7 Flying with Kids Tips

Once on a 15 hour direct flight from Singapore to San Francisco, my then 1-year-old daughter only slept for ONE hour. I have a video of my husband during landing with deep dark circles around his eyes while my daughter is happily singing and smiling.

We have flown with my daughter on 82 flights, a handful of them with the addition of her little brother. We have learned some tricks and hacks along the way to make our flights easier, but the truth is, there is no perfect formula. Your last flight with your baby might have been great, but he might be teething on the next one or who knows what. I wish I had the magical answer, but I only have these 7 tips that have made our flying experience slightly more comfortable and smoother.

1. Car Seat

We bring our car seat on the flight if it is a long-haul and/or red-eye flight. On our last 15 hour flight, our then 11-month-old son took one of his naps in the car seat and then his 3-year-old sister took over to sleep for the night. I also use the car seat as a “baby chair” to feed my squirmy baby. I buckle my baby in and then tilt the car seat forward. 

​During one of our fights to Seoul, my daughter fell asleep in her car seat before we even boarded the plane. It was a struggle for my husband to carry the car seat with my sleeping daughter, but she stayed asleep the entire flight and did not wake up until we passed customs! 

Make sure you call/email your airline beforehand to confirm that your car seat is allowed. Every airline has different rules. It is good to print out or have the email with permission ready to show in case the cabin crew questions your car seat. 

2. Car Seat Cover

Planes can be overstimulating, making it harder for little ones to sleep. I love our car seat cover from Cozigo when it is time to sleep on flights. It is like a portable blackout tent that perfectly covers your car seat or even airplane bassinet. There are zippers on the sides so you can peek at your child while he sleeps.

3. Inflight Bed

On long flights, we take our Jetkids Bedbox. My daughter loves riding it at the airport. I fill the bedbox with the rolled up mattress and emergency items - like extra diapers and clothes - since it is hard to take out things once the bed is set up. My toddler likes to put her feet up on the bedbox while she is playing or lay down when she is tired.  ​

4. Carrier

We always travel with our baby carrier. I have written about our Ergobaby 360 before - both my children sleep super well in it. On our last long-haul flight, my son would not sleep even though it was bedtime, so my husband bounced him several times in the carrier and then he was out! ​

5. Baby Safe Antibacterial Wipes ​

I take a lot of baby safe antibacterial wipes on flights as they effectively remove dirt and germs while still gentle to the baby’s skin. I use them to wipe the tray, armrest, etc. (my husband calls me a germaphobe, but there have been times the wipes turned black!). I also use the wipes while changing my baby’s diapers, to wipe our hands before and after we eat, and if my kids spill their drinks on themselves! ​

6. Toothpaste Wipes

My mom once told me that little kids do not get bad breath. This is not true; I have gotten whiffs of plenty of little kids’ breaths while I was a schoolteacher and even smelled my own kids’ morning breath. I recently discovered these disposable toothpaste wipes that easily cleans your child’s teeth - whether it is cavities or basic hygiene you are concerned about. You can wipe his teeth as he is falling asleep at his seat or right before it is time to meet and hug grandma at the gate! ​

7. Plane Activities ​

It can be challenging to keep children busy on flights. I noticed my kids stay engaged for a little longer when I bring new toys and books. I used to go to Daiso or the dollar section at Target to stock up on plane activities, books and toys until I realized I can just hide my kids’ toys and books a month or two before the flight. It is almost, highlighting the word “almost,” like giving my kids new things to play with. My toddler is probably catching on, but it worked great on our last flight!