How to fly with a toddler

We took our baby, Jett, on his first flight when he was just 9 weeks old! See my post about traveling with a newborn here. At the time I am writing this (June 2022) Jett has been on 14 flights at 15 months old! Below are my best tips on how to prepare so you can have a smooth flight with your baby.

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Before the Flight

Get TSA Pre Check

Get TSA PreCheck or Clear so you can go through the shorter line at the airport. This way you have less time for your baby to be fussy & stuck in a line. And, you don’t have to take stuff out of your bags and can keep your shoes on. It’s definitely worth the money and was so easy to do.

Pack as light as you can

The less stuff you have to carry, the better. We checked our suitcases and carried on a big tote bag and our diaper bag. I’ll either bring my purse or lululemon belt bag. I wore the belt bag last time and it was great for travel!

Pack everything in the tote bag in separate bags or pouches for easy access & organization. I packed extra diapers in a gallon ziplock, an extra outfit in another ziplock, lots of snacks, and toys! Don’t forget a portable fan!

For our beach trip I brought my Bogg bag as my carry on. I have the large size and it does fit under the seat on a plane (on its side)!

Use packing cubes

I am obsessed with my packing cubes. I have blue ones for Jett and pink for me. It keeps our stuff organized and separated in our suitcases. I also started putting outfits together and arranging the packing cubes by days. For example: I would put together an outfit (shirt & shorts) with shoes, socks, and the pajamas for day 1 in one cube. That way it’s easy to just take out the one packing cube and everything is decided beforehand and ready to go.

At the Airport

Security

Water bottles and milk are allowed through security if you have a baby (technically for formula). Although, unless you need it on the way to the airport or don’t want to pay for milk, I would recommend bringing empty bottles (one for milk, one for water) instead of bringing the liquid through TSA to save time. They will flag your bag and have to “test” whatever liquids you bring through security which does take some extra time. If you have time to wait and don’t mind, bringing your own will save you a few dollars. It’s up to you.

Most airports have a filtered water bottle filling station past security or at least a water fountain. You can buy whole milk at the airport coffee shops or some convenient stores near the gates. (In my experience this has cost between $3-$6).

Stroller

We use this travel stroller through the airport and love it! It is super light and has cup holders and a zipper pouch. You will have to take your baby out at security and put the stroller on the conveyor belt.

When you get to your gate, go straight to the counter and get a tag to gate check your stroller. You need this tag in order to board the flight. Save the little ticket receipt they give you in case they lose your stroller you will need this! You can push your baby in the stroller all the way down the jet bridge then leave your stroller right before you step onto the plane. Your stroller will be there for you when you get off the plane at your destination (hopefully!)

I do NOT recommend bringing a nice or expensive stroller on your trip. Out of the 14 flights we have taken with our stroller, unfortunately, one time they lost our stroller. This was a pain in the booty to file a claim and get reimbursed. They factor in depreciation, so we did not get all the money back. For this reason I would recommend a travel stroller like the one we have that only costs $50 and isn’t a big deal if it gets lost or damaged.

Diaper Change

Family bathrooms are your best friend at airports! Find a family bathroom and change your baby’s diaper right before you board.

Family Boarding

On Southwest Airlines, families can board after the “A” group. You’ll get in a separate line usually by the wheelchairs.

We typically find the first open row and sit there. Usually this is towards the back of the plane. On Southwest, babies are free as a lap child until they are 2 years old. However, if the flight is not full, you can take a seat for your baby free of charge! We have gotten lucky quite a few times – it turns out most people do not like to sit near a baby 😉

On the Plane

To keep your baby occupied on the flight, bring lots of SNACKS and toys! Consider yourself lucky if your baby falls asleep on the flight. Southwest has free TV and Movies for inflight entertainment. You could also bring an iPad with downloaded movies from Netflix or wherever.

I bought this “snackle box” and used my Silhouette machine to put his name on it. Link to disposable bibs here.

I try to pack nutritious snacks. If I am leaving from home, I will bring fresh fruit, cheese, some type of meat, maybe some cereal and whatever else we happen to have in the pantry. Bring a new snack your baby has never had. This will pique their curiosity and they will be more engaged. Or they might throw it on the ground. Who knows!

Same with toys – if you can, buy a new toy or activity (doesn’t have to cost a lot!) just something new they’ve never seen before that will keep their interest and keep them entertained. We like these suction cup spinner toys that stick to the plane windows & tray tables.

Borrow or rent 

If you are visiting family or friends, ask if you can borrow a car seat and pack ‘n play/crib so you don’t have to lug it with you. It never hurts to ask to reach out to a neighborhood Facebook group to see if anyone has an extra laying around!

If you are traveling somewhere where you don’t know anyone, look into renting these items. You can add on a car seat from rental car companies, which we have done and is wayyy easier, trust me! You can also request a crib if you are staying at a hotel. We do bring a pack n’ play mattress with us that can fold in half and takes up half a suitcase because Jett refuses to sleep in a pack n’ play without it (we learned that the hard way). The one time we requested a crib, it ended up being a pack n’ play. I’d recommend calling the hotel in advance to ask.

I haven’t used this service, but looked into it for our Seaside beach trip. It’s called BabyQuip and you can rent baby items. Check it out & plug in your destination to see if it would work out!

If you rent a car through Turo sometimes the people will offer baby items for rent.

If you can’t borrow or rent, no big deal! Just make sure to count your checked bags – on Southwest you get 2 free per person. If your child is a lap child, they will not count, just the adult ticketed passengers.

Bring extra of everything

Pack extra diapers, snacks, and an extra outfit just in case. One of our flights was diverted to Arkansas from Dallas, where we had to sit on the tarmac for 2 hours and they shut off the air (which is why you should bring a portable fan!) With all the staffing shortages going on right now, delays seem pretty common and we have experienced them the past 2 trips. I don’t know what we would’ve done if we had run out of food or diapers and I don’t ever want to be in that situation!

Temperature

Like I said, bring a portable fan and blanket in case your baby gets too hot or too cold on the plane. When we got diverted they turned the engine off and it got really hot. We used our portable fan to cool Jett down. If you ever get stuck in an airport the blanket could be good to lay out on the floor. We haven’t had to use one yet, but I always pack one in the bottom of our bag just in case.

Ear Pressure

Feed your baby or have them suck on a pacifier on takeoff and landing to help with their ear pressure.

Pacifiers

Put your pacifiers on clips so they don’t drop on the dirty ground. I like to keep extra in this pacifier case in my bag.

Give yourself grace

It’s a fact: toddlers have meltdowns. Our pediatrician said the “terrible twos” start around 15 months (yay…). As hard as it is, try to be empathetic that your baby is off their schedule and may have missed some naps and aren’t able to move around like they want to. All you can do is prepare with activities, snacks, and distractions, and whatever happens, happens. Maybe when the flight attendant comes, order yourself an adult beverage – a vodka cranapple or mimosa doesn’t hurt!

These are my tips for a happy baby on a plane! Enjoy your trip & good luck!

Other blog posts you might be interested in:

How to travel with a Newborn

Taking your baby to the beach