Traveling with Toddlers: Practical Advice for the Flight

Navigating the strict rules of the airport while carrying all of my belongings AND toting cranky or sleeping little ones sends me into a panic attack just thinking about it. However, I have traveled with my two toddlers enough to know that we will make it and the trouble will be worth it. The following are a few of our tried and true methods for dealing with the chaos of the airport and flights.

1. Bring the kid gear.

No matter how cheap the airline is they always allow a car seat and a stroller to be checked FOR FREE. So, if your big-ass double stroller will make your trip more bearable, then bring it. Typically, you can leave it at the departure gate when you get on the flight and either pick it up at the arrival gate or at the baggage claim. Just remember that if it is not checked at the front counter, you have to get that beast through security so empty it out in advance and save your sanity for the flight.

2. DON’T pay extra to book seats together on budget airlines.

I can’t even fathom that a child would ever have to sit alone on a flight. If the airline doesn’t automatically move your child to sit with you, then the passengers will because no one in their right mind that wants to sit next to a kid. It’s also highly unlikely that another passenger wants to sit next to a single parent and a child when the rest of their party is nearby. We took this gamble on a few budget European airlines, never once was it an issue. The airline put all of us together and we saved big bucks by not paying for seat selection. This may not be true, however, if the seats are booked separately. Although I still maintain that any person who has ever encountered a child would make sure that they are united with their parents for a flight.

3. DON’T get stuck holding your wiggly child for the entire flight.

If you have a lap infant on a long-haul flight, ask the check-in counter or flight attendants for seats with a bassinet. They are often located at the front of the rows and a small child can sleep the flight away, freeing you up to do normal things like eat with both hands or go to the bathroom. LIFESAVER! For toddlers and other small children, we bring small blankets to make nests on the floor for them to stretch out on. I suspect that this is frowned upon by most airlines since they are not strapped in but it is one of those risk/benefit situations that each parent must weigh for themselves.

4. Reuse water bottles.

Of course, security does not allow you to bring liquids through, but nothing says that you can’t fill a water bottle up at a drinking fountain afterwards. My family drinks an insane amount of water and the airlines never seem to supply enough to keep everyone hydrated. The real pro tip here is bringing mix-in powders to make other drinks. We bring emergen-C for a quick boost of vitamins, Gatorade powder for electrolytes, Starbucks Via for our caffeine habit, kool-aid, hot chocolate, even dry soups. The powders take very little space in a carry-on, yet make a huge difference. This can also be taken a step further by bringing instant oatmeal or macaroni and cheese cups that only require hot water. The one caveat is that some bottles can erupt under pressure and spew water many feet in the air if they remain closed during take-off. My children have both been blasted by shower-force water to the face and on one rare occasion the passenger sitting directly behind us was the unlucky recipient of our mini-geyser.

5. Let your roller luggage do all the work

You have your luggage, your giant stroller, probably your toddler’s entire bedroom packed up into some kind of bag, maybe a car seat. How do you carry it all? The real answer is, “you probably don’t.” We take multiple trips, we ask strangers for help, and we use the expensive airport carts. However, there are a few gadgets that can provide a limited amount of assistance. Try attaching a bulky car seat to your rolling luggage with a strap, some even allow a child to remain in the seat.  https://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Accessories-suitcase-ultra-portable-solution/dp/B0772VL93G If you McGyver it just right, you might also be able to get a folding umbrella stroller strapped onto your roller as well. Use an extra large, rolling duffle and cram as much as you can fit in it. We’ve transported kid’s bicycles, car seats, small strollers, and the kid’s luggage within a larger duffle and then paid to check only one bag. Bonus points if toddlers can ride on the duffle as you roll it.

Stay tuned for more pro travel tips and practical advice. If you too have any helpful hints, please let us know. We want to hear it!