Air travel tips for flying with a baby or toddler!
I had a very unique arrangement that had me traveling every 5 weeks through my child’s younger years. I was also a single parent navigating travel. I have a lot of tips and tricks to make traveling with an infant a bit easier.
Somewhere between Seattle and Saint Louis.
Before booking/Days before the flight
When booking a flight with an infant or small child, consider how many seats you will need. Sure, you can put your infant on your lap, but then your child will assume it's like home, and you can walk around and play. If you can afford an extra seat, I think this is a game changer. You have to ensure your car seat is airport-approved, but when your child is in a car seat, they treat the plane like a car. Making it, in my opinion, much easier. You can still take your child out of the car seat for feeding and stretches, but it's much safer for take-off and landings as well.
The chance of the airport breaking your stroller is high. They broke my Orbit baby stroller, and I will never forgive them. Just pack it up and check it. It will be safer and in one piece when you get to your destination. Have a stroller that you do not mind something happening to, or you can get wheels for your car seat and just use that at the airport. Search Amazon or wherever you shop for wheel attachments for the car seat at the airport.
The days before your flight, download shows to watch with no internet for the plane ride.
If your child has a favorite toy that is electronic and too loud for the plane, I have had parents videotape it and then play that video over and over. Anything to keep your child entertained.
Prepare or start to think about forming a carry-on “toy bag.” It will be full of books and toys the child has never before seen, and this will become the plane bag of toys.
Packing
Research your destination and see if there are laundry services. If you are visiting family, ask them if they have a washer you can use and if they are okay with it. This will instantly cut down on the clothes you need to bring.
Always pack an extra set of clothes for everyone in the carry-on. If your clothes get lost, you have extras, or if your child makes a mess on the flight, you all have new clothes. The reasons are endless. I would put them in plastic bags or wet bags because, more than likely, the clothes you are taking off will have to go into the wet bag!
If your child is a puker, bring a puke bag. If you travel often and you come upon a puke bag and you don’t use it, save it for potential future use. This has saved me so many times, although one time, my hands cupped did do the trick. Parenthood!
If you are traveling alone, you should try to only bring one checked bag, one carry-on, and a diaper bag. Remember you will be responsible at some point to push the stroller, get the diaper bag on the stroller, carry a car seat potentially, and then the carry-on and luggage. IT IS A LOT! People would stop and stare at me and ask if I needed help often. I would always politely decline, but just a heads up to always be prepared for the times when you must carry ALL THE THINGS. The less you have, the easier this will be.
My favorite tip is, if you can, do not even check a bag. You do not have to wait on it, and you get to get on the plane first with your child. You will get to take it with you! It is a game changer for one not to lose luggage but to get off the plane once you land and know you can get outside the airport because you are done! No waiting on a bag! Some parents prefer to check all their luggage and walk with nothing; this is your preference!
If you are going somewhere hot, pack a sweater and a pair of pants for everyone just to be safe, and if you are going somewhere cold, pack a pair of shorts and a T-shirt to be safe!
Diapers: I always traveled with enough for three days to be safe and then bought them at my destination.
Formula, bring enough and bring extra! If you are staying with family and can order some and get it there before you even leave, then I would say only travel with enough for 3/5 days. If not, bring enough and then some. I would not count on other stores having your formula. It is just too risky. Especially if your child has an allergy or needs a special formula. The bonus is when the formula is gone, you then have more space for souvenirs in your bag!
Most major cities nowadays have rentable baby gear. Renting big, needed baby items for long stays is wonderful!
If you bought a seat for your child, they are entitled to all the same carry-on rules. So even if it’s an infant, they get a carry-on item with a seat purchase.
Getting to the airport
Public transportation: you will know your public transportation system best, but try to be very early so you can account for any late or not running routes!
Private services, or taxis, Lyft, and Uber. Sometimes, you can book these in advance and, if needed, ask for a car seat.
Driving and parking: Know all steps needed to get from house to airport. Like the parking part, walking to the bus or trolley that takes you over to the airport, waiting for said bus or trolley, and then the loading and unloading of all the stuff! Parking in the airport garage is usually pricey, but sometimes, with younger children, it is worth it. Knowing that when they are older, you can go back to the cheap lots.
Getting a ride, make sure you have a backup, just in case. Also, ensure your car seat will fit in their car. This happened to me all the time; my car seat did not fit in all cars. Make sure your ride knows what time you need to be at the airport, and confirm this a day in advance.
Checking in and dropping off bags
Do as much as you can online! The more you can skip here, the better.
If you need help, be prepared for a long wait to potentially happen.
While in line, label all bags being checked. Be ready to go!
Know liquid laws and what can and can’t be checked or carried on.
If you are checking a nicer stroller for the destination, do that now, as well as any car seats not being used on the plane. Such as booster seats, which are not able to be used on a plane. Check those.
If you are using a car seat on the plane, have the check-in agent okay your car seat so you do not go all the way to the plane and get denied there. Take note of their name and tell anyone who fights you that such and such told you this was okay.
If you have a lap child, let them know at check-in if you have not already. Your ticket should say lap child, lap infant, or something along those lines.
I like my tickets on my phone, but if you have physical tickets, keep them in your wallet like cash. Then they are always by your ID.
Security
Know liquid laws and what can and can’t go past this point. They are normally very strict. I once was denied applesauce pouches… they are very strict!
The stroller will have to go on the conveyor belt, and this is where it gets tricky. The stroller needs to go last as it is holding the baby/child.
