No matter where you are adopting from, whether it is a domestic adoption or an international adoption, chances are that travel will be involved. There are some programs that allow the child to be escorted to you, but this seems to happen less and less frequently.

Here is a post I wrote last year about adoption related travel.

Traveling to get your child can be a wonderful experience, and yet it can also be a very challenging one as well. Here are some tips on preparing for your adoption travel and helping it be the smoothest and most enjoyable trip possible.

-Use a travel agent experienced with adoption related travel. There are lots of good deals to be found on websites like Expedia and Travelocity, however you typically cannot change those plans once they are paid for, and if you end up stranded or in a travel bind of one kind or another, there is no one to help you.

Adoption related travel plans can (and often do) change one or more times after you’ve booked your tickets. With our domestic adoption, while we were waiting for Marcus to be born we had several “false alarms”, and changed our plane tickets multiple times. When we were preparing to travel for Ben, our travel dates got moved (by the agency) three times. And heck, if you followed along on Belane’s adoption journey, you know how many times we changed our plane tickets home!!

A good travel agent can often get the fees/penalties for changes waived, and some are able to get discounted prices. Experienced travel agents will know how much time you need for layovers in certain airports, which airlines are most likely to lose your luggage, how to get travel insurance and if it is wise to do so for your trip, what vaccinations are mandatory to travel to certain areas, how to get your visa and lots of other helpful stuff.

I know of a few families that traveled to Ethiopia and had used an online service to book their tickets. When they had complications and had to change tickets to come home, they were forced to buy all new tickets, which cost a significant amount of money.

Weather, paperwork complications, illnesses, canceled and delayed flights all frequently alter/complicate travel plans and having someone back at home ready to help you, is a good thing.

Ask your adoption agency and other families who have adopted from the same place as you for travel agents that they recommend. When you call a travel agent, make sure you ask if they are experienced with handling travel for adoptions from “fillintheblank”.

-Pack as light as you can, but pack wisely. And remember that a well-packed carryon is as important as well-packed suitcases. You want to travel as light as you can, simply because it will make your life easier to have less stuff to schlep. However, you also want to be well prepared. Talk to other parents, your agency, etc. for packing lists, things you really need to bring and what will be available when you arrive.

For example, if you can purchase diapers and formula where you are traveling, then it is probably wise to only pack a small amount of these heavier items and buy it when you arrive.

Will the place you are staying have towels? A hairdryer? Do you have to bring your own sheets and towels? Is a stroller practical where you are going? Will you need a carseat? What type of voltage converters are needed? Knowing this stuff will help you be prepared, and help you not bring lots of things you don’t really need. I like to specifically ask other parents who recently traveled what things they brought that they couldn’t have done with out, what things they didn’t bring but wished they had and what things they brought and didn’t need or use.

I have a really good packing list that we have used for one trip to Vietnam and two trips to Ethiopia, that I will share tomorrow. We’ve modified it a little here and there for the age of child we were adopting and our destination, but it has been a great packing list for us.


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