Kiki & Ollie
We took our first flight as a family when Oliver was 3 months old, and our longest flight, when he was 8 months old, was from LAX to Cape Town, South Africa—about 30+ hours of travel!
First Flight: 3 Months Old (3 hr flight)
Longest Flight: 8 Months Old (26+ hrs in flight)
Taxi Cab Confession: Even after traveling to 70+ countries, often solo, I have never been more nervous about a trip than I was the first time I flew with my baby.
If you’re a fan of adventure and are new to having a little one in tow, know that traveling with a baby can be easier than you might think.
We took our first flight with Oliver when he was 3 months old—a short, direct flight from San Diego to Denver, and I packed FOUR!!! checked suitcases for a 3-day trip.
More on why you should do as I say and not as I do later in this post.
We now have a few countries, countless flights, and some mega long-haul journies (28+ hours in flight to South Africa) under our belts.
I’ve compiled ALL of my tried-and-true tips (along with some reader recommendations) to make your family’s travels as smooth as a piña colada on a tropical beach.
Word on the street is you’ll be back to enjoying a relaxing beach vacation again when your kiddo is 5 or 6. Or maybe they said 10?
*insert melting face emoji here*
Until then, buckle up (or should I say, buckle them up), and let’s break down everything you need to know when flying with your baby!
(PS If you’re flying with a toddler for the first time, check out my Ultimate Guide to Flying with a Toddler!)
What to Carry-On
I’ll share more detailed information throughout the post, but here’s a quick look at everything we carry on with our little one.
- Diaper bag for diapers, wipes, bottles, formula/snacks, pacifiers, a few outfit changes, white noise machine, etc.
- Baby carrier for wearing baby through security and contact naps
- NOTE: You will have to fold up your travel stroller if you bring it through security, so plan to put the baby in a carrier so you have both hands free. You can walk through security while wearing the baby.
- Travel-Stroller (you may opt to check this at your gate or bring it as your carry-on allowance)
- NOTE: I always opt to carry on our travel stroller when flying internationally. Domestically, if you gate-check a stroller, it will be waiting for you at the airplane door when you deplane. However, on more than one international flight, we gate-checked our stroller and had to collect it at baggage claim. So, we were stuck lugging everything + baby through the airport.
- Car seat (we don’t always bring a car seat, so this is trip-dependent, but you have the option to gate check, use in a seat, or check).
- NOTE: Every U.S. airline allows you to check a car seat free of charge. You can check it with your luggage and claim it at luggage claim. Or “gate check” it and leave it right before boarding the plane. You will then retrieve it immediately upon deplaning. International flights may have different policies, so be sure to check with the airline.
- Pack anything important or irreplaceable in your carry-on—checked bags are getting lost and delayed now more than ever! What you carry on will vary from family to family, but we always carried ALL of our formula when Oliver was an infant, and we still carry on our Slumberpod (because I don’t think we’d survive a trip without it).
Helpful Tip:
As Oliver has gotten older, we try to “carry on only” what we absolutely need for the flight (and those irreplaceable items we can’t risk losing). I much prefer to check as much as possible.
Carrying on a ton of bags while holding a baby and trying to get situated on the plane while people impatiently wait to board behind you is the worst!
Quick Tips for Flying with Formula
I always chose to travel with however much formula we’d need for a trip, but we’ve also taken 6-week trips where packing 15+ cans of formula got a little crazy.
That said, I ALWAYS carry anything valuable, important, or irreplaceable onto the plane with me. This includes medications, jewelry, expensive electronics, and baby formula.
You are allowed to bring opened/unopened cans of formula and water for your infant. However, you will likely be stopped by TSA agents to inspect the formula and water. They have never required me to open sealed cans of formula. They typically hold a little paper over the water bottle to test the vapors.
- Bring as many bottles as you need for each feed of your travels—you don’t want to wash or sterilize on a plane or in a car.
- I loved these formula containers for traveling with pre-measured powder—it can be a little tricky to scoop, measure, and balance a bottle of water on an airplane while holding your baby.
- The Baby’s Brew portable bottle warmer is an absolute godsend and can also be used for warming expressed breast milk. Be sure to order the correct adapters for your preferred bottles. Also, practice with it at home before your trip so you know how to adjust the temperature!
- We splurged on the LARQ Bottle PureVis™, a purifying insulated water bottle for traveling with warm water. It keeps water warm for 12 hours, and the light cleans the bottle and purifies the water. The best part is that you can continue to use it for cold and hot water forever—not just baby bottles.
- Carry on a large-capacity portable power bank to recharge baby stuff like white noise machines, your portable bottle warmer, etc.
