Flying With A Toddler Checklist: Tips, Tricks & Real Advice
Flying with toddlers involves a little more planning than traveling solo or without kids, but it is totally doable (and even enjoyable)! Over the years, we have refined our travel routine a little more with each trip.
We have been flying with our kids since our oldest was 5 months old, and at this point have done 4 overseas trips with to kids, who are now three and seven.
Each trip that we’ve taken with kids has required different gear depending on type of travel, the ages of the kids at the time, and what was available at our destination. We have done everything from a ten day trip with no baby gear other than diapers and a baby carrier, to two car seats and a stroller through 7 cities across Italy.
These are our tried and true parts of our own checklist for flying with toddlers of any age.
Flying with a Toddler Checklist
When it comes to travel with kids, less is more. If you have more than one child to travel with, safety is the number one priority. We always make sure that our suitcases can be consolidated and pushed with one hand only. Having free hands to hold kids, packing smart, and having lightweight gear is key.
We travel domestically and internationally, generally staying at hotels or vacation rentals. We almost always stay in multiple cities and accommodations, so these recommendations are based on multi city, multi mode of transportation. We have used this same method to travel by car, plane, train, bus, and even ferry!
This list can be tailored down to suit whatever kind of travelers you are!
Trip Planning and Gear
During the planning stages of your trip, think about each stage of travel and what you might need along the way. Our checklist for flying with toddlers includes thinking about what we use on a daily basis, what modes or transportation we will be using, and what we can get at our destination.
Thinking about what is available at your destination can help you decide what to pack. Ask yourself:
- Will you be staying with friends or family that will provide some gear?
- Can you rent any gear at your destination?
- Does the vacation rental or hotel provide cribs or other baby gear?
- Are car seats available for rent from the rental car service, if you’re renting a car?
- What are the carseat laws at your destination?
Mentally walking through navigating train stations, rental cars, and cobblestone streets helps me visualize what I will need and how I can make it as simple as possible.
Before you Fly
As soon as you start thinking about traveling, you can start some of the preparation and planning! This section of the list can be done 6 months or more before a trip.
1. Get Your Passports
If you’re traveling to a place that requires a passport, get that process started as early as possible. If you have a passport already, make sure that it’s in good condition and you have at least 6 months from your travel dates remaining before any expiration date.
For child passports, you will need to have all documentation ready and will need photos if it’s their first passport. Both parents may need to be present for this, so check the specifics so you can prepare accordingly. We did our passport applications at the post office, where we were able to take care of all of our photos and application paperwork at once! It was pretty easy, even with a baby and toddler.
Travel Tip
Bring a copy of birth certificates for kids when you travel. If you’re traveling without both parents, some airports require an authorization to travel letter from the absent parent.
2. Book Your Travel
Whenever possible, book the big parts of your trip like flights and accommodations as far as possible ahead of time. Make sure to select your seats at the time of booking for the best selection. This will not only allow you to get the best deals, but you can start firming up your itinerary around your flights.
Our favorite sites for finding the best flights are booking.com and google flights.
3. Plan your Seating
“Free” seat/Lap infant: Kids under two fly free, but if your budget allows (or you book with points and have extra!), book a seat for your 1-2 year old. We went to Italy with our 3 y/o and 13 mo old at the time of travel, and she only wanted to be on my lap the entire time. It was so uncomfortable for a ten hour flight. the seat may be free, but you will pay with your sanity on long haul flights.
Bulkhead seating: If you’re traveling with a toddler under two, you also have the option for the bulkhead seat. This is the seat at the front of some middle sections. Occasionally, you can book online when you select your seats, or you can call to book and ask for the bassinet. You will have the bonus of a little extra leg room, but no seats in front of you with screens for entertainment.
Free bassinets: If you are lucky enough to get the bulkhead spot, the airline will install a free bassinet for you which is very handy! We have done this a few times and it was nice to have a place to set the baby down for a bit. The sides are a bit low, so they are best suited for kids under about 18 months.
