8 Easy Tips For A Stress-Free Flight with Kids

Well, it’s time to go on a little flight with your child. How exciting! And while that excitement is high, the stress is also. There is so much to think about and so much to pack. You don’t want to over pack, but also want to make sure you bring enough. Then there is the question of do you bring a stroller, a wagon, a carrier, or just lug their little self through the airport? This post is meant to help you sort through some of those questions through 8 easy tips for a stress-free flight with kids.

I have flown by myself with both my children numerous times. We tend to go on a couple trips per year. Every time, one of my kids has been a lap child. This means they didn’t have a seat of their own and rode in my lap the whole time. We did this because up until the age of two on most flights children can fly for free if they sit on your lap (Check out my post on traveling with a big family for tips if you have more than one kid). Flying with children this way can be stressful, but very cost effective. Throughout our flights I have learned more and more about making the trips less stressful. Allow me to share with you some of the things I have learned so you can have a slightly less stressful flight too.

Window or Aisle Seat?

Your first hurdle for a stress-free flight with kids happens before you even book your flight. Do you want to have a window seat or an aisle seat? As much as I would love to give advice on this, it is 100% personal preference. I go with aisle seat every time. Personally, I get claustrophobic in a window seat. This is made worse by having a person in my lap. I also like having the freedom to get up whenever I want to go to the restroom or take one of the boys to the back and bounce them if they are tired and cranky. Lastly, I go with the aisle seat because it affords us just a little bit more room. Some people prefer the window seat so their little one can be distracted by looking out the window. So, like I said completely personal preference.

Side note: This is for a person with one or two small kids. Now that I have two over two, we officially fill up a whole row!!

Clothing

Make sure to dress your little one in something comfortable and easy to change (clothes and diapers). I usually do PJ’s since I plan for him to sleep, but I think even easier than that would be a shirt and pants. If you are in a hurry the most difficult clothing to deal with is going to be a onesie and pants. Even if it is cute, I would try to avoid this. Bring extra clothes for your child, but you certainly don’t need to go overboard. Remember there are other things besides just clothes that you need to fit in the diaper bag.

For yourself, make sure to dress in layers. This is especially true if your little is riding on your lap. The airport and even the plane can be cold, but it is easy to get hot after having a little heater in your lap for an hour. It wouldn’t hurt to have an extra shirt for yourself in the diaper bag as well for spills, crumbs, boogers, etc.

Toys

All the Snacks!

Snacks are another essential for a stress-free flight with kids. These, on the other hand, are the opposite of toys. Bring all the snacks! The more variety you have the better. It is by far the easiest way to keep the littles calm and entertained. Again, I wouldn’t bring anything too small. I brought Cheerios for Leo once and they ended up all over the floor.

Try New Things

Generally, I wouldn’t give my little kids pop and I wouldn’t let him watch hours upon hours of tv. The first time I was about to fly with Leo I got some really good advice from our daycare worker who had just taken a flight with her two-year- old. She said, “nothing is off the table. Do things you normally wouldn’t do to get through the flight”. My initial thought was “what the heck does she mean by that??”. Her example was giving him pop. I found this to be absolutely perfect advice. Thankfully the flight offered seltzer water which Leo absolutely loves. During one of our many flights, Leo was extra fussy. I let him watch the Wiggles for the entire two-hour flight. Letting go of these things for a flight is essential for a stress-free flight with kids.

Stroller or Wagon

Pack Light

Keep it light if you are flying alone with your little ones. I stick with just the diaper bag and stroller. If you can’t fit all the things you need for the day in the diaper bag, you are bringing too much. You don’t want to have too much to keep track of. That being said, now that Leo is a little older, I generally give him a little backpack to carry with a few of his snacks, a couple small toys, and his blankee.

At the first airport and during any layovers it is best to let your little ones run around if possible (due to business of the airport) and if they are old enough to walk. This is impossible if you have luggage or multiple bags to keep track of. When we get to our gate, I always put the diaper bag on my back, take the boys out of the wagon, and let them run around the gate area while I follow them. This wouldn’t work if I wasn’t able to leave the stroller due to too much luggage being on it.

Restroom Break

When flying with children restroom breaks are the best on the airplane. This isn’t everyone’s opinion, I know. This is another reason I prefer an aisle seat. Taking a restroom break during the flight gets us up out of the seat and gives a change of scenery for a few minutes. This is the only way you can get out of your seat without getting lectured, so we take advantage! This gives me the opportunity to use the restroom and change diapers. It is small and not always easy, but to me that little trip to the bathroom is worth it. People always ask what I do with Leo while I am going to the bathroom. I set him on the floor! There is plenty of room in there. He is wearing shoes, so he just stands there and it works out great.

The above paragraph was written when I only had one kid, so I wanted to give a little bit of an update now that there is another. We still love taking restroom breaks during the flight! It certainly comes with a few more challenges. Those restrooms are so darn tiny! As Leo is only three, I am not comfortable with leaving him at the seat by himself. All three of us go back to the restroom. Sometimes the flight attendants are willing to help us with swapping out kids while I change diapers and things. Other times the three of us cram in there and I make it work!

Enjoy Your Trip!

So, there you have it. My best tips and tricks for a stress-free flight with kids. There will always be some sort of stress involved, but you can minimize it by being prepared! Just remember it is temporary, and most of the people around you understand what you are going through. A lot of them will even offer you help which is always a blessing! If you need to pick my brain on flying with children, reach out to me through email or social media!