Long Flights with a Toddler and a Baby: What to Pack and How Security Works
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Long Flights with a Toddler and a Baby: What to Pack and How Security Works
Flying to Florida with two little ones is mostly a packing problem. Get the carry-on right, know how security handles milk and baby food, and plan for delays, and the flight itself is usually the easy part. This guide is gear and rules only; we don't recommend airlines or booking sites.
The short version
Diapers for the whole trip door to door, plus a delay
Feeding supplies at the top of the bag, ready to pull out at security
A small lavatory kit you can grab with one hand
A spare outfit for each child and a shirt for you
Activities that come out one at a time
A plan for takeoff and landing (ears)
Car seat or CARES harness decided before you get to the airport
Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks and baby food, including puree pouches, are allowed in carry-on in amounts over 3.4 oz. They don't have to fit in your quart bag.
Tell the officer you have them and take them out of the bag to be screened separately. Clear bottles are easier to screen than pouches.
Ice packs and gel packs to keep them cold are allowed too, even if they're partly melted.
Your child doesn't need to be with you for breast milk to be allowed.
Strollers, car seats and carriers go through the X-ray, and kids 12 and under can usually keep their shoes on (>TSA). Diaper cream and sunscreen still follow the normal liquids rule.
A small cooler bag CeresBFF OG+ Chiller/WarmerCheck price at Ceres Chill keeps milk cold for the travel day. A stackable formula dispenser Munchkin Formula Dispenser Combo Pack makes mixing a bottle in a seat much easier.
Most US airlines let you check a stroller and car seat free, at the counter or at the gate. A padded gate-check bag J.L. Childress Gate Check Bag (non-licensed version) keeps it cleaner. A compact travel stroller gb Pockit+ All-City is easier on jet bridges, and a soft carrier Tushbaby Hip Seat Carrier keeps your hands free in the airport. Ask at the gate whether the stroller comes back at the plane door or at baggage claim.
Ears on takeoff and landing
Nursing, a bottle or a pacifier during takeoff and landing can help a baby's ears adjust; for toddlers, a cup with a straw or a snack works the same way. If your child has a cold or an ear infection, ask your pediatrician before you fly (>AAP).
The lavatory kit
Airplane changing tables are tiny. Keep a small pouch at the top of your bag with two diapers, a travel pack of wipes, a disposable changing pad Munchkin Arm & Hammer Disposable Changing Pads, a diaper bag for the trash and a little diaper cream. That's all you carry to the back.
The carry-on list
Diapers: about one per hour of travel, counting from leaving home to arriving, plus extras for delays
Wipes, changing pads, disposal bags
Formula, milk or baby food for the whole travel day plus a delay; bottles and a spare
Snacks and a spill-proof cup for the toddler
Pacifier and a spare
A full change of clothes for each child (two for the baby) and a shirt for each adult
A light layer or swaddle; plane temperatures vary
Any medicine your kids take, and what your pediatrician suggests for the trip
Hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes for the tray table
Proof of age for a lap infant if your airline asks for it
USB-C power bank Anker Nano Power Bank (30W, Built-In USB-C Cable), model A1259, 10,000mAhCheck price at Anker and a USB-C cable (spare batteries and power banks must stay in your carry-on)
Keeping them busy
Some airlines don't allow inflatable footrests or bed extenders. Check before you buy one.
Checklist
Every family has a flight that goes sideways. Pack for a delay, and you'll be the calm one at the gate.