3. Flight timing
In our experience, booking red eye flights are by far the easiest time to travel with kids. If possible, we plan to fly right around dinner time. We sometimes eat dinner before we fly, put the kids in their pajamas, and make a novelty of it.
They end up sleeping more of the flight, which is easier for them (and you!). I also look at the time of day the flight will be landing, to make sure we arrive at our destination at a time during the day. Navigating new cities with kids and all their stuff is much easier with a little daylight. Daytime landing also helps if you need to get taxis or check into vacation rentals.
4. Create a way to Organize Details of your trip
This is the fun part! Start by thinking about what you want to see or do on your trip. Thinking about:
- What landmarks or cities are a “must see/do”?
- What cities will you stay in?
- How many nights will you stay in each place?
- Do the accommodations have baby beds available?
- How will you get from one place to another?
- How accessible are the areas with a stroller, or will a baby carrier be easier?
Knowing where you will be traveling, and which modes of transportation you will use is essential in deciding which baby gear to bring.
Baby gear Planning tip
We always book vacation rentals or hotels that have cribs or extra beds to avoid flying with bulky pack and plays. Be sure to confirm before you travel.
We have had two instances where the pack and plays were not usable, so have a backup plan in mind if this happens.
Once you have these bigger picture items figured out, you can work on the smaller things like activities, places to eat, and more. We use a google doc for this part of the trip. It’s super handy because it helps with planning and keeps every important confirmation number in one place. This is a critical step in understanding which baby gear you need!
Essential Toddler Travel Gear
Once you plan the basics of your itinerary, you can focus on which gear you ACTUALLY need. When you travel with kids, I totally get the temptation to bring everything under the sun to make the trip smoother. When making your checklist for flying with a toddler, less is more!
6. Packing cubes
If you’re not already on the packing cube train, I highly recommend getting them. We use them for everything, including packing efficiently for all 4 of us in one suitcase.
Packing cubes can also be used to organize items in carryons or diaper bags! I even have one packing cube with diapers, wipes, and changes of clothes for the plane.
7. Travel Stroller
Finding the right travel stroller is key to getting around smoothly on trips with babies and toddlers! There are SO many options out there, and it really comes down to what you will be using it for. For us, we wanted something that our kids could nap on the go, have shade from the sun, have a little storage, and easily attach an infant carseat if needed, to convert to a lightweight travel system.
This stroller checks all of those boxes for us! It even has a rain cover accessory, which is a MUST for shoulder season travel (trust me). This little stroller has reliably taken us to 4 countries and lasted 4 years of heavy use. It’s also really lightweight at only 14 lbs.
8. Travel Car Seat
We use a lightweight car seat specifically for travel. This seat is TSA approved, and we bring it onto the plane for long-haul flights to keep our toddler comfortable.
This also makes car travel a lot easier at our destination. To transport it, we use a car seat strap to attach it to our suitcase and keep our hands free.
9. Travel Car Seat Bag
Ok. This is probably my absolute favorite part of flying with toddlers and babies! The car seat bag is the best travel hack for packing all of the bulky diapers, wipes, blankets, and whatever else.
Not only are these checked for free, but they are HUGE and I have never been second guessed on the fact that it has way more than a car seat inside. Did I mention you can check it for free? It’s the ultimate solution for the suitcase that’s borderline at the weight limit.
This is the one we use: ➡️Gate check bag
10. Baby Gear Rental
Baby gear rental is a great option for traveling light! This would be ideal if you’re only staying in 1-2 cities during your trip, because you will have arrange everything separately for each city.
Major metropolitan areas all over the world offer these. The type of service varies from individuals renting their gear to a distribution company. You can rent everything from cribs, to toys, strollers, and more!
Some of the most well known companies include: babyqip in the US and banobo internationally.
