UK parents are taking their children abroad at an ever younger age, new research shows.
As many as 43% have been on their first flight by the age of one, according to the study by Emirates.
By the time they reach school age, one in five children (20%) will have travelled to five or more different countries.
This ‘jet set generation’ is taking to the skies at a much younger age than their parents who first flew at an average of ten years old.
Parents say the main reasons they want to travel with their children is to create new memories as a family (77%), to spend quality time together (68%) and to encourage them to be more curious about the world (53%).
More than half of parents post family holiday snaps on social media to share their experiences with friends and family back home while more than one in ten (14%) share them to show-off their children’s milestone moments.
Looking back on their own family holidays, favourite memories for parents include playing with their siblings in the hotel swimming pool (29%), getting up early to travel to the airport (28%) and being allowed to stay up late for family dinners (23%).
Parents generally want to share special holiday moments with the rest of the family, with most saying they would like their children’s grandparents to travel with them (56%).
Almost a third would choose to go away with their siblings (32%) and more than a quarter (26%) with family friends.
However, one in five (22%) confess a big draw is the free babysitting, 21% admit it is to split the costs and 14% like a hand with the cooking.
Emirates has teamed up with author, actor and mother Giovanna Fletcher to create a limited edition series of family holiday milestone cards to bring to life parents’ most anticipated moments.
She said: “With baby number three almost here, I’ve been thinking about all those special milestones moments that are in store. I’ve seen so many lovely pics on social media of the cute cards marking first teeth, first steps and first day at school that I wanted to try that but do something a little different.
“That’s why I’m delighted to have partnered with Emirates to create a set of family holiday milestone cards that celebrate everything from first flight to first splash in the sea. I can’t wait to try them out on our first holiday as a family of five in a few months’ time.”