Stop over en route to Singapore from the US

[Sputnam]

We are relocating from San Francisco to Singapore in late January. I have been thinking about a stop over somewhere in the South Pacific that will break our trip up into two shorter flights. We have a 2 year old and a 7 year old, both of whom have a hard time sitting still for long. I am dreading the 20 hour flight. Has anyone done this before? We could probobly spend 4 days at the stop over and make a vacation out of it. I was thinking Hawaii, but open to suggestions. Does anyone have any advice or experience?

Thanks!

[sundaymorningstaple]

I've traveled back & forth from Singapore to Maryland a number of times with young children over the past 30 years from 3 months old through to adult hood (I've been over here 30 years). Never had a problem with the long flights. Today, what with inflight entertainment, computer games, iCrap, and whatnot, there is plenty to keep 'em occupied. In fact, they will weather the flight better than you will. We've never "broken" a journey unless you consider a stopover in Hong Kong (which is actually the same time zone as Singapore - and we only did that one time to see a relative for a day or two).

[zzm9980]

We are relocating from San Francisco to Singapore in late January. I have been thinking about a stop over somewhere in the South Pacific that will break our trip up into two shorter flights. We have a 2 year old and a 7 year old, both of whom have a hard time sitting still for long. I am dreading the 20 hour flight. Has anyone done this before? We could probobly spend 4 days at the stop over and make a vacation out of it. I was thinking Hawaii, but open to suggestions. Does anyone have any advice or experience?

Thanks!

Hawaii may look 'on the way', but it won't be due to the way the airlines that fly SFO-SIN route. Even then, it is only four hours from SFO, you'll still have at least another 12 hours (and a change or two) on the way to SIN. The only reasonable options for most routes (without buying a second full set of tickets) from SFO would be Tokyo, Hong Kong, or Seoul. Hong Kong is already pushing it since that is more than 75% of the way to Singapore.

I would say just suck it up and get the flight over with. Save the money for cheap vacations in the region.

[Cath C]

I fly regularly with my toddler (15 months) who also doesn't sit still, so I feel your pain!

I'm not sure about breaking up the flight and the best place might depend partly on the airline that you fly. I've found that if I take a flight that starts at night, the toddler sleeps for a big chunk of the flight and then wakes up happy and I spend the rest of the time reading books to her, giving her snacks and following her while she runs up and down the aisles! Maybe this would work for your little one?

[offshoreoildude]

You could consider Auckland (New Zealand). I am not sure if Air NZ fly out of SFO but they do out of LA.

LA - Auckland - Singapore.

13 hr for the first leg, 11 for the second.

[nakatago]

Narita is a pretty common stopover for most flights from what I gather.