Hi from Florida…again.
I booked a last-minute flight late Wednesday afternoon to spend the weekend with my family. I left Thursday morning and will return to Charlotte on Sunday.
The water has cleared so much since my last visit just two weeks ago and the moment I got here I had this irresistible urge to be in it. I fed Finn and after he went down for his afternoon nap, I threw on my suit and ran down to the beach for a quick swim. It was amazing.
I’ve received SO many requests through Instagram DM to share tips for airline travel with infants so I thought I’d do that now. I am by no means and expert but I think I’ve found a good groove after three flights solo with a very small baby.
Tips for Air Travel with an Infant
Get there early + plan accordingly.
I’m not usually one to arrive early at the airport but traveling with an infant demands it. Plan for a longer check-in process, a longer security process, a diaper change and general airport busyness. Trust me, you will need that extra time for your sanity.
Your ticket must indicate that you are traveling with a lap child but you do not need ID for the child.
TSA requires that your ticket indicate that you are traveling with an infant in lap. The airline agent told me that they will often send you back to the ticket counter if you do not have this information on your boarding pass.
I read something that said you had to have a birth certificate but I’ve never been asked and one TSA agent told me it wasn’t necessary. (Edited to add that some airlines might require it for proof that your child is under 2.)
The ticketing agents, gate agents and flight attendants are your friends.
I’m three for three on getting my own row when traveling with Finn. Ask the ticket agent if they can re-seat you so that there is no one next to you if the flight isn’t full. The gate agent can also help with this, especially if the ticket agent says there will be a charge to change it when you check-in. Worst case, the flight attendants can move you if they have extra space.
It’s amazing to have the seat next to you open. It gives you more room to spread out and more privacy to nurse if you need to.
Check your bags, carry your baby gear.
I always check my suitcase so that I can manage getting the baby gear (stroller, car seat, diaper bag) through the airport. Of course, this isn’t necessary if you have someone to help you with bags but if you’re traveling solo, I recommend it. And yes, I packed the Boppy Lounger because I love it! You can carry it onto the plane with you and it comes in handy if there is no one seated next to you.
Also, I recommend a backpack style diaper bag for travel.
Insight on the security protocol.
TSA will make you send everything through the scanner…car seat, stroller, diaper bags, etc. They will not allow you to bring the stroller or car seat through the metal detector. You can either carry or babywear the child through it. Also, they let you go through the old school one and you don’t have to do the one where you hold your arms up. If you babywear, be prepared for a pat down.
Security is a bit of a hot mess with all of that gear, especially if you also have to take off your shoes and get your large electronics out. Just know that you are going to be that girl with a ton of crap and let it go! 🙂
You can gate check your car seat and stroller at no cost.
You can also check your baby gear for free but I prefer to gate check because I feel that they’re a little more gentle with it (whether I’m accurate in saying that is another story). Also, you can use your stroller if you need through the airport.
Y’all know you can never trust an airline not to get your stuff banged up or filthy so you might want to invest in a bag for your car seat and stroller. I use one for my seat but nothing for the stroller. I purchased and oversized laundry bag at Target and it does the trick. You can also buy fancy car seat protection bags.
Once you check your seat and stroller, you’ll probably want to babywear.
I wear Finn in the Ergo a lot in the airport. Sometimes I leave him in the stroller but I mostly wear him to keep him close and for ease of doing things like getting your stuff through security, packing your car seat in the protector bag, etc.
Once you get to your seat and prepare for takeoff, you’ll be instructed that you cannot babywear for takeoff or landing.
They will make you take your babywearing device off and instruct you to hold your baby. This seems counterintuitive to me but whatever.
Nurse on takeoff and landing if baby’s ears seem to be bothering him/her.
It will encourage them to swallow and make their ears pop. It also helps calm many fussy babies.
I’ve found that Finn doesn’t mind flying and I actually think the loudness of the plane mimics our white noise machine so he loves it. All of this is subject to change when he gets a little older and more active. Haha.
People are nice, accept their help.
Many will go out of their way to help a mother with a small child. I’ve been on the receiving end of SO MUCH kindness while traveling with Finn. Restores my faith in the world a little bit. I’ve had people offer to buy me food/water, carry things and lend a helping hand.
Wait to get off the plane.
I usually let everyone else get off first before I try to gather all of my things and go. I think that people’s patience would wear thin if they were waiting for me to get my stuff together and the Ergo on.
I think that about wraps it up. Don’t be intimidated. It’s a lot but it can be done and can be done solo! Let me know if you have any questions. Happy to chime in!
My Favorite Travel Baby Gear
Car seat + umbrella stroller system
Backpack (I use a traditional backpack for travel because it’s so functional and I can fit so much in it)
Muslin blankets (great for MANY uses!)
Car seat gate check bag (budget or nicer)
Babywearing carrier with infant insert
This post contains affiliate links.
Thanks for the tips! What stroller and car seat do you have and would you recommend them?
Have a great time with your family!!!
Great tips! I did want to follow up on the birth certificate – it’s not necessary for TSA, but some airlines (like Southwest) will require it to check to make sure the baby is under 2. We’ve had to show it at checkin before for our twins. United didn’t require it, but Southwest has every time we’ve flown with them.
Have a wonderful trip :)! The beach looks amazing!
