Flying with kids: the practical checklist

Flying with children isn't hard because of any one thing. It's hard because of fifty small things, all happening at once, usually while someone needs the bathroom. This checklist breaks the trip into stages so nothing gets forgotten. Copy it, cut what you don't need, and work through it.

Weeks before you fly

• Check everyone's documents. On international trips, every child needs their own passport, babies included. Check expiry dates early, because some countries require several months of validity. For flights within the U.S., TSA doesn't require children under 18 to show ID, but your airline may have its own rules.
• Traveling with only one parent? Some countries and airlines may ask for a consent letter from the other parent. The Government of Canada, for example, recommends one for children traveling abroad without both parents. Check the rules for your destination.
• Decide: lap child or own seat. Children under 2 can fly on a parent's lap, but the FAA says the safest place for them is an approved child restraint in their own seat. Buying a seat is the only way to guarantee you can use one.
• Check the car seat label. For a seat made to U.S. standards, look for "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft." The FAA doesn't allow booster seats, backless seats or baby carriers during taxi, takeoff and landing.
• Considering a CARES harness? It's FAA-approved for children who weigh 22 to 44 lb, are up to 40 inches tall, can sit upright on their own and have their own seat. The FAA warns about counterfeits, so buy from the manufacturer.
• Book seats together and ask the airline about its family seating policy.
• Download the airline app and any entertainment to the kids' devices. Don't count on in-flight Wi-Fi.

The week before

• Talk the kids through the day: the security line, waiting at the gate, ears popping, staying buckled. The FAA's Kids' Corner has short videos made for children.
• Pack a carry-on that would get you through a delay:

  • Snacks, more than you think you need, plus an empty water bottle to fill after security
  • Diapers, wipes and a changing mat, enough for the flight plus a few extra hours
  • A full change of clothes for each child, and a spare shirt for you
  • Medicines in their original packaging, plus anything the kids normally take
  • Headphones sized for kids, chargers and a power bank
  • A comfort item, plus one new small toy or book kept hidden until it's needed
• Formula, breast milk and baby food: TSA allows formula, breast milk, toddler drinks and baby or toddler food (including puree pouches) in quantities over 3.4 oz (100 ml) in your carry-on. They don't need to go in the quart-sized bag, and ice packs are allowed too.
• Pack the rest of your liquids using the standard 3-1-1 rule.

Airport day

• Check flight status before you leave. Delays and gate changes are much easier to handle from home than at the gate.
• Leave extra time. Everything takes longer with kids: parking, bag drop, bathroom stops, a meltdown.
• At security, tell the TSA officer at the start if you're carrying formula, breast milk or baby food over 3.4 oz, and take it out for separate screening. Strollers and car seats go through the X-ray. Children 12 and under can keep their shoes, light jackets and hats on.
• Gate-check the stroller if your airline allows it, and you'll have it until you board.
• Burn off energy before boarding. Walk the terminal and find a play area if there is one.
• Ask about family boarding. Policies vary by airline.

On board

• Install the car seat first, then settle everyone else.
• Help with ear pressure during takeoff and landing. A bottle, nursing or a snack for older kids often helps.
• Space out the entertainment. Don't use the best toy in the first ten minutes.
• Keep everyone buckled when seated, including lap children in a parent's arms, especially in turbulence.

When plans change

Delays happen. Keep snacks back for the second half of the day, know your airline's rebooking options, and keep an eye on the gate. Gate changes are the real enemy of a family with a stroller and three bags.

Let Voyager watch the flight for you

Voyager is the all-in-one travel tracker, and it works just as well for a family trip as for a solo one. Add your flights and get delay and gate alerts, so you hear about a gate change before the stroller sprint starts. The Daily Briefing puts the day's travel in one quick summary, and live weather and radar show what to pack in the carry-on. If the trip continues by train, bus, ferry or cruise, Voyager tracks those legs in the same dashboard. When you get home, the trip goes into your family's Logbook and Atlas.

Voyager is free during beta. Start free or try the demo, no account needed.

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