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If you’re new here, I’m Rachel! I’m a military spouse and travel agent so traveling with little ones has been a big part of our life since we became parents. My husband and I are from opposite sides of the country and will always have to fly to visit family no matter where the military sends us! That being said, we’ve flown a lot so I have put together my tried and true products I will always recommend when flying with kids! These are all products I own and have used for multiple flights.
The first question I always get is “Do we need to fly with car seats?” If your child is under 2, they can be a lap infant or in a car seat in their own seat. Once they turn 2, its up to you as car seats aren’t required. However, they do have to be in their own seats once they turn 2. Personally, this depends on a lot of things for me. Am I flying alone? Will I have help? Do I have car seats where I’m going (to see family for example)? All of these play a role in my decision. We always travel with Cosco car seats! Our first flight, I flew with our big convertible car seat and 0/10 do NOT recommend! They’re so heavy to lug through the airport. Cosco seats on the other hand are so lightweight (12 lbs), affordable, and meet the requirements of the airlines!
After that, I always get “but how do you carry it through the airport?” I’m so glad you asked! We love the Gorilla Grip Bag! The car seat fits inside and I can wear it like a backpack so my hands are free! Again, since the Cosco seats are only 12 lbs, wearing this on my back is super easy!
Pictured – both my husband and I with our Gorilla Grip Bags on as backpacks to get through the airport.
If traveling with kids under 2, I highly recommend the Lillebaby All Seasons Carrier! We’ve had this carrier since my oldest was born and it’s still amazing as we prepare for our third! I always recommend wearing baby through security so your hands are free and the Lillebaby Carrier helps so much! You will see me travel everywhere with our carrier!
What about strollers? We also don’t travel without strollers. I like to know I can move through the airport with the kids in a stroller so we can move quickly and keep everyone accounted for! Especially if you have a layover or need to prepare for any delays, having a stroller is so crucial! Pro tip, make sure you read the stroller policy for your airline! I learned the hard way that American Airlines caps their gate-checked stroller weight at 20 pounds. Make sure your stroller is under 20 pounds if you’re hoping to gate check with American. We decided to buy a double umbrella stroller for traveling and it’s under 20 pounds so we know we won’t have issues gate checking it! Even if you fly with a different stroller, just check how much it weighs so you’re prepared!
Other Must Haves When Flying:
- Birth Certificates/Passports – I’ll be honest, we’ve only been asked to prove a child’s age once in all of our trips and it was the ONE time I didn’t fly with copies of birth certificates so just keep one of these in your bag just in case
- Wipes
We can never have enough Wet Ones when traveling!
If you’re traveling with babies, these pacifier & bottle wipes are amazing to have on hand too! - Chargers – you never know when you’ll need to charge while traveling
- Battery Pack
- Headphones – don’t forget the kids’ headphones if you’re bringing a tablet!
- Change of clothes for everyone – Trust me, you don’t want to have to go buy a new shirt at the airport gift shop because you didn’t pack an extra!
- Reusable water bottles – We go through security with them empty and then we can fill up afterward. We love the Simple Modern water bottles for the whole family!
- Snacks – you can never have enough snacks when traveling with kids! Here are some of my favorite snack storage for traveling!
GoBe Snack Spinner
Munchkin Snack Catchers
Simple Modern Reusable Snack Bags
Bumkins Snack Bags
Reusable Bento Boxes - Toys and games for the flight
I hope you found this post helpful when preparing for your next flight with kids! Stay tuned for more travel trips!
Main Street Mama Travels 