Flying With Toddlers Tips

10 Proven Tips for Flying with Toddlers

By Maura Huntz

Reviewed by: Ben Thoennes

Updated: September 3, 2024

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• 1. Book a No-Nonsense Direct Flight
• 2. Fly at the Right Time of the Day
• 3. Select Your Seats Wisely
• 4. Grab Your Seats in Advance
• 5. Board Armed with Entertainment Tools
• 6. Pack Your Own Kid Snacks
• 7. Don’t Fly Under (Air) Pressure
• 8. Travel with Basic Medicines
• 9. Pack the Essentials
• 10. Talk to Your Kids About What to Expect

Are you planning a flight with your toddler? If yes, then for some, it may be fun as their kids love to fly and are content simply watching videos from takeoff to landing. But for some parents, it may be, well, let’s just say not that ideal.

Flying with a toddler is a completely different challenge compared to flying with a baby. It is very difficult for parents to make their toddlers sit still in one place, let alone on a long flight with connections.

But these issues shouldn’t restrict you from flying with young children. To make your journey smooth, you need to plan properly, do a little mental preparation, pack smart, and follow these tips:

To help you out, here are some useful tips that you can follow while traveling with your toddlers.

1. Book a No-Nonsense Direct Flight

Let's face it, flying with your toddler is hard enough, let alone if you have to make a connection somewhere. Your first step to a less-stressful flight starts at flight booking, where, if at all possible, you can opt for a direct flight. Having a direct flight also helps your toddler to have a sound sleep throughout the journey.

In case you do not find a direct flight for your destination, try to minimize the stoppages or connecting flights in between. Once, we had to take a connecting flight and it turned into a nightmare when my toddler refused to leave the play area at the layover airport, causing a mini meltdown.

2. Fly at the Right Time of the Day

Depending on your youngster, it is advisable to fly during the nighttime (i.e., the famed ‘red eye’). This is simply because there is a decent chance that your child will sleep throughout the journey.

For a shorter flight, you can opt to fly in the middle of the day. This is helpful as you do not need to wake up your toddler early in the morning. Moreover, you will reach your destination before your child's bedtime. Keep in mind the effects of time changes when your journey lasts more than a couple of hours and you're flying east or west. We once took a red-eye flight, and my daughter slept through most of it, which made the experience much more pleasant.

3. Select Your Seats Wisely

Most of the time, your little ones love to look out of the window of the plane. So, it is advisable to choose one of your seats as a window seat.

Having a window seat can help to distract your child’s mind, allowing them to wonder at the sights below and the colors of the sky and clouds. Moreover, you can share the experience by explaining what they are seeing. On one flight, my son spent hours looking out the window, fascinated by the view of the clouds and landscape below.

4. Grab Your Seats in Advance

Try to book your seats well in advance, if possible. It is helpful as you can increase your chance that your family sits together. Booking a seat in advance also gives you the benefit of selecting a seat of your choice. I always make it a point to book our seats as soon as we book the flight to ensure we’re all seated together.

5. Board Armed with Entertainment Tools

Try to pack some interesting books, activity kits, crayons, and more so that your child can entertain themselves. This way, your toddler can spend some time quietly without disturbing you. I’ve found that a simple sticker book can keep my kids entertained for hours, making the flight much more manageable.

6. Pack Your Own Kid Snacks

Sure, you could get to the airport and search high and low for a decent snack or lunch for your small child, but it's hard enough getting to the gate on time dragging all their items (plus yours!). When you're done packing for your flight, consider making a list of snacks you can carry on to keep those hungry mouths satisfied. Once, we were saved by a stash of granola bars when our flight was delayed and the airport food options were limited.

7. Don’t Fly Under (Air) Pressure

If your toddler is suffering from a cold or an ear infection, you should consult your doctor before flying. The change in the cabin air pressure can cause pain in your toddler's body, usually soon after take-off and on descent.

So, try to avoid flying during such situations. If unavoidable, carry proper medications to prevent the situation from becoming worse for your child. On one flight, my son had an ear infection, and it was only bearable because we had consulted our doctor beforehand and had the right medication.

8. Travel with Basic Medicines

For children who are prone to motion sickness, take along extra plastic zip-lock or diaper bags that can be used as sick bags. These extra bags are also helpful for storing smelly clothes.

If you want to have comfortable journeys with your toddler, take all the basic medicines along with you. Moreover, these medicines can help you make your child feel better as fast as possible. I always carry a small first-aid kit with essentials like fever reducers and motion sickness tablets, just in case.

9. Pack the Essentials

When you are flying with a toddler, make sure that you have packed all the essentials, including diapers, milk, favorite toys, and extra clothes. These items help you to engage your child and make your journey smoother. One time, we forgot to pack extra clothes, and when my daughter spilled juice all over herself, it made the rest of the flight quite uncomfortable.

10. Talk to Your Kids About What to Expect

Toddlers are big enough to understand some common and basic rules of flying. So, try to communicate with them. Get them ready in advance by talking to them, letting them know what is expected from them during the journey. Pull up your flight's status and show them where your flight is on a map.

You can tell them how they have to behave during the journey and at the time of landing. Maybe your child will not remember everything, but at least a little is better than nothing. If your child is curious about what’s going on in the cockpit, or any other aspect of flight, read here a pilot describing all aspects of flight. My son was so excited after learning about the different parts of the plane and what the pilots do; it really helped to keep him engaged during the flight.

Flying with Toddlers FAQ