I was going to say the same thing about the ID. TSA doesn’t require it, but it’s still a good idea to have it, especially as your child gets older or to the point where their age and thus lap child eligibility may get questioned. If the child has there own seat then you don’t need any ID. I read one blogger talk about how she was not allowed to board because she did’t have her son’s birth certificate and they questioned his age. They ended up missing their flight because they had to run home to get it.
Hi Jen – just wanted to chime in if anyone is traveling internationally with an infant. We are US citizens and just returned from a trip to Italy with our 3 month old baby. Babies do need their own passports to travel AND, this was so annoying when we found out, a baby cannot piggy-back on a parent’s global entry. So a parent can get through customs on global entry but then you have to get in a different line to have the baby clear customs.
I flew a lot as well during my son’s first year, and my biggest win was once he was sitting up, getting the economy plus/extra legroom seats and putting down blankets on the floor for my son to wiggle around. he loved it and I loved not having to hold a wiggly baby for the entire flight.
Hi Jen – looks like you’ve flown on American? Did you run into any trouble bringing the jogging stroller directly to the gate? I’m taking my infant on AA next week but heard they have a 20lb weight limit for gate-checking strollers. It would be so much easier to get through the airport (aka lug all his stuff!) with the stroller but I’m worried I will have to check it at the ticket counter. Thanks for any advice and, of course, Finn is a cutie and thanks for sharing!
Hello! I flew American and gate checked a massive jogging stroller-a Thule-with no problem! I’m sure this could differ, but just wanted to let you know!
The water looks so nice!
These are great tips. We will be flying over Christmas with our (then) four month old.
You probably don’t have ent he answer to this, but do you think they would make you remove a wrap carrier? I’m hoping not ?
Another interesting thing I learned the other day is that for travel to Canada kids just need a birth certificate if you are driving across the boards, but need a passport if you are flying.
I know it adds to the cost of travel, but purchasing a seat for the baby and using the car seat is much safer, especially over turbulent areas. I’ve been glad to have had my daughter in a car seat on a few occasions. The car seat needs to be FAA approved and you install it with the lap belt. So that’s an option as well!
Hi, this is in response to Kristin’s question about the jogging stroller. I just took a flight with my three young children and took my BOB with us for my 9month old. We flew American and the lady at the gate did tell me that since I didn’t know and was already at the gate with it she would check it for me but to note that in the future they will not do it again as their policy is to only check lightweight strollers. I have flown several other times with that jogging stroller but always with other airlines so didn’t know about American’s policy. Hope that helps!!
Thank you! Bummer about them being difficult w the jogging strollers!
Great article! I also travel solo with my two kids-they both started traveling at Finns age.
Here are some of my thoughts:
1. Always carry the baby birth certificate if they are under 2. I fly southwest mostly and they are HUGE sticklers about it.
2. Southwest sells a carseat bag for $10, it has been awesome. The best part is if it gets super dirty then it is only $10. You have to ask at check in about it, they don’t advertise it.
3. TSA precheck is a godsend for parents with small kids. You don’t have to take of shoes, computers, baby stuff. It is hands down the best thing I ever purchased. $80 for 5 years. I have a 4 and 2 yr old now and it is still great.
4. If you don’t feed the kids on take off and landing i always carried a pacifier or since now they don’t take one i always have a good piece of candy like a sucker. Something I know that they will eat/ chew on. Snacks are the best thing ever
5. Also southwest will give you lids with your drinks during flights
6. Always bring an extra pair of clothes for baby and a shirt for you. My son Abel pooped the biggest poop of his life and I had to sit 3 hours in a hot winter jacket because I had poop all over my shirt.
Keep on traveling!!! My kids are pros and it has been so great to see them be so at ease with the airport and new places.
-sam
1) You are one kicka$$ momma! Thank you for your openness, sharing yourself and wealth of knowledge. **Hugs**
2) I only have a baby jogger stroller. Will I have any issues traveling with it since it is larger?
3) How do you transport the car seat base?
4) When are you going to teach mommy and mini yoga??!!
I have always flown w a single or double jogging stroller just fine, except one flight with American I have always checked at the gate. We always put our click connect base In our car seat bag when you check in.
It can get really messy when traveling with an infant but you’re definitely Super Mom!. Personally, I’m always full of stuff, my bags are always heavy cause I seem to want to take everything with me!. Can’t imagine myself with a toddler.
So much useful information here! I packed my boppy too (mostly for breastfeeding since I still feel way more comfortable having a “pillow” type underneath) and so glad I did! Our first trip was smooth but for our next trip, I’m packing way less! And the bags to cover your stroller and carseat are 10000% worth it!!
Haha, I hear you! I packed tons less for our second trip! 🙂
Thank you for a very informative article. I wish I had read it earlier.
I just returned with my 7 month grand daughter from Colorado Springs to Naples Fl, with one connection in Dallas. My daughter sent me with her light jogger stroller and we checked it in AA with no problem in Colorado Springs- but once in Dallas I was told since it was a jogger it was over the maximum weight. (At the gate). She asked if it was weighed and I said no but was I shared that I was not aware of no joggers policy only the weight…explained that this model was the lighted and compact. I frankly didn’t weight for outcome I just wanted to board and get situated. I was one hot mess and nervous glam-ma.
Returning I will consider shipping it and a flight with no connections.
I agree with everyone pack less. I know better now. Anyone which Airline is baby friendly? Meaning let mommies or grandparents board first? That will be worth the extra pay? Also which has infant discounts?