A Magical Family Christmas in Munich

We had been talking about taking the kids to the German Christmas markets for years. When our twins finally turned eight, we decided it was the perfect time. However, the logistics of dragging two young kids on a transatlantic red-eye from Chicago to Munich were giving me anxiety just thinking about it.

Amy and I knew that if we flew economy, we'd all arrive exhausted, cranky, and in no mood to enjoy our first few days. But pricing out four Business Class tickets directly through the airlines during the peak holiday season yielded numbers that were completely out of our budget. We were about to pull the plug on the trip when a neighbor recommended CEOFLIGHTS.

I filled out a request online and was matched with an agent named David. I explained our situation—we needed to keep costs down, but we really wanted the kids to be able to sleep on the flight over. David was fantastic. He was patient, answered all my questions, and got to work right away.

When David called back with the itinerary, I was floored. He managed to secure four seats on a direct Lufthansa flight out of ORD, keeping us all in the same section. The best part? He saved us a total of $6,400 across the four tickets. It was a massive chunk of change that we immediately reallocated to nicer hotels and extra excursions in Bavaria.

The kids' reactions when we boarded the plane were priceless. They couldn't believe they each had their own 'pod' with a giant television and a seat that turned into a bed. The Lufthansa flight attendants were incredibly sweet with them, bringing them little amenity kits and hot towels.

Dinner service was a highlight. Even the kids' meals were served on real china with actual silverware, which they thought was the fanciest thing ever. After dinner, they reclined their seats flat, snuggled into their blankets, and were fast asleep within twenty minutes. Amy and I actually got to enjoy a quiet glass of Riesling together while watching a movie. It was the most relaxing flight of my life.

Seeing my kids wake up completely refreshed and excited as we descended over the snow-covered Bavarian Alps made every penny we spent worth it.

The only downside to the travel day didn't have anything to do with the flight itself. When we landed, the Munich airport was insanely crowded due to the holiday rush. Navigating passport control with the kids took much longer than we expected, and it was a bit chaotic getting our luggage.

But once we were out of the airport and breathing in the crisp winter air, the stress vanished. Within hours, we were standing in Marienplatz, mugs of hot chocolate in hand, marveling at the Christmas lights. Starting the trip rested and happy made all the difference in the world.