If you’re staying at a hotel or vacation rental, ask if they can provide any baby gear before you travel. Some vacation rentals will have a lot that they can provide, reducing the amount of gear that you have to travel with.
Toddlers at the Airport
Before heading to the airport, consider the time of day and how it correlates with their schedule at home. Trying to maintain that as much as possible helps a ton, for example, bringing pjs to change into before boarding a red eye flight.
11. TSA and Toddler Snacks
There are no TSA restrictions on toddler snacks or liquids. Most airports will let you bring everything for them, including full water bottles, pouches, milk, snacks, and medicine.
12. Download the Airline App to Expedite Security and Boarding
Airline apps are a great tool for travel, allowing you to have digital copies of your boarding pass, saving your card for in flight purchases, and more.
Each app is a little different, and in most cases you will have to create an account with the airline to use all of the app features. Having everything on your phone helps expedite security and boarding, and you won’t ever have to worry about losing a paper boarding pass!
13. Gate check your Stroller
We love having our stroller with us until we board to make getting around the airport easier. Since there is no need to have it past the gate, we always gate check it!
When you arrive at the gate, get a gate check tag from the desk. Do ask if you will pick it up immediately after you deplane, or if you will have to get it from baggage claim. Every airline is a little different, so we always try to have it ready when we deplane, if the option is available.
14. Let your toddler burn off energy before boarding
If possible, let your toddler walk a little before getting on the plane to burn off any extra energy before boarding. Some airports have kids play areas which is nice!
15. Family Boarding
Almost all airlines allow families with small children to board early. This helps reduce a little stress of getting settled with a full plane. Most airlines will announce it, but if they don’t you can ask if they offer it.
16. Entertainment
Traveling can be really stimulating for kids, so we don’t bring a ton of toys! I always get 1-2 new coloring or activity books that I give them on the plane. We avoid anything too sticky, messy, or with small parts that are easy to lose. We always download a few favorite movies or shows onto tablets for them and make sure they also have working headphones.
Keep in mind that toddlers will need to move around a little, so use any opportunities when the seatbelt sign is off to walk around and stretch.
These are our favorites for toddler entertainment!
FAQs
After years of flying domestically and internationally with toddlers, these are the questions parents ask us most when preparing for a flight.
How do I prepare my Toddler for a Flight?
Before you travel, talk to them about all of the steps of the trip and what will happen. If we have a red eye, I’ll talk about how we will sleep on the plane, and put them in pjs for travel. Talk about any aspect of flying that you think they might find interesting and make it sound exciting!
For toddlers and young kids, it’s not realistic to expect them to sit for the entire flight. Expect to get up and walk with them down the aisles to stretch a little. This is a good excuse to grab a drink or snack near where the flight attendants sit (safety permitting).
Can I bring Toddler food on a Plane?
Yes. TSA has specific exemptions for babies and toddlers, including snacks, drinks, and medications. You can bring items like milk, pouches, snacks, and even water bottles for your toddler.
If any liquids exceed standard limits, expect a brief screening. Once TSA confirms the items are for your toddler, they are allowed. We always pack plenty of familiar snacks for both the flight and arrival day.
Find the complete list of current TSA recommendations HERE.
What can I Give a Toddler for Ear Pain During a Flight?
The best thing for toddler ear pain is prevention. Changes in cabin pressure usually occur right after takeoff and right before landing. Give your toddler something to drink, a snack, or anything that encourages them to swallow to clear their ears.
If they still nurse or use a pacifier or bottle, this is perfect too! I bring lollipops for my kids to have during this part of the flight to help with ear pressure, and to make the flight a little more fun.
Take Aways
Every child is different, and what works on one trip may change on the next. This checklist helps us think through each stage of travel so we can pack intentionally and stay flexible.
Flying with toddlers takes planning, but it is absolutely doable. With the right expectations and a simplified approach to gear, you can focus less on logistics and more on enjoying the journey. If you would like more information specific to international travel, check out this post!
