Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house these days tends to be a longer haul for families who have to fly to see relatives. So what's a family to do when the inevitable happens on one of those trips? Being stranded in an airport during an extra-long layover or waiting for a delayed flight can easily qualify as one of the circles of hell for parents traveling with kids. The first way to avoid the situation altogether is to book only nonstop flights. No stops means a better chance of arriving on time, not having to navigate an unfamiliar airport and overall reduced travel time. Another bit of research to do before you book is to check the on-time rate of your chosen airline, flight and layover airport, if applicable. Many travel search engines like Expedia and Travelocity can tell you what the on-time records of your particular flights and airport(s) are. Flightstats.com can give you the same information about on-time performance ratings. Once you've found the speediest way of traveling, then begin to pack for adverse conditions. Plan for the worst, but don't over-pack.