We flew with our daughter for the first time when she was six months old. I read blog posts and articles for tips, stocked up on all the toys and travel gear, and felt so prepared for my first flight with a baby. We survived, we made it to our destination, everything was fine. But, wow. Nothing could have really prepared me for flying with a baby. And the flight home with an overtired baby was even worse! We’ve flown a handful of times since then. Each time, she’s is in a new phase. So some things are easier, some things are harder. But with each flight, I’ve learned some strategies that I think really work. And, more importantly, my mindset has changed. I don’t expect the flight to go well. I expect her to cry and refuse to sleep. And I also know that I’m not alone – all parents struggle. And the plane lands eventually, right? I hope these ten tips make your next flight with a baby just a little more manageable. You got this!
1. Intentionally choose the flight time and seat location when flying with a baby.
Time of Flight
Should you fly during a nap or during awake time? I think the answer depends on how well your baby sleeps in new environments and their age. Younger babies often have an easier time falling asleep, so flying during nap time can be ideal. But you also want to avoid flying with an overtired baby.
For our first flight with a six month old, we timed the flight during nap time. After nursing during takeoff, she fell asleep and stayed asleep for all but one hour of the flight. It was challenging to keep her asleep, but it worked.
When she was 11 months old, we also timed the flight during a nap. But this time, that was a mistake. I gave her a bottle during takeoff, but she didn’t fall asleep. She didn’t know how to fall asleep while being held anymore. I finally got her to sleep for about 40 minutes, but traveling with an overtired baby was tough. She was also so exhausted when we got to our destination.
For the flight home, she had a great nap in the morning and we flew during her awake time. We had to keep her preoccupied for 3.5 hours, but being rested made it a far better experience overall.
Seat Selection
I personally find window seats to be the easiest for nursing and uninterrupted naps.
I’ve heard that it can be easier to choose the back of the plane or bulkhead seats so you have more space. On some planes, there’s even enough space to lay down a blanket on the ground for your baby to stretch out. But I’ve never tried this. Bulkhead seats are easier on international flights when you can request a bassinet for a baby under two for no extra charge from certain airlines.
Also, keep in mind, exit rows are off limits when traveling with a baby.
If you are traveling with your partner, you’ll want to pick seats in advance to make sure you’re sitting together. But don’t panic if you’re sitting separately. We were told by the airline that all we need to do is talk to the agent at the gate and they would then change our seat assignment to keep our family together.
Flying with a Baby as Infant-on-Lap vs Own Seat
You have the option of holding your baby on your lap until they are two years old, but they will still need an infant-on-lap ticket. You can also bring a car seat and book your baby their own seat. Infant-on-lap tickets worked great for us the first nine months. But, as our little girl got bigger and more active, it became much harder to keep her content on our lap. It saves money, but it is exhausting. The one time we splurged for a seat, she actually fell asleep and I could read and relax a little.
2. Pack water, formula, and snacks separately for airport security.
It was fine to bring water, cans of formula, milk, and squeeze pouches through security. But TSA agents will need to inspect these items separately when you go through security. Which takes extra time. I packed everything together in a small travel cooler that I handed to the TSA agent, making the process far smoother.
I love these snack containers and these squeeze pouches for easy snacks on the plane.
3. Choose outfits intentionally for flying with a baby.
Choose an outfit for yourself with pockets. You will have your hands full, but still need a place to put toys, pacifiers, your ID, a phone, and baby socks that won’t stay on. Pockets are a lifesaver. I usually wear this vest with zipper pockets, as well as these leggings with pockets.
Also, I recommend dressing your baby in something easy. That means no snaps or buttons. I even avoided zipper onesies. My favorite is a t-shirt and loose pants that are not connected. I could then check for dirty diapers easily and quickly get through diaper changes on the plane if needed without dealing with snaps and zippers.
Check out some of my favorite sustainable baby clothing brands here for some good outfit options. I usually choose Hanna Andersson or Primary for flights.
4. Carry on the essentials and check the rest.
I always used to carry on all my luggage. I never went to baggage claim. Well, those days are over now! And honestly, baggage claim really doesn’t add that much time.
