Baby Travel Tips: How to Travel with a Baby or Toddler on a Plane

Tips for Flying with an Infant or Toddler at Every Age & Stage

If you are traveling with an infant who does not have a separate seat, bring your infant carrier and check it at the gate, not the ticket counter. Having use of the carrier in airports will make traveling easier for you and your baby. Bring your stroller and check it at the gate, not the ticket counter. Most airports require long walks to other gates, baggage claim and exits the stroller will make getting around much easier.

Also, by checking it at the gate you can have use of your stroller during any layovers. Children traveling in their own seat on the airplane may use an FAA approved child safety seat. Having your baby or toddler travel in their own car seat can make traveling more pleasant for everyone. This also applies to infant carriers. CARES makes a specially approved harness for baby air travel. If you are bringing your infant carrier or car seat on the airplane, make sure you are familiar with how to use a lap type of seat belt to secure it to the airplane seat.

All seats brought on to the airplane must be secure before takeoff. Trying figuring out how to secure it, in tight quarters, while taking care of your child, is something you definitely want to avoid. Allow plenty of time at the airport. Remember how much extra time it takes when you take your baby anywhere and apply that to your airport plans. While you are at it, ask them to place anything else that is bulky in an overhead bin. You should also ask if you can gate check your stroller just before boarding instead of at the airplane door.

This will leave your hands free to navigate your child to his seat. When you are first on and last off the airplane you can usually get additional assistance from the flight crew. Always change your baby immediately before you are ready to board. Changing a baby on an airplane is not easy and the fewer times you have to do it in flight the better.

Utilize the long walkways in the airport during layovers if you are travelling with a toddler. Supervise your child as they burn off some energy exploring the airport while you wait for your flight. Many babies and children experience pressure in their ears during flights, especially during take off and landing. Encourage your child to suck and swallow by taking a drink. This should equalize the pressure. Chewing gum or a soft piece of candy works well for older kids.

To ensure your baby will want to drink during takeoff try to avoid feeding immediately before your departure. Airplane air conditioning can cause traveling babies and young children to become dehydrated so always carry a full sippy cup and encourage your child to drink often. If you are a breastfeeding mother, be careful not to get dehydrated.

12 Tips for Air Travel with A Baby or Toddler - Babies Travel Lite

Always test the temperature of airline food if feeding it to your baby. It is often too hot for them. Some airplanes have a bathroom with a fold down changing table. If you are traveling with an infant ask the flight attendant if your airplane has one when you board. Never turn down a drink for your child.

Save unopened juice for later in the flight when the flight attendant may not be able or available to serve drinks. Everything changed on our last trip because it wad the first trip she was on where she could walk. I am about to travel with my 18 month old son, hes a busy body and im really concerned about his ears.. Good luck and let us know how it goes!!

I have two questions, one re: My second question is about the comment you made that your son was slow to talk. How old was your son when he started talking? When they get that big, it gets old real fast. That said for your England flight I would definitely try to finagle a seat if you can. Turns out he was just fine and kind of had no need to talk since we finished all his sentences for him.

Now he talks non-stop! Any good tips on these kind of monster flights? Yes, Carin—your flights are definitely marathons in comparison! Perhaps double or triple the advice given? I wish I could be of more help—perhaps you could share some tips with us? How did you handle the huge flights? Did you buy seats for both kids? But would like to avoid buying a seat for him if possible.

Can you give me some insight into how the kids handle it? Depending on the airline, you could book a bulkhead seat that would be easier to manage with a lap infant toddler. For such a long flight truly you would both be happier and more comfortable in your own seats but I totally understand about budgetary concerns. Hi Carin… Any tips from your long haul flight? I will be travelling alone from Jakarta to Auckland 15 hours including stopover in Sydney with an almost 3 years old and a 4 months old in 2 weeks time, Coming here last week was a nightmare.

I am now terrified of my flight going back to Auckland. Any tips would help…. Would she sleep more comfortably in that? How do you get around once you get to your destination? We have an in lap toddler on the plane. Do we have to bring a car seat for the cab ride from the airport to our hotel? What about island tours and bus excursions? Do is cost a lot to check a car seat? It depends on where you are going and how many excursions you are planning on taking. It may well be worth it to bring along a lightweight car seat purchased specifically for travel, gate check it, and then you are sorted for any taxi travel you may do.

