Family travel is having a moment, and airlines are taking notice. With 92% of parents planning to travel with their children this year, the highest intention level since before the pandemic, carriers are looking for ways to make the experience better for every passenger on board, including the youngest ones. Southwest Airlines just made a move that answers the question parents dread most at 30,000 feet: Now what do we do?
ABCmouse takes off on Southwest
Southwest has partnered with ABCmouse, the most downloaded kids’ education app in the country, to bring curriculum-based video content to its in-flight WiFi portal on select domestic flights through Dec. 31, 2026. The partnership puts eight educational video episodes directly into the entertainment portal, covering topics including world animals, natural wonders, fossils, mountain ranges and alphabet exploration. Titles range from “World of Water” and “Mountain Ranges” to “Let’s Go to the Zoo” and “Alphabet Show & Tell.”
Flight attendants will also distribute ABCmouse-branded activity booklets and crayons to families with young children on select flights, while supplies last, giving kids something tactile to work with before the screens even come out.
Screen time parents can actually feel good about
The appeal here isn’t just keeping kids busy. ABCmouse delivers a standards-aligned curriculum for children ages 2 to 8, covering literacy, math, science, the arts and critical thinking through more than 13,000 games, activities, books and videos. More than 40 million families use the platform, and research from Age of Learning shows the app doubles early learning gains in reading and math for pre-K children who use it regularly.
“Partnering with Southwest Airlines to bring ABCmouse onboard means keeping curious young minds engaged and learning through quality education right at their fingertips,” said Alex Galvagni, CEO of Age of Learning, the company behind ABCmouse. “For us, this partnership is about more than a flight. It’s about showing up for families in meaningful ways.”
A free trial, too
Families connecting to Southwest’s in-flight WiFi will find ABCmouse on the Special Offers page and within the Rapid Rewards members portal, with a link to an exclusive six-week free trial. Parents already using the app get more mileage from a subscription they’re already paying for. Those new to ABCmouse get a low-stakes way to try it at a moment when they need it most.
“We are committed to providing a great travel experience for families, and partnering with ABCmouse delivers on that promise,” said Lisa Hingson, vice president of customer experience and innovation at Southwest Airlines. “ABCmouse brings high-quality educational content onboard, giving kids an engaging way to keep learning while on the go.”
With family travel intent at its highest level in years and parents increasingly looking for experiences that do double duty, in-flight educational content looks less like a perk and more like a baseline expectation. Southwest just set the bar.
Jennifer Allen is a retired chef turned traveler, cookbook author and nationally syndicated journalist; she’s also a co-founder of Food Drink Life, where she shares expert travel tips, cruise insights and luxury destination guides. A recognized cruise expert with a deep passion for high-end experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations, Jennifer explores the world with curiosity, depth and a storyteller’s perspective. Her articles are regularly featured on the Associated Press Wire, The Washington Post, Seattle Times, MSN and more.