Everything you need to know to make sure flying with a baby is easy. Keep reading to learn about steps you can take to make your airport and airplane experience simple and painless.
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At Home
Ask for a bassinet. Traveling internationally with a younger baby? Call the airline as soon as you book your ticket to request a bassinet seat. These seats are limited, so you want to be sure to call right away. Bassinet seats are generally located in the bulkhead row. Therefore, some airlines will require other members of your party to pay an additional fee for seats in this row. However, if your baby is less than 6 months, this may be worth it.
Pack light. No, really light. Every item you bring is something else to keep track of. Packing light keeps you nimble and flexible. Our family rule- bring only as much as we can carry up a flight of stairs in one trip, and that includes the baby! This also allows us to skip right past the check in counter and go straight to TSA PreCheck. For packing lists and guides to traveling light, click here.
Fill your sippy cups and bottles. Liquids for babies are allowed through dsecurity, even if they are more than 3 ounces! We like to fill our sippy cup and bottle before we leave home. Security may need to do some extra testing, but it is easier than looking for a place to fill them, especially for a baby that prefers room temperature bottles. If you baby prefers warm bottles, bring a thermos with warm water.
Be prepared with extra clothes. Everyone, including adults, needs extra clothes. Travel days are tricky on baby tummies, and blow outs are more likely. Bring an extra change of clothes for each adult, and 2-3 extra for baby.
Bring a copy of baby’s birth certificate– You may not need this, but airlines can ask for proof of age for your lap child. It’s always best to have it, just in case. Of course, if you are traveling internationally, the passport will work.
At the Airport
Wear baby through security. This will keep your hands free to handle the luggage and TSA. Most airports will not make you remove the baby from the carrier. We love the Lillebaby Serenity while traveling.
Change baby right before you board. Airplane bathrooms are tiny. Wrestling a rolling baby in one is no fun. Start the trip with a clean diaper to reduce the number of times you need to change the diaper on the plane. On travel days, we love Pampers 360 diapers- no fasteners to fuss with, and less chance of leaks or blowouts. These diapers are a gamechanger once your baby has reached the rolling stage of diapering.
Ask for an extra seat. Unless you paid for a ticket for your baby, they will be sitting on your lap. Sometimes, there are extra seats available. Ask the gate agent if there are any extra seats for your little one. They may be able to move people around to give you a little extra room.
On the Plane
Suck for take off and landing. Little ears can have issues with the pressure changes of take off and landing. Nurse, give a bottle, or have baby suck a pacifier during take off and landing.
Use Medela wipes for bottles. These wipes allow you to clean your bottle mid-flight. Everyone knows you shouldn’t wash the bottle in the airplane bathroom, so these wipes make it easy to clean the bottle between uses- and you only need to pack one bottle.
Save those plastic drink cups. They make the best toys. We like to bring one to the bathroom during diaper changes to distract babies and help them sit still. After the diaper change, we throw it out- no need to bring toys into dirty spaces.
Snacks, Snacks, Snacks. Keep baby busy with an assortment of age appropriate snacks. We love cheerios, rice rollers, shredded chicken, boiled apples, and string cheese. Choose snacks that take a long time to eat and aren’t too messy.
Protect Your Trip
If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it is that insurance is necessary to protect our travel investments and keep our family safe on the road. Depending on the policy that you choose, travel insurance can protect your family in the event of medical emergencies and canceled trips. It also takes the sting out of minor trip mishaps, such as lost baggage and delayed flights. Check out Squaremouth to compare plans and choose one that fits your family.
Flying soon with a baby? Check out these posts:
- Your Personal Item with a Baby- Full Packing List
- The Best Travel Stroller for your Next Vacation
- The Best Airplane Toys for Flying with Babies
- Baby Travel Gear- A Full List of Things You Need When Traveling with a Baby
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