Are you excited about that family vacation you booked but are dreading flying with kids? Air travel with kids can be daunting, but if you are well-prepared, it can actually be fun!
After over a dozen flights with our kids, we’ve learned which products work, what to do at the airport, and how to keep our kids entertained during the flight. If you are flying with kids in the future, keep reading!
We share some of our best tips and strategies for flying with toddlers and young kids that will help make your subsequent flight stress-free!
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Before You Leave for the Airport
Seat or No Seat?
One of the first decisions you need to make when you are flying with a toddler or infant is to purchase a seat or not. Safety-wise, your child should have their own seat. But airlines allow children under 24 months to sit on their parent’s lap instead. What should you do?
We’ve done both “lap seat” and buying a seat for our child. It’s easier for the parents if the child has their own seat, especially for longer flights. This frees up your hands to help take care of other kids (if you have more than one). And you don’t have a squirmy child on your lap! However, for flights under two hours, having your little one as a “lap child” is doable.
Choosing to buy a seat for your child gives you option to bring your car seat on the plane. There is a lot to know about flying with a car seat, so make sure you are prepared before you fly.
Bring Documentation
If you choose to have your child on your lap for the flight, make sure you bring what you need to verify their age. Airlines are strict about the 24-month cutoff, so you may need a birth certificate or other documentation. You can check with your airline to see what they require.
Dress for Comfort
Dress your child in their most-comfortable clothing. For late-night or early-morning flights, this might include pajamas. We typically put the kids in elastic waistband bottoms, t-shirts, and sweatshirts. Planes can get cold, even in the middle of summer, so layering is key.
Organize Your Diaper Bag and/or Personal Item
No matter if you are checking a bag or using a carry-on, you’ll want to make sure you have everything you need within easy reach. Consider investing in a travel diaper bag to make your trip a little easier! Make sure you have enough diapers and wipes to get you through your flight, as well as while you are waiting at the airport. And maybe throw in a few more in case there are any unexpected delays.
Think About Travel Safety
When you travel with kids, you always want to think about safety! Whether you are flying to another state or country or driving to the next town, safety should come first. Reference these tips about traveling with kids safely to ensure a fun and secure adventure!
Best Products to Use When Flying With Kids
Light-Weight Car Seat
Will your child be sitting in a car seat while on the plane? Then we recommended using a light-weight one. Cosco makes a perfect travel car seat that is recommended by most travel parents. Nothing is worse than lugging a heavy car seat down a narrow aisle of a plane.
CARES Harness
The CARES Harness is another option for safely flying with kids versus bringing your car seat. It is FAA-approved and works with the airplane’s seatbelt to give your child a 5-point harness versus a lap belt for protection. It’s much lighter than a car seat and offers your child the same protection. If you won’t be using a car seat at your destination, or will be using a compact travel booster seat, then the CARES harness is a great way to protect your child without carrying extra weight.
Inflatable Leg Rest
If you want to provide bed-like comfort for your child but don’t want them lying across the seats (and on you!), consider purchasing an inflatable leg rest. It tucks nicely between your child’s seat and the seat in front of them and gives them a space to stretch out and even nap! It pairs well with using the CARES harness or just the airplane seat belt.
Gate Check Bags
Many parents are not aware, but you can check your stroller and car seat for FREE on most airlines. They do not count towards your bag limits. Checking your car seat and stroller when you check your luggage is an option. But it’s not always the best thing for the equipment. The safer route is to gate check your stroller and seat as they are less likely to get damaged. Either way you do it, a gate check bag will help keep everything together.
Airport Tips For Flying With Toddlers and Young Kids
Prepare For Security
Nothing puts pressure on a family with young kids like going through security at the airport! Give yourself a head start to make sure it goes as smoothly as possible. Keep all electronics that need to be scanned in the same pocket. And on that note, confirm which electronics need to be out of your bags. The last time we flew, cell phones and small tablets did not need to be removed.
Fold your stroller and let an agent know if it won’t fit on the x-ray belt. Place your car seat on the belt, or present it to an agent if it’s too big. If you bring food and liquids through for your child (breast milk, formula, etc.), the agents will have to scan and examine the containers.
