Flying with babies and toddlers can be intimidating and overwhelming, but we’ve compiled a list of some key tips for stress-free flying with your little ones. Unpredictable behavior is often the name of the game when flying with babies and toddlers, but a strategic approach can definitely have you flying the friendly skies with ease and confidence!
Preparation, as well as a good amount of flexibility, is essential when traveling with little ones. Plan ahead, but prepare to make minor adjustments if necessary. Now let’s get you ready to handle your next flight like a seasoned pro!
1. Plan your travels well in advance to prepare baby.
Before you even embark on your travels, begin to pre-plan a few things to ensure a smoother transition upon arrival. If you are traveling to a different time zone, begin to adjust nap times by small increments in the week or so leading up to your travels. This will help keep babies and toddlers on schedule and have them more or less on their usual schedule once you have arrived at your destination.
2. Travel smart for a more stress-free flying experience.
When booking flights, be conscientious of flight times that will be the least disruptive to your children’s schedule. If you are booking a short flight, try to schedule it around nap time so that baby sleeps through the majority of the flight…fingers crossed! In the same vein, if you are flying with babies internationally, perhaps booking a red-eye flight will be beneficial. Cabins are dark, noise is reduced, and babies and toddlers can get a more restful night’s sleep.
3. Book ahead to get good seats.
It’s a good rule of thumb to book ahead if you know your travel dates. This will allow you to have your choice of seats that will best suit your family. When flying with babies and toddlers there’s often more to consider than the personal preference of aisle versus window seats. These days you will probably have to pay an added fee for your seat selection, but it sure beats waiting until check-in and possibly not being seated together as a family.
On long flights, the bulkhead seats are a great option, as there are often bassinets provided for baby to sleep in comfortably. Bulkhead seats also allow more legroom for the adults, as well as the fact that there won’t be passenger seats in front of you reclining and encroaching on your personal space. These seats are usually held specifically for families and are generally given out on a first-come, first-serve basis, which brings us to the next tip: arrive at the airport early!
4. Arrive at the airport early.
An early arrival definitely ups your odds of getting the bulkhead seats, if that’s your preference, and helps prepare everyone for a stress-free flying experience. Simply request them at check-in and the airline will usually do their best to accommodate families traveling with infants. Another perk to an early arrival is that you won’t be scrambling through the airport frazzled and frenzied, with kids in tow. There will always be a diaper that needs changing or a toddler potty break that will slow you down. This is not the time or place to be running late.
5. Use the airport restroom prior to boarding.
As much as we all love the challenge of maneuvering in those teeny tiny lavatories on the airplane, it’s not exactly the easiest place to change a dirty diaper. If possible, try to avoid that scenario at all costs. Ideally, you want to board the plane with a dry diapered child. Therefore, be sure to hit up the airport bathroom one last time before heading down the jetway.
While you’re there, you may want to double up on the diaper cream and put your baby into not one, but two diapers for extra leak protection. If traveling with a toddler who’s potty training, then of course you’ll want one last potty break, too.
A pre-plane bathroom visit means one less trip to the tiny airplane lavatory. This leads to less work in the air for mom or dad and less inconvenience for those seated nearby. Plus, you never know how long the “keep seatbelt fastened sign” will be illuminated.
6. Bring a car seat travel trolley!
If you are taking a long flight, you may be wondering how your child is going to sleep in their seat on a plane without their car seat. If your child naps well in their car seat, this is a valid question and it may be wise to bring that car seat on the plane for them. After all, the safest way for a child to travel is sitting in their own car seat.
Car seat trolleys lessen the inconvenience of transporting a car seat with an easy maneuver wheeled dolly. Easily stroll around the airport with a child in tow. You won’t need to lug around a heavy stroller, and you won’t have to worry about carrying an even heavier child.
Strap the convertible car seat to the trolley, buckle the child into their car seat, and stroll through the airport with ease. Many compact design trolleys easily fit under your seat, or in the overhead compartment. The benefit of traveling with the car seat this way is that you convert that car seat into a stroller and can use it throughout your trip. You also don’t have to worry about transportation in a taxi or rental car because you will have your own trusty car seat on hand.
Before making this your plan for travel, double-check that your existing car seat is FAA certified. The car seat trolley only makes sense to use as long as you are planning to use your car seat on the plane. You can find the FAA certification sticker located on the side of your car seat.
7. Pack light for stress-free flying with babies.
Breeze through TSA like a pro by keeping baggage and bulky gear to a minimum. The last thing you want is to be wrangling with a misbehaving stroller that won’t fold, with an army of impatient travelers behind you in line! Consider wearing baby in a sling or baby carrier and renting a stroller once you reach your destination. Baby gear rental companies such as BabyQuip not only rent a variety of strollers for travelers, but they also rent car seats. If you opt to leave your bulky car seat at home, you can have one waiting for you upon landing or at your destination instead.
8. Be informed about TSA rules & regulations.
You want to be aware of the rules and restrictions for flying with formula, breast milk and liquids before arriving at the security checkpoint. According to the TSA website, formula, breast milk and juice are allowed in reasonable quantities in carry-on bags, however, you will be asked to remove these items to be screened separately from the rest of your belongings. For a more detailed list of what’s allowed check here.
Related:
- Airline Rules for Flying with Baby on American, United, Delta & Southwest
- Best Travel Snacks for Babies & Toddlers
- BabyQuip Baby Gear Rentals: How to Get Started
9. When flying with babies or small children, board the airplane last.
This might be a confusing tip as most families have been conditioned to take advantage of the early boarding option. However, many parents are choosing to forgo the courtesy early priority boarding for families, and opting to board last, or at least wait it out a bit. Although at first glance it seems like a nice perk to be the first to board the flight and get the kids all settled in, this isn’t always the best decision.
The increasingly popular theory is to let kids blow off the last bit of extra steam in the departure lounge as it can take up to 30 minutes for a full flight to board. This means that if you and your family are the first to board, that’s an additional 30 minutes. Your little ones will most likely get antsy and restless in their seats before you’re even in the air.
10. Keep baby busy on flights.
This advice actually applies to little travelers! If they keep busy the adults can have a few moments of reprieve. Make sure tablets and iPads are fully charged and loaded with age-appropriate shows and games. Don’t rely solely on the technology though. Bring other forms of entertainment too! Keep kiddos occupied with snacks, coloring books and small puzzles that can be put together on the tray table. Also, consider packing small toys they haven’t seen before. Let the novelty of their new treasure hold their attention for a while!
11. Snacks
I know we mentioned snacks briefly above, but snacks deserve their own category and cannot be glossed over. Bring SO many snacks. Snacks for you, snacks for your partner, snacks for your kids…and then more snacks for your kids.
Flying with babies requires many snack options. You never know if your flight may be delayed or if you’ll be able to find kid-friendly snack options at the airport. Or maybe someone spills all their cheerios on the airplane! Let’s be honest, the likelihood of spilling is very high. Be prepared with extra snack options. Refrain from sugary snacks that will lead to a sugar crash and a crying baby. Pack healthy snack options that won’t hype up your baby.
12. Lovies
Does your little one sleep with a special lovey, like a blanket, stuffed animal, or pacifier? Do not neglect to have this item handy during your flight. Be sure to have these items onboard in your carry-on bag for easy access during the flight. It would be awful to pack everything your little one needs, only to have it stowed away in your checked bag where you can’t get to it.
13. Sky Squad
Wish you had someone to help you with luggage, kids and just getting through the airport in general? Now you can find the assistance you need when flying with babies with Sky Squad!
Your personal airport assistant will carry bags and help with navigation all the way through the airport. Relax and smile knowing you have an extra set of hands!
SkySquad offers support for families departing, on layovers, or upon arrival. They are the extra set of hands you’ve always dreamed of at the airport, especially when flying with babies. For $49/hour, you can choose one of the three options:
- The Jetsetter: Departures
- The Welcome Crew: Arrivals
- Halftime Help: Layovers, or additional services like more hours, additional bags, or car rental meetup.
These attendants will help you from your car door to ticketing, through security, to your plane door.
14. Prepare baby’s ears for take-off with something to soothe pressure.
This tip actually applies to both take-off and landing. Little one’s ears are extra sensitive, and the pressure in the cabin during takeoff and landing is often painful. Be ready to nurse or bottle-feed infants during the ascent and the descent, or provide them with a pacifier. The sucking motion will help lessen the pressure in their ears. Consider offering toddlers a sippy cup filled with water to alleviate the pain, and perhaps a lollipop for young children. Not only will this help their ears but it will also put a smile on their face and give you a stress-free experience flying with babies. Who doesn’t want that after a long flight!
Jennifer O’Neill is an Independent Quality Provider with BabyQuip, helping families travel lighter and happier. She is a mother of two boys and enjoys working out, spending time with family and friends and of course, traveling.
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