Traveling with Breast Pumps and/or Expressed Milk
Breast pumps are typically allowed in addition to your carry-on allowance. You may also bring breast milk and cooler packs in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters onto the plane in your carry-on or cooler bag.
Carry-On vs Checked Bag Allowance
ALWAYS check the allowances for the airline you’re flying with because I’ve found that every airline has a different policy.
- Lap Infants Flying Domestically in the USA: Infants are usually allowed 1 stroller and 1 car seat to be checked free of charge. You can generally bring 1 of these items to gate check. You do not get a checked bag allowance for the infant. You typically also get to bring a diaper bag in addition to your carry-on allowance.
- Lap Infants Flying Internationally To/From the USA: In addition to the above, your airline may let you check 1 bag for the infant at the same rate as the adult’s first checked bag or for free. Oftentimes, this is not the case, and you will need to pay to check an extra bag for a lap infant.
- Seat for Child Under 2: Most airlines offer 1 stroller and 1 car seat to be checked for any child under 2 regardless of whether they are a lap infant or have their own seat. You may bring an FAA-approved car seat for use in their seat—this does not count as a personal item. The same allowance for a diaper bag usually applies. And, with a purchased seat, your child would also have the same carry-on and checked bag allowance as an adult ticket.
IMPORTANT:
When booking your flight, specify that the child is under 2 in order to check a stroller and car seat free of charge. Call the airline if needed!
We accidentally booked Oliver a seat as a “child” on an international flight from Italy back to the USA when he was 10 months old, not realizing we needed to specify that he was under 2.
When we got to the check-in counter, it was a huge ordeal to change his seat. We almost had to pay for oversized luggage for the car seat, and we nearly missed our flight.
Whenever you travel with the option to check a car seat, always pack it in a big car seat bag. You can stuff as much as you can fit inside the bag with the car seat. We’re talking diapers, wipes, toys, blankets. We even managed to fit a Baby Bjorn bouncer chair in the bag with the car seat! We’ve flown over 20 flights now with zero issues—they never weigh it or check inside the bag.
When to Choose Lap Infant vs Own Seat
Lap Infants:
If your child is under 2, they can fly in your lap as a “lap infant.” Some airlines charge a % of the adult airfare for this; some allow the child to fly for free.
Biggest Pro: Free or, at most, a % of adult fare. It is easiest when babies are very young and can get more difficult as they get older.
Biggest Con: On long-haul flights, it can be torture to hold an infant exclusively. As they get bigger and more active, you might not be able to sleep/rest yourself, and they might can be VERY wiggly.
Seat for Child Under 2:
You can purchase a seat for a child under 2. And there are a few reasons you might consider it. Once Oliver started crawling (around 8 months), we started booking him a seat on long-haul flights and never looked back.
It was simply way less painful to have him in a car seat, restrained, than trying to hold a wiggly baby comfortably for hours on end.
Biggest Pro: Flying with a baby in a car seat, in their own seat, is technically the safest way for them to fly. It keeps the baby restrained, and for some babies, it is a familiar and comfortable seat that they can easily relax and nap in.
Biggest Con: Cost is the most significant factor; free or discounted is way more appealing than paying full price for a very young baby you will most likely hold the entire flight.
This is a great example of YOU knowing what’s best for YOUR child and nobody else. I mention these scenarios so you can consider them!
Airplant Seat & Bassinet Essentials
We find that every type of flight has a different “perfect” solution for our family. Oliver hates napping on the go, so depending on the departure time and length of the flight, we either opt for a car seat or the Flyaway Bed.
A car seat tends to work best for us because it’s familiar and comfortable for short flights. That said, they aren’t recommended for long periods of use. Most infant car seats are FAA-approved, so you can bring them on a flight. Once they need a convertible car seat, I recommend the Scenera NEXT—cheap, lightweight, and FAA-approved.
The comfiest “sleep” solution we have found is the Flyaway Kids Bed! It folds up small and provides a fully cushioned mattress for your little one to sit, sleep, and play in their airplane seat. We use this anytime we fly “overnight” or on long-haul flights where we know Oliver will be tired enough to sleep.
This Cozigo sleep & sun protection cover works for just about everything. It’s specific to a bassinet, but it also works as a stroller blackout cover or cover for any airline cot. It was an absolute essential for us when it comes to making sure Oliver wasn’t awoken by any lights or movement on the plane.
How can I book a bassinet for my lap infant?
Bassinet seats are available at no additional cost and are typically identified by a stroller/pram icon. These seats can be booked by ANYONE, even those without children, so you aren’t guaranteed a bassinet. It’s always recommended to call the airline to notify them that you are requesting a bassinet for the flight. Some airlines also offer bassinet business class seats, like Qatar Q Suites, which we were so grateful to experience!
