Traveling can be stressful for everyone. However, it can be particularly overwhelming if you’re flying with a baby.
The good news is that, with a bit of planning, you can ensure a smoother, safer flight. By following these tips for flying with infants, you’re bound to enjoy your travel experience with your little one.
Baby travel checklist: How to prepare for flying with babies
1. Buy your infant their own ticket
As tempting as it may be to save a few bucks by sharing lap-holding duties with your spouse or travel partner, you’ll do both yourselves and your fellow passengers a great service by buying your baby their own ticket.
A baby seated comfortably in their own safety seat designed specifically for their body (with a restraint device) will be much less restless, more comfortable and more secure on a flight than a baby forced to ride in your lap the whole time. Trust us, the extra expense will be well worth it.
2. Pack extra baby supplies
When you’re traveling with an infant, it’s vital to bring twice as many diapers, double the formula, baby food and other baby supplies than you think you’ll need. This way, you (and your family) will be fine if your flight gets delayed or even canceled. As you know, a hungry baby with a dirty diaper is not a pretty sight.
3. Don’t forget ear protection
The pressure changes in the plane’s cabin are likely to cause a bit of ear pain for your infant. Prepare for this by packing earplugs specifically designed for your little one’s sensitive ears. You may also want to ask your pediatrician for an ear pain drop prescription you could take on your flight.
4. Rent baby equipment
To make your life easier in the airport, rent baby equipment. You can get things like cribs, car seats and high chairs delivered to your destination airport or hotel. There’s no need to deal with the hassle of bringing such equipment with you when this service is available. Plus, you can save big on baggage fees.
Airline fees, restrictions and allowances for infants
| Airline | Infant fee | Restrictions/Allowances |
|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | Free if held in lap; ticketed fare if in reserved seat. | Infants as young as 2 days old can travel. A passenger medical form is required to be filled out for infants less than 7 days old. |
| Delta Airlines | Free if held in lap (within the US) or reduced fare (international travel); ticketed fare if in reserved seat. | One lap-held infant per adult passenger. A seat must be purchased for additional infants. |
| United Airlines | Free if held in lap within the U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. | International travel requires a purchased ticket and is subject to infant fares and taxes. |
| Southwest Airlines | Free if held in lap; international flights will incur taxes and fees that apply to the international portion of the itinerary. | A boarding pass is not required for a lap infant, butt you will need a Boarding Verification Document. |
| JetBlue Airways | Free if held in lap domestically. For international trips, there will be a fee for the portion from the international city to the U.S. | Those traveling with an adult who is not their parent must have a notarized letter of authorization. |
| Alaska Airlines | Free if held in lap domestically. For international trips, there will be a fee for the portion from the international city to the U.S. | To guarantee a seat for the infant (and a carry-on luggage allowance), it is required to purchase a regular adult ticketed fare. |
| Spirit Airlines | Free if held in lap; ticketed fare if in reserved seat. Taxes and fees may apply for the infant, depending on destination. | A child is eligible to sit on an adult’s lap during flights from ages 7 days to 23 months. |
| Frontier Airlines | Free if held in lap; ticketed fare if in reserved seat. | An adult traveling with a lap infant is allowed a second personal item, such as a diaper bag, free of charge. |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Free if held in lap; ticketed fare if in reserved seat. | For international flights, the lap child fare is 10% of the accompanying adult fare, plus taxes and fees. |
| Qatar Airlines | Infant fare if held in lap; child fare if traveling in a separate seat or car seat. | Eligible infant age is 8 days through 2 years old. |
| Air Canada | Within Canada: Free if held in lap; ticketed adult fare if in reserved seat. | For Canada/USA travel, lap infants will incur taxes, and a reserved seat is the same fare as an adult ticket. For international travel, a lap infant is 10% of the adult fare, while a reserved seat is at a child’s fare. |
| Aer Lingus | A flat rate of €25/£25 or equivalent (excluding taxes and charges where applicable) per one-way flight on all European routes or 10% of the adult fare on flights from/to North America will apply. | Infants 0-5 months must sit on an adult’s lap and be restrained by an infant loop belt. |
| Icelandair | Purchasing a ticket for an infant is required for international travel, but it is available at a discounted rate. | Passengers traveling with infants may not sit in an exit row, or in the row directly in front of or behind an exit row. |
Additional tips for flying with a baby
Realize that crying is normal
One of the most important tips for flying with babies is to realize that crying is absolutely normal. In fact, you should expect it to some extent and understand that other passengers probably don’t care as much as you think they do. Of course, there may be one or two that roll their eyes and give you a “look,” so you just have to do your best to ignore those people.
Keep your baby buckled up
To keep your baby as safe as can be on a plane, keep them buckled snugly in their safety seat. You may need to unbuckle them to change their diaper or to let them stretch their tiny legs. Remember that, if you let them loose, however, they may want to stay in your arms for the entire flight, so keeping them buckled for as long as possible is the way to go.
Book a direct flight
If possible, book a direct flight when traveling with your baby. Yes, you may have to dish out more cash to pay for it, but the convenience often makes it well worth it. If you can’t fly direct, book a flight with a longer layover so you have time to change a dirty diaper, breastfeed and enjoy the nice non-airplane meal you deserve.
Keep your baby distracted
When it comes to tips for flying with babies, keeping your infant distracted definitely makes the cut. While you may prefer to enjoy a magazine or doze off, reading books or playing games with your little one is important. The more distracted your baby is, the more likely they are to be happy during the flight.
While there are no guarantees with an infant, these tips and our baby travel checklist are sure to make your travel plans a little less bumpy.
FAQs
Infants, which are defined as younger than 2 years old, don’t always need a plane ticket as long as they are seated on their parent’s or a designated guardian’s lap. Requirements vary by airline. See chart below for details about infant fares on the most popular domestic and international airlines. Some airlines require you to buy a full adult fare for children aged 2 and older, while others offer child fares that are drastically discounted.
However, once children reach the age of 2, they will need to sit in their own reserved seat with a purchased ticket. Some airlines require you to buy a full adult fare for children aged 2 and older, while others offer child fares that are drastically discounted.
To travel internationally with an infant, you may often be required to pay 10% of the adult fare, plus taxes and fees, even if the infant will be held in your lap. Your airline will have its own rules, so check with them before booking an international flight.
Some airlines, like American Airlines, let babies fly when they are as young as two days old. Others, like Southwest Airlines, require newborns to be at least 14 days old. Check the specific airline’s website for details, as some require a physician’s sign-off depending on the age of the baby on the day that he or she will be flying.
Each airline will have its own rules regarding what items, if any, you can check in or carry on in addition to the maximum allowances already in place (and without paying additional fees). Frontier Airlines, for example, will allow those with infants to carry on a second personal item, such as a diaper bag, for free. United Airlines allows strollers to be checked at the gate without charge.
Lap infants traveling on JetBlue, for example, do not need to pay a fare and therefore do not qualify for the checked bag allowance. However, they will allow the parent or guardian to bring one diaper bag, one stroller and one car seat.
Again, each airline has its own restrictions and allowances for both infants (whether ticketed or not) and children ages 2 and older. Be sure to double-check the airline’s website well before your scheduled trip so you know exactly what to expect at the airport.
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