It should not cost anything to gate check your car seat. From airport to hotel, around the island and any excursions…. Thanks for your info. Well I had a question. My twin Angels are 20 months old now. I had a plan to travel on a domestic flight. Can I take both of them at the same time without others help husband or parents? Otherwise my husband should come and take us double expense.

You will need to purchase a seat for at least one of them if you plan on travelling with them solo. If you purchase a seat for one of them you will also need to bring a car seat or one of the CARES Harnesses if they are big enough. I suffer from air sickness and I am apprehensive about travelling with my 14 months old for the first time.

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Flight will be about 12 hrs and it is a direct flight. A direct flight is good, but you will be busy and it would be awful to be incapacitated with air sickness and have a toddler to look after. Would you be flying alone? Do you have a co-parent or partner that could assist? Corrine, Love your info.

Air Travel Tips

Extremely helpful and calming my nerves a bit. I have a question about car seats. We have rented a car in Maui for our vacation. Our 13 month will obviously need one. We are concerned about checking our everyday car seat all the way to Maui in fear that it will get banged up and damaged by the airline. Do you normally take your everyday car seat and check it? Have you had any major problems? You could look into businesses that will meet you at the airport with a rental car seat. They are usually much more reputable than any rental car agency car seat. We invested in a lightweight and very affordable 2nd car seat that we used specifically for travel—the Cosco Scenera.

It came in handy at home to have an extra car seat as well. Have a great trip—let us know how it goes!! My husband and I will be flying with our 20 month old and we are debating on whether or not we should pick a non stop flight or have a couple hour layover. Shes never flown before and im afraid if we go non stop it would be too much about a hr flight. We will be traveling with my almost 1 year old from LA to Boston this week.

Any ipad apps you recommend that can be used offline to keep her entertained? One is still pretty small to be very engaged with apps. Maybe a special show might keep her interest a bit better?

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My husband and I are travelling with our month old soon for 3-day trip to Chicago. This will be our first travel on air with the baby and was wondering on how you were able to deal with car seats. Did you have to check this in or are there car rentals that rent out car seats? Are you purchasing your son a seat on the plane? If so, you can install an FAA-approved car seat on board.

If your son will be a lap infant, consider gate checking your car seat in a padded travel bag. Certainly you can rent a seat when you arrive in Chicago. I did a quick Google and found this place: So, flying by myself with a 22 month old is making me extremely nervous. However, usually I can take him out of the room until the screaming stops.

I have no idea how the flights work by myself, let alone with my very mobile and very curious child. Can you distract him with something new? You think they put themselves through the stress and the agony for fun?! Shame on you for shaming parents who are just trying to do the best they can. My family will always come first…i dont owe anything to you and people like you.

Even when I was not a parent i did not hate on parents travelling with babies. During travel, we often face some problems when travel for long time with babies. Because to keep then engage at one seat is a tough task. Firstly, Great tips shared here. Agree to take some baby foods and take some toys for babies, pillows and their favorite gadgets with you.

I had a wonderful family, and this is exactly what I was looking for to prepare for a trip with 2-year-olds. I want to travel with my 1 year old son. Then i saw your ideas regarding this. It seems interesting as well as excellent. Thanks for sharing wonderful ideas!!! Travelling with a baby is a challenge itself because they need extra ordinary care.

You made tasks of busy moms easier. Great piece of information very helpful for first time travelers with their infants. I see and read this article ,this article is very useful and helpful for those whose are flying with their toddler. Some fantastic tips here! I want to say for every parents who are thinking about travelling with their baby they should before travelling read this article. Hope so they will be benefited from here. All parents really deserve a gold star for flying with a small baby! I also went through all this stuff…. Thanks for sharing your experience! I have been on many flights with my children and i find the best thing to do is give a dose of Panadol when the flight is about to board, so if their ears do hurt with the cabin pressure it can take the edge off, and if it is a long flight a second dose 20 to 30 min before you land.

A very useful piece, So many points are amazingly covered by Corinne. Eagerly waiting for more articles from you! Email will not be published required. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Flying with an Infant? Traveling with a Toddler? Flying with Babies… Flying with a Newborn: