Flying with kids adds some interesting aspects to something that can already be stressful. I interviewed a few flight attendants to get an expert’s option on what to do and what not to do. Plan ahead and follow these 10 tips to stay in control and stress-free.
#1 – Use a car seat
Check the airline website and bring a car seat that is FAA-approved. You can check if your car seat is FAA-approved by checking the label on the side of the seat. Infants and toddlers under 40 lbs can use a car seat forward facing or rear facing. Just think – you use your car seat in the car, why not on a plane? In the event of an emergency the brace position will not protect you or your child.
Or you can try on of these Airline Seat Belt Harnesses. I haven’t personally tried it, but my flight attenant contact says they really work! Plus it is FAA approved.
#2 – No airline has milk
If your child needs milk, be sure to buy some in the terminal before your flight takes off. Even better, bring an empty sippy cup (We use these because they don’t leak or spill – for real!) or bottle that you can fill up after security. Even though TSA makes allowances for baby formula and baby food, you’ll get through security a lot faster without them.
#3 – Don’t ask the flight attendants to hold your baby
Flight attendants are legally not allowed to hold your child, it’s their company policy. If there was turbulence in that moment and something happened to your baby, they could be liable.
#4 – Don’t make a mess
This one should be obvious. Most planes fly to multiple places in a day and they only have trash picked up in between. Keep your area clean by keeping crumbly snacks to a minimum.
#5 – Squeezies are ok!
Unlike commonly believed, the liquid carry on limit isn’t 3 oz, it’s 3.4 oz. That is a small but important difference. My kids love squeezies and they are super easy to travel with. Most squeezies are larger than 3.4 however. Look closely and there are a few that are smaller, like the Plum Organics Tots fruit & grain mish mash which is only 3.17 oz.
#6 – Keep your kids on their best behavior
Don’t allow them to kick the seat in front of you, touch other passengers, or put their mouths on anything. Gross!
#7 – Your flight attendant is not a butler
Don’t assume your flight attendant will carry your bags or lift them into carry-on storage for you. That also means that if you are gate checking a stroller, collapse it yourself before you leave it.
#8 – Your tray table is not a seat
And it most definitely is not a changing table. Nuff said.
#9 – Get everywhere early
Parents know that everything takes longer with kids. And the younger the are, the more extra time you need. Think ahead to all the things you will need to do and allow lots of extra time for each part. Don’t forget things like parking, shuttles, security (who could forget security), and getting around inside the airport.
#10 – Bring all your documentation
Bring your Driver’s Licenses, ID, credit or debit cards, birth certificates, printout itineraries and rental car agreements. Put it all in one easily reachable spot.
Remember fanny packs from back in the day? They went completely out of style, but you know what? They’re pretty useful when you travel. This one keeps all your important stuff close to your body and it comes in a lot of different colors.
Bonus Tip – Try not to stress
The less you worry about what could go wrong, the more you can enjoy the trip and relax.
What are your tips to stay stress free while you’re flying with kids? Leave a comment and let us know!
If you liked this post and want to see more of Practical Mommy, please sign up for the weekly email below.
You might also like:
Practical Mommy’s Top 5 Parenting Posts
I am flying with my family in a few weeks. I have a 2 year old and 9 year old. It’s been quite some time since I flew but reading this tips definitely helps a lot and I will not ask any of the attendants to hold my 2 year old 😂 Haha
Haha. 2 and 9 sounds do-able. Good luck to you!
Fabulous ideas, Kristen! I have yet to fly with my kids, but these are valid points I think a lot of moms will forget or gloss over. I’m sharing this in my travel tips post tomorrow! Thank you!
On my seven month old’s first flight, we actually did buy the extra ticket and brought our car seat. On the first leg, there was no preboarding for small kids, so we ended up being last on. As we were going to our seat, my husband asked for assistance to safely strap in the car seat. The flight attendant said, “Oh, I don’t know, I’m not a mother!” As we struggled with that, they did not fail to stop by every thirty seconds to hassle us to hurry up, but never offered any help. This was only one airline on one leg of a long haul, and we’ve had a number of other flights with attendants who were great. But the car seat thing was not fantastic for us.
That’s awful and not a great way to start a long journey!
I love these tips! Makes me feel more prepared to fly with kids! Such great info! Thanks for sharing! Pinned!
Glad you like them!
I am trying to imagine asking a flight attendant to carry my luggage or hold my baby! Nope. No way would I ask that! People actually do?
I know right? But according to my flight attendant insiders it happens more than you’d think.
Introduce your children to the stew’s (flight attendants) short for stewardess as they were called back in the days when flying was easy, stew’s were pretty (no guys allowed – please) and reassure them that they are there to help if and when needed. The child and the stew will both benefit.