Food Tip: You are allowed to bring food and drinks through security for your child that exceeds the 3.4 oz rule. Even juice! Using an ice pack? Make sure it is frozen solid.
Get Moving
Once you are through security and have found your gate, get moving! We all know kids have excessive energy, and sitting on a plane for several hours isn’t fun for anyone. So get some of that energy out before you get on the plane.
Take a walk around the terminal, look at the planes outside. Some airports even have play spaces. We have the one at the Philadelphia airport. It’s not a miracle cure for a squirmy child on the plane, but it will help.
Hit the Bathroom
This might seem like a no-brainer, but it is still worth noting. Use the bathroom before boarding the plane! Those airplane bathrooms are tiny, and it’s not always fun trying to squeeze you and your child into the space.
Board Last
Maybe you are bringing your car seat or CARES harness or car seat onto the plane, and you’ll need some time to set it up. Or perhaps you’re flying Southwest Airlines and want to board as early as possible to get seats together.
But if neither of those situations applies to you, wait to board the plane. It’ll save you 15-20 minutes of sitting, and for a little kid, that can make a big difference. Let them run around the gate area a little longer before you finally board the plane.
Bring Your Own In-Flight Entertainment
Shop at Your Local Dollar Store
A great place to purchase easy activities for the kids on a plane is Dollar Tree. Dollar Tree sells so many products that are perfect for entertaining kids on an airplane.
We love the activity packs that contain a coloring book, four crayons, and stickers. They are small, flat, and all included in one pouch, so they are easy to transport. Other options are puzzles, board books, and travel games. Things that will help pass the time without breaking the bank.
If you are a bit daring, you can bring Play-Doh on the plane. The Party Bag containers are a perfect size for travel. Other suggestions I’ve read include window clings, and reusable stickers.
Screen Time
If you don’t mind screen time, a tablet is a great way to keep your little one entertained. We love the Kindle Fire!
If your child is easily engaged by movies or television, you have several options to download them on your tablet or phone. Netflix account, there are select shows and movies you can download. Or, if you own digital copies of movies, you can use the Movies Anywhere app to download them to your tablet.
If you choose to use a tablet or phone to help entertain your child on a plane, make sure you have appropriate headphones for your child! Your child might love watching their favorite show, but the passengers in the front and behind you don’t want to hear it. Many child-friendly headphones keep the volume low for young ears.
Blankets and Stuffed Toys
The comforts of home are good anytime you are traveling. We always allow the kids to bring their favorite blanket and a stuffed animal with them when we travel. If we’re taking a road trip, those items are in the car with us.
Flying? They are brought on to the plane. Having their blanket gives them something familiar to cuddle with and even serves as a cover while they (hopefully) nap on the plane.
What Else to Bring on the Plane
Aids to Reduce Ear-Popping
Flying with kids can be the most stressful during takeoff and landings. Many haven’t mastered the art of “swallowing” to relieve the pressure on their ears. And chewing gum isn’t something you want to give to your toddler or young child.
Instead, offer something to drink during takeoff and landing—water, juice, formula, milk. Even nursing your child will help! Other options are hard candies or chewy treats.
Lollipops are a go-to for our kids (even at 7 in the morning…), but they’ve also done well with fruit snacks and gummy candies. It’s not the healthiest options, but it saves their ears.
Snacks, snacks, and more snacks!
Okay, maybe that sounds excessive, but believe me it’s not! We pack tons of snacks when we travel.
For the plane, for while we’re out and about, and even for right before bedtime. Most of those snacks come on the plane with us. I like having options for the kids. Snacking gives them something to do, and it also keeps them happy.
I try to bring some healthy options, like grapes, clementines, and baby carrots. But, I also bring goldfish, pretzels, and cookies. Whatever your child enjoys, bring it!
Sanitizing Wipes
Before traveling, I like to purchase a pack of hand-sanitizing wipes. They are so useful in so many ways! On the plane, we use them to wipe down armrests and trays. We also use them to clean our hands before we eat anything.
You Are Now Ready to Fly With Kids
I hope you feel prepared to take your flight with your children! Don’t feel overwhelmed. Flying with kids is much easier than any parent anticipates. Being prepared with the right products and information will make it less stressful. And focus on the destination! Once you are off the plane, the real fun begins.
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