If you have a new baby and you’re worried about air travel, you’re not alone! Figuring out what to pack, how to keep your baby occupied, and how to calm them down during a flight can be daunting. Fortunately, preparing ahead of time with your baby can set you up for a smooth, easy flight. Read through these helpful tips about preparing your child for their first-ever air travel experience.

This article is based on an interview with our professional parenting coach, Jami Yaeger, founder of AustinBorn. Check out the full interview here.

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Buy a ticket for your baby so you don’t have to hold them.

  1. Children under 2 years old don’t need a seat, but having one can be nice. If you plan on holding your baby in your lap for the entire flight, don’t worry about buying them a seat. However, having a second seat next to you to put your baby in can be a great way to give yourself a short break. You can also use the seat to hold your diaper bag and any supplies that you need to grab during the flight.[2]
    • The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) doesn’t require a safety seat for your baby, but they strongly recommend one.[3]
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Bring a CRS safety seat to secure your baby.

  1. Not all car seats are safe for airplane use. If you are buying a seat for your baby and you plan to put them in a car seat, make sure it’s a Child Restraint System (CRS) that has the label, “This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.” When you get on the plane, you’ll need to install the car seat according to the manual’s instructions and your baby’s age.[5]
    • Experts recommend using a rear-facing seat until ages 2 to 4.[6]
    • Before you get on your flight, measure the width of your child’s seat. It will fit on most standard airplane seats if it’s 16 inches (41 cm) wide or less.
    • A lot of airlines require that child seats must be in the window seat. If you aren’t sure, call your airline to check before booking a ticket.
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Pack a bottle or a pacifier.

  1. This will give your baby something to suck on and pop their ears. Since babies can’t understand that they need to pop their ears during takeoff and landing, you’ll want to pack something that they can drink (or a pacifier that they can suck on). Even if it’s a short flight, take a bottle or a pacifier with you and give it to your baby at the beginning and the end of the flight. Try to have them sit up while they drink, as that can help relieve some of the pain in their ears.[7]
    • Try not to let your baby sleep during takeoffs and landings, since they could wake up in pain.
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Bring pre-mixed formula or breast milk.

  1. You can bring as much or as little food for your baby as you’d like. Breast milk and formula are exempt from TSA’s 3.4 ounces rule. This means that you can bring “reasonable quantities” with you in your carry-on bag.[8] When you go through security, tell the TSA officer that you have breast milk or formula in your bag before it goes through the x-ray machine.
    • You can also bring water and powder formula separately in your carry-on bag.

Warnings

  • If you have a newborn, talk with your pediatrician before flying. Air travel can increase your baby’s chances of catching an infectious disease.[20]
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  1. Jami Yaeger. Parenting Specialist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2021.
  2. Jami Yaeger. Parenting Specialist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2021.
  3. Jami Yaeger. Parenting Specialist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2021.
  4. Jami Yaeger. Parenting Specialist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2021.
  5. Jami Yaeger. Parenting Specialist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2021.
  6. https://tsatraveltips.us/flying-with-a-stroller/
  7. Jami Yaeger. Parenting Specialist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2021.
  8. https://tsatraveltips.us/flying-with-a-stroller/
  9. Jami Yaeger. Parenting Specialist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2021.
  10. Jami Yaeger. Parenting Specialist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2021.
  11. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/Pages/Flying-with-Baby.aspx

About This Article

Jami Yaeger
Written by:
Parenting Specialist
This article was written by Jami Yaeger and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Jami Yaeger is a Parenting Specialist, Doula, and the Owner of AustinBorn, an online community offering comprehensive and modern education to growing families. With 10 years of experience, Jami specializes in whole family support for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and parenting. Jami earned her BA in Theatre Performance from San Diego State University and earned her Certification as a Lactation Education Counselor from the University of California, San Diego. She is a Certified Infant and Child CPR Instructor, Birth and Postpartum Doula, and Childbirth Educator. This article has been viewed 12,676 times.
29 votes - 93%
Co-authors: 8
Updated: May 28, 2022
Views: 12,676
Categories: Motherhood
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