Become a Pro at Flying with Kids

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Rarely do I go out and say I'm a pro at something because, as the name of this blog suggests, I'm anything but a pro at most things parenting-related.

However, this is my one wild card move that I can confidently say that I'm good at: I'm great at parenting on an airplane.

My trick? Have no expectations. And your expectations will be exceeded.

But for real. An interesting fact about our family is that we're widely spread across the world, so flying 14+ hours for holidays is not an uncommon ritual multiple times a year. My daughter's first transcontinental flight was at five months, and though it is still more difficult than flying alone (Oh the days of watching in-flight movies), it is much much MUCH easier with some of these tips. Hold your horses, we're in for a long ride, er, flight.

My biggest tip of all: Strategic Packing

The rookie mistake is overpacking the carry-on.
The pro move? Strategic packing.

With our checked bags, I let all the rules go out the window. Pack what you want, pack what you need, pack what your little parent heart desires. Get it checked as soon as you get to the airport and get it out of the way.

Now for the all-important, all-powerful carry-on: I suggest going with a dual-compartment carry on to maximize the compartments you can make (this will be important later). My favorite in those first few years of traveling with a kid has been my trusty Samsonite. It's a no-frills expandable carry on with spinner wheels and the price is chef's kiss. Now, the key to minimize losing your mind on trips is to be prepared, but make it easy. This means absolutely nothing that will be a "maybe we will use this."

I like to divide up the carry on into four sections and I put EVERYTHING into it's own packing cube or plastic bag (or sometimes, both)

A) Extra clothes + diapers + wipes + plastic bags

I know it might not seem like you need to pack extra clothes, especially if your kid is over the age of 3... However, you never know what will happen at a higher altitude. Don't take the chance of bodily fluid. Pack the extra outfit.

For little ones still in diapers, I suggest 1.5 diapers x the number of hours in the air. This meant that for my 14 hour flight, I packed 21 diapers. Yes, you are seeing that correctly. But did I use all of them? No. But I used 18, and I was thankful I had three left by the time I got off that plane.

Take a full pack of wipes, because most likely you will be using them for bathroom breaks, for wiping sticky hands, and (hopefully not, but) dirty armrests and tray tables.

Plastic bags are a must to keep dirty clothes in their own closed off area, and also inevitably for the amount of trash your family will accumulate. I like to use sented doggie poop bags for their compact design. Plus, many of these bags come pre-loaded in a keychain! Win!

B) Snacks

You've all seen the instagram reels and TikToks of moms making snackle boxes for their kiddos on trips. I don't have the time or the energy for that, but if you do, kudos to you. I have a packing cube of snacks that I know my kid will love and bonus points if they don't have too much sugar in them, but really, at this point, does it matter?

I only pack 2-3 new snacks, because kids are creatures of habit, and though it might seem like a good idea to get new, fun snacks, the plane trip on its own is exciting, and I find that my kid does better when she gets snacks she really enjoys to give her a sense of comfort.

Bonus tip: I also pack a good handful of lollipops to lessen the impact of air pressure on little ears for take off and landing.

C) Entertainment

This is where all my rules go out the window. I let my kid have as much screen time as she wants. While in-flight entertainment has come a LONG way, the reality is that oftentimes the height of the screen and the different reactiveness levels of the touchscreens can frustrate kids. I suggest bringing your own tablet with a kid-friendly case (I love our pink foam one), and a set of headphones. I love these ones by JBL, and have them in both the Bluetooth and Wired versions.

We download as many shows as possible on multiple streaming apps (Netflix, YouTube Kids, Disney+, etc.) because it's possible that some of them don't work as well on Airplane mode. It's best to be prepared.

Our kiddo is also not the most screen-loving kid in the world, so I do pack some mini colored pencils, a small notepad, new stickers, and some washi tape in a packing cube for her to play with. She doodles, puts paper on her screen with the washi tape, and generally gets creative. Washi tape is basically painters tape with a design, so it does not leave any residue and is easy to remove.

D) Comfy Stuff: Blanket + pillow

No explanation needed here. I would probably suggest a smaller pillow as it does take up space - but a cute stuffie or a squishmallow sometimes doubles as a pillow+friend!

All in all, don't be afraid of flights. Having children doesn't mean you should be quarantined to the four walls of your home. If anything, the earlier children learn to travel, the quicker they will adjust and the less of a circus it will be once they are older.

Don't worry, you'll be cruising through security and comfy with an in-flight movie in no time!