Long-distance travel is worth doing right from the UK.
The best time to depart, a viable connection and an efficiently packed cabin bag can all make a big difference on a journey that’s also likely to be more fun than a work meeting. And whether you’re travelling with children, or visiting somewhere completely new to you, that fun is more or less guaranteed.
Türkiye, Pakistan and Nigeria all represent unique destinations. Not just the famous Mediterranean beaches and historic cities and attractions, but also the mountainous landscapes and vivid culture of West Africa. And from the UK there’s also a handy way to arrange getting there, linking Istanbul up as a simple go-through place between Britain and a host of other countries across the wider region.
Here are three trips halfway around the world you can plan today, and some tips to bear in mind to make the journey easier.
Three Long-Haul Trips Worth Planning This Year
A good long-haul plan is about more than the time of departure. Think about the whole day and what time of day you are effectively spending on the plane. What time do you have to get to the airport? How long do you need between flights, going through the airport, the kids’ routine (such as meal times, especially for little ones), and what time will you arrive at your destination?
Türkiye works as a great combination of culture with relaxation for travellers; Pakistan’s dramatic scenery, heritage and seasonal opportunities are a great hit, and Nigeria is a perfect introduction to West Africa from its energetic starting point of Lagos.
Plan to have some time at either end of the flight schedule. Having the morning to enjoy a leisurely breakfast, check your tickets and passports, take time to pack and relax before heading into the airport will mean your departure is more comfortable.
Türkiye: City or Coast, and How to Do Both
If you want three different Turkish holidays in one fell swoop, Türkiye’s the ticket. Istanbul for grand mosques, hustling markets, waterside tours and features; and head for the Mediterranean and Aegean coast for beaches, eating out and cruising at a very leisurely level.
Cappadocia, with its mysterious rock formations, cave hotels and stunning landscapes, adds a different flavour. If you can find the time and the flights, follow up Istanbul with Cappadocia, and then move on along the coast.
If you’re visiting more than one place, work out how you’re going to get around before you leave the UK. Store your accommodation details, transfer information, flights, etc, in an easily accessible offline place on your phone.
Flights to Türkiye: the mid-week planning trick
Midweek travel can mean less frenetic airport activity, making the experience a little less intimidating, especially when travelling with families and especially over peak holiday travel periods. Look carefully at the flight itinerary as a whole and make sure there is plenty of time allocated at the airport for check-in, security and last-minute shopping.
Flights to Türkiye can easily be routed via Istanbul with the added benefit of a location making the transfer part of the travel experience.
For families, compartmentalising carry-on luggage is a good idea. Have a small section (within easy reach) for passports, medications, chargers, snacks and kids’ entertainment. A small change of clothing can also suffice for even the longest of travel days.
Pakistan: Timing Your Visit Around the Seasons
Pakistan repays the enterprising travellers who venture there in the popular northern summer months of May to September. Geography means that the country boasts vastly different weather patterns and travel conditions depending on which area you visit, as well as an enormous diversity of landscapes.
Islamabad is the calm jumping-off point, with Mughal Empire jewels, ancient buildings and a culinary heritage in Lahore. Adventurous travellers will want to head to the Karakoram for trekking and snow-capped mountains.
The best time really depends on the kind of trip you want to take. You’ll likely want to travel to cities when it’s a cooler time of year, but visiting some mountainous destinations in the north is only really possible in the summer months. If you’re visiting with a family, particularly school-age children, school holidays and destinations at that time of year are also to factor in when deciding when to go.
This will become more and more applicable the further you fly. You’re going to want to give everyone a bit of time to adjust and fly in slowly during those first few days. It makes a really big difference for the rest of the trip.
Flights to Pakistan with kids: keeping it to one connection
Flights to Pakistan become more manageable with children when you prepare a planned itinerary. With the help of Turkish Airlines, you can construct a journey via Istanbul, leaving only one important connection point for your family to think of while making a trip between the UK and Pakistan.
Discuss the trip with your kids before you leave your house. Make them aware of the airport you will be going from, the subsequent flight you will board, the connecting point of Istanbul and the flight to follow. This will make the order more understandable for them to take it all in. Older children can carry a small piece of hand luggage with their headphones, books, light reading material, a game and a snack.
Check the departure gate, and allow time to walk around. Have your boarding passes and passports handy, especially if you’re changing terminals or gates.