You will have your hands full with a baby. Bring a diaper bag, stroller, and possibly a car seat on the plane. Check everything else. We found that all baby items are checked free, including pack and plays, car seats, and strollers.
If you have the option of checking bags curbside, do that. You may want to give gratuity, but otherwise it shouldn’t be an extra cost. It’s way easier to rearrange your bags curbside if you are over the weight limit (which we have been on most flights lately!)
Also, do yourself a huge favor and invest in a luggage cart. For our first time flying with a baby, we struggled across the airport with all of our stuff and ended up getting a luggage cart in the end anyways.
5. Wear your baby through security when flying with a baby.
This tip is particularly important when traveling with a younger baby. At most airports, you are required to fold up your stroller to fit it through the security scanner (note that at a few airports, I’ve been asked keep the stroller set up – not sure why there are different rules).
At all airports, you’ll need to carry your baby through the metal detector. You can absolutely just carry them through, but when you are trying to collapse strollers, empty your pockets, and take off your shoes and diaper bag, it’s easier to wear your baby with a baby carrier. We have the BabyBjorn Baby Carrier Mini and it’s easy to put on and take off once you get used to it.
6. Have a pre-flight plan.
Planning the time before the flight is incredibly helpful. On our last flight we were running very late and almost missed the plane (not recommended when flying with a baby!). But I still prioritized our pre-flight plan and I’m glad I did. It really made all the difference.
As soon as we know where the gate is, we fill up water bottles. We also pick up some food that is easy to eat one-handed, like a smoothie or bagel.
Next, we speak with the agent at our gate and ask if there are any free seats since we are traveling with a baby. We also ask when family boarding will begin and get a tag to gate check the stroller from the agent.
If there is time before the flight, I lay down a blanket for play time so she can get her wiggles out before the flight.
The last thing I do right before boarding is go to the bathroom to change her diaper.
7. Gate check the stroller.
Gate check the stroller unless you have a stroller that folds up small enough for the overhead compartment or a convertible car seat like this that you are using on the plane.
Gate checking is amazingly easy. All you need to do is to ask the agent for a tag that you attach to the stroller.
You can keep your baby in the stroller until you reach the door of the plane, then you collapse the stroller and leave it just outside the plane door.
When you get off the plane, the stroller will be there waiting for you! I read that some people use a gate check bag for the stroller, but I’ve never actually seen someone do this and have not felt it was necessary.
8. Plan to give a bottle, breastfeed, or use a pacifier during take-off and landing.
During each flight, I’ve given a bottle, a sippy cup, or breastfed during takeoff and landing. I also have a pacifier ready to go. I was told by many friends that this is helpful when flying with a baby because swallowing helps ears pop during changes in altitude. It usually works.
If you are mixing up a bottle, do this before the flight so it’s ready to go. Trying to measure out formula while holding a squirming baby is a challenge!
9. Have lots of activities for the plane and take them out one at a time.
You want to have lots of ideas for activities on the plane when flying with a baby. It helps to make each activity last as long as possible before taking out the next one. There’s a lot of time to fill on a flight!
Here are some of my favorite plane activities:
- Look out the window
- Flip through a magazine
- Play pat-a-cake and peek-a-boo
- Sing head, shoulders, knees, and toes
- Make silly faces
- Teething toys
- A pacifier clip (keeps toys from falling on the floor!)
- Books with flaps and/or a touch and feel book
- Fun rattle socks
- Snacks in a spill-proof cup (I prefer to hand her one Cheerio at a time to make it last longer)
- Water bottle
- Photo book to flip through
- Activity board or activity book
- New open-ended toy
- Suction cup spinners to stick to the window or tray table
10. Take a moment to breathe when you land.
Phew! You did it. You survived flying with a baby!
Don’t rush to pick up your luggage. Take a moment to breathe, go to the bathroom, get food, refill water bottles. Address those basic needs you’ve been ignoring the last few hours.
I usually do a diaper change and wash hands. Sometimes, I also change her clothes after the plane (or wait until the rental car).
If you are breastfeeding, look for a nursing room or pod. The Mamava app will tell you if there is a pod or nursing room at the airport.
What are your tips for flying with a baby? Share in comments!
P.S. The registry I wish I had the first time and my favorite newborn essentials.
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