Flying With a Toddler and Keeping Your Sanity: How You Can Do It, Too!

If you are stressing over the thought of having to fly with your two/three/four year old I am here to tell you…

I’ve been there, and I’ve got your back.

By the time you’re done reading this post, you will have enough tools and tips in your arsenal to handle practically any disaster that pops up when you’re travelling with a tiny little toddler tornado.

Flying with our Three Year Old for the First Time

We are fresh off of our first ever family vacation via airplane, and I didn’t lose my marbles once! 

I was slightly nervous about how Bean would do on the plane, but I knew that she had lasted through a 5 hour road trip with myself, my mom, and sister for a national dance competition last summer pretty awesomely. There was a chance that the flight could go off without a hitch.

Nevertheless, I decided to do a little research and see if I could find some tips and tricks that I might not have thought of myself for traveling with a toddler.

Without further ado, after HOURS of research and personal experience, my tips for…

Flying with a Toddler and Keeping Your Sanity

1. Purchase a ticket for your child to have their own seat

According to the FAA, children under the age of 2 can legally sit on a lap for the duration of the flight.

Personally, if you can afford it, I would do everything I could to not have to fly this way.

My child is extremely squirmy and active, and the thought of having to keep her contained on my lap for an entire flight is enough to send me to the nuthouse.

If you’re lucky enough to have a calm, easy going child, you might be better off saving the money. But in my mind, this was priority number one.

And no, they do not HAVE to sit in a car seat or be harnessed for the flight, but the FAA does recommend it.

2. Book a direct flight or one with a longer layover

The less boarding and unboarding you have to do with a toddler, the better!

If you can manage it, make sure you book a direct flight or one with a longer layover. If a layover is inevitable, you will want plenty of time just in case.

3. Pack the carseat in a duffle bag and stash extras

Find a duffle bag that will fit your car seat so that you can protect it during the flight. Every time we’ve done this, we just explain that the bag is our car seat and they slap a baggage claim ticket on it free of charge.

FYI: car seats can be checked for free at most (if not all) airlines!

We were able to sneak a few light “extras” in the bag free of charge. By extras I mean additional pull ups and some beach towels 😉

4. Bring an empty sippy cup through security

Although you can bring formula/milk in excess of 3.4 oz through TSA, I felt it was just easier to have an empty cup in my carry on to fill after we got through security.

P.S. drinking fountain water is free (you’re welcome for that tip). 😉

5. Keep the stroller with you until you board

You don’t have to check your stroller before going through security. I’m glad that I read this tip beforehand, otherwise I might have made this mistake.

The stroller helped contain Bean when she was getting a little crazy, especially while we were going through the long lines at TSA. I can’t imagine trying to hold on to a child for that long.

It also gave her a place to lie down while we were waiting to board at the gate.

Once you get to your gate, keep an ear out to hear an announcement when you are supposed to gate check your stroller (which is usually right before boarding begins).

If you’re flying with a quality airline, they’ll have the stroller waiting for you on the bridge right as you exit the plane.

6. Use the restroom as close to boarding as possible

Encourage a last minute trip to the restroom before you board the plane. Of course, the airplane bathroom is there in case of emergency, but we all know…

There’s nothing more claustrophobic and uncomfortable than an airplane bathroom.

This leads me to my next tip…

7. Pack an extra pair of clothes in a carry-on (and undies if potty trained)

Kids have an uncanny way of making messes of themselves and having accidents at the worst times.

Whether you think you’ll need it or not, pack an extra pair of clothes and undies in your carry-on.

Luckily, I never had to use ours. But it was nice to have peace of mind knowing that if she happened to have an accident, I could put my daughter in dry clothes easily.

8. If you have one, bring a travel DVD player, iPad, or Kindle

This was our biggest saving grace.

Brynn could play the games we had stored on her Kindle and watch the DVDs that we brought with and it kept her entertained almost the entire trip.

Normally a few hours in a row of screen time would bother me, but for the sake of a peaceful travel (and knowing that she would have TONS of stimulation during our vacation) kept my mommy guilt at bay.

UPDATE: since I originally posted, you can now download videos from Netflix and Amazon Prime to watch on your Kindle for later! No need for the DVD player!

9. Invest in kid’s headphones

Chances are, you will be allowing WAY more screen time for your toddler just to survive the trip. Hey, I’ve been there.

Please keep this in mind: no one else on the flight wants to listen to the Paw Patrol theme song on blast.

I knew that my daughter would be watching the travel DVD player and possibly be playing games with obnoxious music on her Kindle during the flight, so I (I mean, Santa) researched headphones that she could use.

The thing that “Santa” didn’t do, make sure that the volume control headphones would be loud enough to be heard over the noise of the plane. Oh well. They were just loud enough and now she can use them on road trips.

These headphones are similar to the ones that we bought for Bean but do not have a volume limiter, so it will be easier for the kids to hear over the loud hum of the plane.

10. Pack fruit snacks for chewing upon ascent/descent

Kids can’t pop their ears on their own and they also shouldn’t be chewing gum (I’m sure you already knew all of that), but chewy fruit snacks will keep their jaw moving enough to help with any discomfort they might have with the altitude changes.

Luckily, Bean didn’t seem to be bothered at all. Or maybe it was the endless fruit snacks I was feeding her? 😀

11. Have your husband take the aisle seat

That way he’ll have to take your little one to the potty whenever they have to go… kidding. But not really 😉

Other questions you might have flying with a toddler for the first time:

Do I need to provide identification for my child?

According to the FAA website:

TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling with a companion within the United States. Contact the airline for questions regarding specific ID requirements for travelers under 18.

What do I need to know about going through security with a toddler?

According to the FAA website:

Children 12 and under can leave their shoes, light jackets and headwear on during screening. Children will not be separated from their parent/guardian. Remove infants and children from their carriers and carry them in arms through the walk-through metal detector.

What do I do with my stroller during TSA screening?

According to the FAA website:

Place all carry-on baggage such as children’s toys, bags and blankets on the X-ray belt for screening. Strollers, umbrella-strollers, baby carriers, car and booster seats and backpacks must be screened by X-ray. Place items in the stroller pockets or baskets, in a carry-on bag or on the X-ray belt for screening.

Can you bring toddler snacks through airport security?

According to the FAA website:

Formula, breast milk and juice for infants or toddlers are permitted in reasonable quantities through the security checkpoint. Inform the TSA officer at the beginning of the screening process that you carry formula, breast milk and juice in excess of 3.4 ounces in your carry-on bag.

There you have it, everything that I could possibly think of that I worried about, researched, planned, and purchased for flying with a toddler for the first time.

Let me know in the comments below if you have any other questions, I would be happy to help!