Parents pay £336 just to keep kids entertained on the plane

• Nearly all (98%) parents have bought their children items to keep them amused on their holiday travels¹

• Clearpay reports rise in sales of children’s ride-on suitcases and character headphones in the lead up to the summer holidays²

• Parents willing to pay hundreds of pounds to get some peace and quiet (41%) and to avoid tantrums while travelling (35%)

DISTRIBUTED-WORK-MODEL/LONDON, 14 July 2025 – Forget crossword books and crayons. A new generation of UK parents are redefining the family travel checklist, as mums and dads are now spending up to £336³ per child on travel essentials designed to keep kids entertained while on the move.

New research from Clearpay, a leader in Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), found nearly all (98%) of parents have bought items in the past year to help make travelling with their children easier. And it’s not just tech that’s a priority for parents. Popular travel items include speciality kids’ luggage (£35), travel-friendly toys (£26) and travel pillows or cushions (£23).  

Clearpay data also shows a significant rise in travel items designed specifically for children. Figures from the latest quarter’s data shows a 267% boom in sales of kids’ ride-on suitcases, a 100% rise in character headphones, a 48% boost in travel snack boxes and a 33% increase in water wow books. The data highlights the investment that parents are prepared to make to keep their children happy while travelling, as many cite wanting to avoid tantrums (35%) and get some peace and quiet (41%).  

Parents are not only spending to create a more peaceful trip either. Nearly a third (32%) say their children actively ask for travel items and more than one in seven (15%) plan to make social media content featuring the items they have bought.

Due to the cost of children’s travel gear, more than three quarters (79%) of parents said buying these items has impacted their regular household spending. More than half (54%) save up in advance to purchase these new travel essentials and 32% cut back on other spending to be able to afford these items, reflecting how integral they are for a happy holiday.

Parents are also choosing new ways to pay as one in seven (14%) choose to use Buy Now, Pay Later products. Two thirds (66%) said it allowed them to spread the cost in a way that felt manageable, particularly when investing in bigger-ticket items like tech and luggage.

Rich Bayer, UK Country Manager at Clearpay, commented: “Anyone who’s travelled with children knows the value of keeping them happy en route – and parents are investing in everything from noise-cancelling headphones to snack packs to make the journey smoother. These items have become essential purchases for many parents before they head off on well-earned breaks. Holiday spending can add up, so setting a budget for the different elements of a trip can help ensure that you’re spending what you can afford.”

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1. Clearpay commissioned OnePoll to conduct a survey of 2000 UK parents who have a child under the age of 18, who have been abroad in the past 12 months. The research was carried out between 16th – 24th June 2025.  OnePoll is a MRS Company Partner. 
2. Based on Clearpay sales data comparing sales from December 17th 2024 – March 17th 2025 with March 17th 2025 – June 17th 2025′
3. Average spend per travel item by parents, per child: Kids luggage: £34.91 + Headphones: £30.83 + Tablets or portable gaming devices: £42.37 + Travel-friendly toys: £26.18 + Books: £22.40 +Snack packs or containers: £24.29 + Drinks bottle: £19.37 + Travel pillow or cushion: £23.41 + Portable chargers and tech accessories: £26.00 + Downloadable content: £21.00, + Activity books or colouring supplies: £20.76 + Card games: £21.27 + Travel apps or child-friendly maps: £22.06 = £335.85

About Clearpay 

Clearpay is transforming the way we pay by allowing anyone to buy products immediately and pay over time – enabling simple, transparent, and responsible spending. We are on a mission to power an economy in which everyone wins. Clearpay is known as Afterpay outside the UK and is available in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. It is offered by thousands of the world’s favourite retailers and used by millions of active global customers. Clearpay is a wholly owned subsidiary of Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ).

Five facts about Clearpay: 

• The service is completely free for customers who pay on time
• If a customer misses a payment, their account is paused so that they cannot accrue more debt or fall into revolving debt
• Capped late fees apply for late payment instalments
• Globally, 90% of Clearpay transactions are paid for with a debit card 
• Globally, 96% of instalments were paid on time in 2024