mid-term trip with kids is simple: do the boring jobs early. Passports, check-in, charging and parking can all be sorted days before you leave, so the morning of the flight is just about getting out the door. If you are flying from Dublin Airport this mid-term, you can book your Meet and Greet parking with Dublin Valet Park today. Have a lovely break.