Traveling with kids is not for the faint of heart.
Before I became a parent, I traveled often, including plenty of long-haul flights. Once my daughter was born, I wanted to keep traveling with her instead of waiting for some mythical “easy” age.
What I learned quickly is that every stage comes with its own challenges. For my money, the sweet spot was right before she started walking, around the 8- or 9-month mark, but every age requires a different mix of tools, distractions, and backup plans.
These are the travel essentials I still think are worth packing for flights with kids, plus a few bulky or overhyped items you can safely leave at home.
In this article
Bring It: A Pre-Loaded Tablet and Kid-Safe Headphones
My husband and I try to be measured about screen time. We avoided it entirely before age two, and even now, it’s not a daily guarantee for our daughter.
But on a flight, all bets are off.
Many streaming apps let you download shows or movies to your device to watch offline, which means you’re not relying on spotty in-flight Wi-Fi to save the day. Stock up on your child’s favorites before you leave, and add one or two new options in the unlikely event they lose interest in watching “Frozen” for the 860th time.
For older kids, the Kindle app is also an easy way to bring books along without adding weight to your bag.
Just be sure to also pack age-appropriate, volume-limited headphones as adult headphones aren’t always designed with kids’ hearing in mind. BuddyPhones are a playful option designed for ages three to 10 for just $20, while Puro Sound Labs’ PuroQuiet-Plus are a pricier upgrade at $119 with active noise canceling and an 85 dBA volume limit.
Bring It: A Compact, Mess-Free Activity Kit
Screen time doesn’t have to be the only form of in-flight entertainment. Go analog with interactive toys or activity kits that are compact and (this one is important) mess-free.
The trick is novelty. It’s the same concept as toy rotation in your playroom at home. Kids may be more likely to engage with something they haven’t seen in a while, or something that’s brand new. Save a few new activities specifically for the plane, and don’t bring them out all at once.
Some of our favorite options include a soft Montessori Busy Board Book, Crayola’s Color Wonder Mess Free Coloring Activity Set, an LCD writing tablet, and reusable sticker books.
Leave It: Bulky Stuffies and Toys With Tiny Pieces
A plane is not the time for Lego. It’s hard enough to keep track of passports, boarding passes, snacks, and water bottles without also helping a distraught 5-year-old search for Olaf’s missing Lego nose.
If your child is big into building, opt for Magna-Tiles instead (which conveniently come in 26-piece and 55-piece travel sets), which allow for immersive building without the tiny pieces.
Stuffed animals are also tricky, with one exception: the truly precious lovey. Anything beyond that tends to eat up bag space and can be easy to leave behind during the scramble to deplane.
Bring It: A Compact Travel Stroller
A solid stroller is essential for travel, even if your child is on the cusp of no longer needing one.
In the airport, it can help haul bags. And at your destination, it can rescue everyone when the “No, I walk!” kid suddenly conks out after a long travel day.
The best travel strollers fold small enough for overhead bins, though you should always check your airline’s carry-on size rules before you count on bringing one onboard.
We’ve liked both the gb Pockit+ All-Terrain and the Uppababy Minu for travel as they fold down well and both fit into most overhead bins.
Another option is a stroller that doubles as a car seat, like the Doona. It’s a splurge, but it was worth it for us. Our tiny child fit in it until she was nearly 18 months, and it meant we never had to rent a car seat at our destination.
Plus, if you buy a separate plane seat for your baby, the Doona can also be used as an aircraft car seat when installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and airline rules. Pair it with a portable white noise machine and a lightweight blanket or nursing cover for maximum sleepy effect.
Leave It: An Inflatable Plane Bed
This may be a hot take, but I’ve watched enough apologetic flight attendants shut down parents midway through inflating a tiny airplane mattress to know I don’t want to gamble carry-on space on one.
Some airlines certainly do allow them, but others explicitly don’t (Lufthansa, for example, says inflatable cubes, beds, and seat extenders may not be used onboard for safety reasons).
For me, that makes them more hassle than help. You have to research your airline’s policy, hope the crew interprets it the same way, set the bed up in a cramped row, and then pray your child actually naps after all that.
If you’re dead set on trying something like this, I’d strongly recommend going with a minimal inflatable footrest option and not a full seat-extender, which takes up far more space in a carry-on.
Bring It: A Carrier or Sling
The Tushbaby Hip Carrier is my No. 1 must-have for traveling with babies and toddlers. It was vital for the first three years of my daughter’s life, particularly when she could walk but tired easily. (The “Up, mommy”/”Down, mommy” is a real killer on your lower back.)
The carrier helped me move a wriggly toddler through crowded airports while keeping one hand free for my carry-on. It also doubled as an unexpectedly useful in-flight nursing pillow when the fastest way to calm my cranky baby was to breastfeed her to sleep.
The pockets are also a bonus. When you are traveling with kids, you can never have too many pockets.
For naps, pair the Tushbaby with a lightweight muslin blanket or a nursing cover, like the Amma Cocoon Nursing Cover, to help an overstimulated baby wind down.
Leave It: A Trendy Snackbox
Stackable snack containers may look great on social media, but on a plane, they mostly take up space.
My flight-snack philosophy is simple: Pack as many snacks as I think we will need, then double it. Carefully timed handfuls of Goldfish have prevented many midair meltdowns from escalating.
When you are packing that many snacks, small bags are usually the easiest solution. Disposable plastic bags work, but recyclable or reusable ones from a brand like Stasher are a more environmentally friendly option.
Yes, those tall, interlocking ones are cute, but once they’re empty and therefore useless, they are just bulky dead weight in your carry-on. I would rather save that space for something with more entertainment value.
The Shortcut
Preload a tablet, pack kid-safe headphones, and bring a few mess-free activities for backup entertainment.
Choose compact travel gear that does double duty, like a small-fold stroller or carrier with storage.
Skip bulky toys, trendy snack boxes, and inflatable beds, but pack more snacks than you think you need.
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