You will get to go through a separate section with your child. You will not go through the metal detectors. Sometimes, they will give the children a sticker. This was always a highlight for my child, and encouraged her to focus and walk through the gate.
You will want to get your stroller off first. It will be last as you put it on last, people will be waiting on you. This is a part of the airport, and you are allowed your time just like everyone else. Load your child back into the stroller so you can put your shoes on and reload the stuff.
You made it through security! You deserve a treat.
The gate and loading
I always go to my gate first just to confirm it is correct. Check-in with them and make sure your stroller is properly tagged, and then you can get a snack or use the bathroom. Make sure you are back for the start of boarding.
When you have a small child, they allow you to get on the plane first for a reason: take advantage of it. You might need time to install your car seat or get your child cozy. Get everything where it needs to be: iPad in the seat pocket, have the toy bag under a seat with the diaper bag, and anything you might need mid-flight.
By the time you are done doing this, I am sure the plane will be loaded and ready for take-off.
This step is normally quite labor intensive, and sometimes the plane air is not on, so be prepared to be hot for this step. It is wise to have layers on for the airport.
Entertainment on the flight
The toy bag, as we spoke of before, is great entertainment! Having it stocked with toys that are rarely seen and played with.
This is the one place (with headphones) where the iPad is not only accepted, it’s requested almost. Before you fly, you can put your iPad into airplane mode to see what apps work without the internet and which ones need it. The Lego apps are free, require no internet, and are great options. Stand-alone Toca Boca* games are great, but the world requires the internet, sadly.
*The Toca Boca games were bought out by Piknik and now require a 15.99$ monthly subscription to use. I find this wild, and I have emailed them and told them so. So, sadly, Toca Boca is no longer a great option. Sorry about that.
This one may seem silly, but it takes up so much time to watch old family videos on your phone or look at pictures. Kids LOVE to do this. Even littles.
Snacks! This is a big one; I loved bringing a whole snack box of small items that would require time to eat and pick through. Like homemade Chex mixes! These snack boxes are great for taking up time on the plane and holding a variety of snacks. Snacks can change the atmosphere on a plane. Bring special things your child only gets on the plane.
Connections
If you can avoid connections until your child is older, I would encourage this. It is a lot getting on and back onto the plane.
If you have a connection, know ahead of time if you are going to eat or going right to the next gate.
If the airport has a playspace, know this ahead of time, and if your child can walk, take them there if you have the time or energy. This is so helpful for a child cooped up on a plane.
Also, take care of your needs, use the bathroom, charge your phone, get a snack, anything you need to recharge for the next leg of the flight.
Arrival
If you have someone picking you up from the airport, as soon as you land and have service, I always text and confirm they are there or close and let them know you have landed.
You might not get off with your row, as you might still be trying to gather all your stuff. If I was close enough to the back, I waited for the plane to empty before I got up, but this is all your choice. You have the right to time and space in the aisle just as anyone else.
Once off the plane, your stroller should be there waiting, but sometimes you have to wait for them to bring it to you. In the worst-case scenario, they send it to bag claim, and you have no stroller. You then have to get it from bulk luggage usually.
If you are flying a smaller airline, go get your bag claim right away. They will close and lock your luggage when they go home, and sometimes, it can be an hour after you land. This has sadly happened to me, and I learned the hard way. If your child is hungry, get something as fast as possible, do not sit to eat it, and try to catch your breath while they are locking up your precious luggage.
If something got damaged down by the bag, the claim is where you would file a claim, but do not expect it to do anything, sadly.
The Unexpected!
Prepare for all things to happen.
Your flight is delayed. If your child gets antsy, you might need to pull out your phone and look at some photos or videos of the family or read a book. Or you could go for a walk around the airport and keep checking in on the time. If you are traveling alone, walking is not as easy. It is easier to sit with the stuff and just find things to do stationary.
Your flight got canceled, and you got a hotel for the night and a rebook in the morning. It happens, it takes forever, and it’s miserable, but if you know it might happen and you plan for it, it makes it slightly better. Have all you need for one night in a check-on bag just to have it ready and not need to dig into your big luggage.
Your car seat was rejected. If they deny your car seat from going on the plane, you might have to check it. That is why I recommend getting it approved at the check-in counter.
You miss a connecting flight. I would always get on my phone immediately while walking to the service counter. This way, you can utilize whichever service is faster.
The dreaded airport meltdown. Just know that you are not alone. Everyone has been there; the airport can be overwhelming, and even for adults, there are times when we just want to sit down and cry. Airport meltdowns are inevitable. If you can, take your child to a quiet corner or space. If they will allow you to hold and hug them, just do it. If your child is on the floor screaming, just let them work it out for a moment. This happened to me once; we were coming down off a birthday high and just lost all control. She cried on the floor, and sadly, I had to let her have her moment. When I could hug her, I did, and then we got a snack and went back to our day. If I asked her about this today, she would not remember, but I can promise you I will never forget. It is worse on us than it is on them. You know your child best, so if you feel it coming on, try to get up and walk around, look at the airport art, or get some snacks. This can sometimes change the course of the meltdown.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or if you're planning a trip and would like to discuss your concerns or fears. I offer 45-minute call sessions, and we can talk about anything! I'm an expert at traveling with kids and have experience taking the Amtrak across the country as well. I'll be writing a blog soon about traveling the Amtrak with a child!
