Airport Travel with Babies
Flying with a small child can be so intimidating. Add in the fact that babies can’t necessarily be reasoned with and it’s even more stress inducing! Unfortunately, there’s no magic wand that can ensure a smooth flight. Keep reading for a few out of the box ideas to help ease the stress of your travel day.
I’ll try my best to go in chronological order here to help you plan out the day.
Invest in things that make your travel life simpler
BUY DIRECT FLIGHTS! Listen, I know this isn’t always possible and I know it’s not always cheap, but it’s worth it! I live in the midwest and as you can imagine, direct flights aren’t as plentiful as I wish they would be. I’m always willing to pay a bit more to bypass a layover. Less take off and landings mean less time for your baby to cry. Win win!
Buy baby a seat. I know this is a controversial tropic because it’s an added expense you don’t technically need. Just remember, buying you a seat for baby gives you options. The option to bring their car seat, the option to set them down for a few minutes and the option of having another tray table to set things on. Don’t underestimate the power of an extra seat!
2. Don’t overpack your diaper bag
This may seem counterintuitive, I know. As a parent, you want to be prepared for every situation imaginable but do you remember how small those airplane seats are?! If you’re flying with a baby on your lap you’ll need to hold the baby and bend down to grab something out of your bag under the seat in front of you. If it’s completely full and you can’t find what you need quickly then it’s not serving its purpose!
We have this diaper bag* and LOVE it! There are so many pockets, both interior and exterior pockets that make it easy to grab the items you need.
3. Preparing to feed baby
Ok, I know you know how to feed your baby. BUT, I wanted to share a tip for the formula feeding mama’s out there. Purchase the pre-mixed liquid formula. Do it! First of all, they’re 2oz so you can easily get them through security (Formula and Breast Milk have no oz limits. Read more here). Second, all you need to do is have an empty baby bottle in your diaper bag to quickly be able to make a bottle. Simply unscrew the bottle(s) of formula and pour. No need to try and dump powder, get filtered water, measure the water etc. all while the plane and your baby are in motion. It worked really well for us!
All right, let’s go to the airport and get on our plane!
Breeze through security
I’m not sure if those words really ever get put together in a sentence but today they are! There are two good options to breeze through security and it really comes down to what size of stroller you’re bringing on your trip. If you’re bringing a full size large stroller I recommend putting baby in the stroller to go through security. If baby isn’t in the stroller then you need to put it through the xray belt. Most full-size strollers don’t fit and would need to be taken apart. I prefer to always travel with a small stroller so I put the stroller through on the belt and wear baby in a baby carrier through the metal detector. Pick what works best for you!
We love this travel stroller*. It’s even small enough to fit in the overhead compartment if you prefer not to gate check it.
2. Gate check your items
Did you know the gate agent can help you check any carry on luggage you have to your final destination FOR FREE?! This is such a great hack I’ve learned over the years. I always go up to the gate and get the tags I need to gate check my bags/stroller before I’m boarding. That way, I’m not holding up the line!
3. Wait until the last minute to get on that plane
Don’t jump at the chance to get on the plane right away! In the terminal, your baby has space to lay/sit down, spread out and move around. Once you board that plane you’re confined to a really small space! I challenge you to skip the call for “families who need extra time to board” the next time you fly! Even if you’re the last one on the plane you’ve got plenty of time to get settled. AND, you won’t need any overhead bin space because you’ve checked all your belongings already.
If you do choose to travel with a car seat, I recommend having one member of your party board early to make sure you have ample time to set up the car seat. Once you and baby board at the end, you’ll still have plenty of time to get settled.
I hope this was a helpful overview. I’ll be sure to share more tips soon!
*You may come across affiliate links in this blog post. If you purchase using these links I’ll make a small amount of money.