Best Seats When Flying with Babies
Bulkhead:
These are the front rows of seats directly behind walls and can be located in multiple plane sections. These are the economy seats where bassinets are located.
- Pros: Extra legroom, space for babies to play on the floor
- Cons: Trays and screens are usually tucked away and somewhat cumbersome. You must keep the aisle clear and have all bags in the overhead bin for takeoff and landing. Sometimes, these seats are close to service stations and bathrooms; they can become loud, and other passengers often stand in your space like it’s a waiting area.
Center Row:
Some planes have a 3x3x3 seating arrangement with two aisle seats and one middle seat.
- Pros: Both parents can have aisle access with the baby in the middle. As much as I love a window seat, I don’t LOVE the layout when traveling with a baby. Suppose you bring a car seat or approved sleep product like an inflatable mattress onboard. In that case, they must be seated in the window seat, meaning one parent is stuck in the middle seat as the sole entertainer and caretaker for the baby the entire flight.
- Cons: Really, only if you NEED a plane window (for anxiety) or if you’re traveling with a child without a car seat that sits independently and prefers the window seat.
Our holy trinity when flying economy is the bulkhead center row (as pictured above)! It offers the MOST space, with aisle and baby access for both parents!
Travel Snacks for Babies
If you’ve started solids, be sure to have some familiar snacks on hand. Some of our favorite snacks during his infant months were pouches, puffs, and freeze-dried fruit.
Check out the post below for tons of travel snack ideas!
Toddler-Approved Travel Snacks
It can be hard to find healthy, mess-free snacks for travel. Check out our favorite travel-friendly snacks your toddler will love!
According to TSA, formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (to include puree pouches) are considered medically necessary liquids and are NOT LIMITED like other liquids. This applies to flights to/from the USA but might not if you fly within another country.
Suction Spinners
Soft Books
Infant In-Flight Entertainment
I’ll admit that flights with baby Oliver were often easier than in his current toddler era. But there’s also not a whole lot you can do to entertain an infant.
For that reason, sometimes, babies are actually more “work.”
We didn’t travel with many toys until Oliver was a toddler. I’d say the 8 to 12-month stage was the most challenging — he had started crawling and ONLY wanted to move his body and peek-a-boo with other passengers, lol.
It’s best to accept that you will likely be holding, bouncing, and personally entertaining a baby until they are a bit older and preparing for that experience on a long-haul flight.
That said, some of our favorite toys to bring on a flight for a baby are:
- Soft Books
- Chatbooks Minis– print your own photos in a baby-proof mini-book
- Pull String Activity Toy
- Suction Spinners – attaches to window, seat screen, and tray
- Teethers
- Finger Puppets
Check out the post below for more travel toy ideas!
Travel-Friendly Toddler Toys
Finding the best travel toys for a toddler can be challenging. Here are some tried-and-true toys that your child will love!
We often visit our local Dollar Store to grab a few “surprise” items before a flight. For optimum interest, don’t share new toys or items until the flight! When things start getting rough on the flight, pull out a never-before-seen toy. This works nine times out of ten. I’ve always been surprised with how much selection these stores have—from stuffed animals to books to stickers.
Timing is Everything
This gets more complicated as your little one gets older. Oftentimes, it’s easiest to coordinate your flight schedule with a nap or bedtime. If possible, book flights during your child’s usual sleep hours.
A sleeping baby is a happy baby, and you might even catch some Zs yourself!
Pack Your Baby’s Comfort Items
Pack a familiar and comfy blanket from home to create a sense of comfort and routine for your little one. And, if your baby has an attachment to a lovey or stuffy, be sure to pack it (and a backup, just in case).
Bonus: blankets make for a great game of peek-a-boo!
I love this shawl. It is perfect for covering a baby while breastfeeding, in a carrier while napping, or over a stroller or car seat on a flight or at your destination.
Pack a Change (or 3) of Clothes and Pajamas
Dress your little ones in layers for the flight. Airplane temperatures can be unpredictable, and having the flexibility to add or remove clothing ensures your child stays comfortable throughout the journey.
You can also expect a few spills or a blowout, so be prepared with a few changes of comfy, breathable clothes.
Embrace the Chaos
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, chaos ensues. Embrace it. Fellow passengers are more understanding than you think; a smile or a friendly gesture can go a long way.
Remember, you’re creating memories – even the messy ones!
Celebrate the Victories
Flying with little ones is no small feat. Celebrate every successful landing, each giggle, and the fact that you’re creating a world of adventure for your child. After all, the journey is just as important as the destination.
So there you have it, jet-setters – my top tips for conquering the skies with your littlest travel companion. May your flights be smooth, your adventures be epic, and your family travel memories be absolutely unforgettable. Bon voyage! ✈️