It gives you a break with the kids and time to top up water bottles, or re-organise your cabin bags ready for your next flight.
Nigeria: First-Time Practicalities
Nigeria is a fabulous introduction to your first West African experience. With a mix of culture, food, music, art and business, Lagos is a vibrant city. If you’re lucky enough not to plan it as a business trip, treat your Lagos trip as a part of your experience.
Check the validity of your passport, entry requirements of your destination and information regarding specifics of your destination well before leaving. Save contacts of accommodation and your destination. Save key numbers on your phone and have a printable copy in writing as a backup for quick access.
As a city in the tropics, Lagos is warm all year long. Lagos is also a coastal area, and so it is prone to high humidity. Dress in comfortable clothing and footwear. The rule of thumb is that when the weather is quite hot, less is always more. In warmer months like April to November, be sure to pack an umbrella in your hand luggage for good measure.
Make sure to plan your arrival routine. Book a cab from the airport. Share your accommodation with your travel buddy. Ensure your phone battery is charged for the last leg of the journey.
London to Lagos flights: why an overnight outbound works
The schedule of London to Lagos flights can fit comfortably into such a journey. Travellers can take off in the evening, spend the quieter hours sleeping, and get to settle in.
You can make sleep more of a possibility by creating the same conditions you would at home. Dress in layers you can relax in. Use an eye mask if necessary. Keep the headphones within reach, and a neck pillow if you have longer cans in your seat.
This programme can also work well for families. Children might even snooze part of the way, so they arrive with quite a few daylight hours to spare. Just make sure you have snacks and games ready for when sleeping proves too much.
The Istanbul stopover: Two destinations in one trip
Istanbul is not an in-between place. Istanbul is an ideal stopover for those travellers who would like to break their long-haul journey into two halves. Starting another day or two can make up a whole new chapter on the journey. Travellers can go on a sightseeing tour in the historic peninsula, have an enjoyable sea cruise on the Bosphorus, and maybe walk to Karaköy by walk to eat lunch or dinner and then go ahead for the final stop.
A layover for a few days is a totally different aspect of the journey. Those who would like to split travel in two in a never-closing city may visit the historic peninsula, have their breakfast at a butik café, take the boat to go to lunch someplace in Japan, take a picture and leave for the other place.
This works well for those en route to Pakistan or Nigeria. Don’t see the time as simply a graceless part of the journey, but use it to your advantage. Turn one long-haul round trip into one of your annual holidays. Now you don’t have to save up those precious days off work, now do you?
Check in at a family-friendly hotel where you can get to and from the airport and around town with minimum hassle. Take it easy on day one. You’ve just landed, and even if the children have slept, they need a bit of time to shake off the grog. A relaxing bite to eat, a little meander and a dark room will do wonders for their body clock.
Those with their boarding pass to hand will have no trouble getting through the airport. Keep all your second flight information on your phone, saved as a handy collection of screenshots: boarding passes, hotel confirmation and transfer details, etc.
Long-haul comfort: What actually helps
Comfort starts before you even purchase your ticket. Wear layers, choose comfy shoes, and don’t bury essentials. Cabin temperatures can be unpredictable, so you should always have options while en route.
Don’t underestimate the power of being hydrated on a long flight. Bring an empty reusable water bottle through security and fill it up on the other side. Pack a few snacks in the event that the onboard service won’t be back around before your little one’s bedtime.
Staying limber can be important on long-haul flights. Get up, stretch and walk around the cabin if you can. When you get to where you’re going, spending time in daylight and moving again might help your body feel like it’s reached the correct time of day.
Hand luggage is at its most useful when all the objects within it have a purpose. If you keep hold of travel documents, then see if you can find a small folder to slot them all into. Pop chargers together in a tiny pouch or bag, and keep a pocket free at the top to store your headphones, tissues, a snack and any medication so that you can grab everything easily.
It’s the same if you’re setting off on a family trip. Pack favourite invisible toys and a small selection of activities, plus a limited number of nice things. A stitch in time simply means they’ll be delivered to you in a more tractable state.
Türkiye, Pakistan and Nigeria all provide good reasons to get on a long-haul flight from the UK. With a decent plan, a straightforward connection through Istanbul and a small focus on comfort, that’s part of the holiday experience rather than getting from A to B.
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