Flying with a Baby: Ultimate Infant Packing List + Game-Changing Advice

Flying with an infant brings up one very specific image in my head: a full flight of angry people and a baby that won’t stop screaming.

Trust me when I say that I was very hesitant to book a flight with my four-month-old baby from Arizona to Wisconsin for that very reason. I would get an ounce of courage and have the flight ready to book only for me to chicken out last minute and exit the website because I was convinced that I was making a big mistake.  Luckily, I am here to say that my fears dissipated within the first few minutes of us boarding the plane.

Now that we’ve flown twice with our baby, I’m sharing our top survival tips, our complete flying with an infant packing list, and a printable checklist with all the baby travel essentials. If you’re scared as all heck to fly with your baby, I see you! Trust me, it won’t be nearly as bad as you’re imagining.

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of my links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products, services, and experiences that I genuinely use, love, or believe would be helpful to you <3

Flying with an Infant: What to Expect

My husband and I flew with our four-month-old baby from Mesa, Arizona to Appleton, Wisconsin and back. Each flight was direct and lasted about 3 and a half hours. I was so nervous walking into the airport and boarding the plane! I was expecting evil glares and rude comments, but instead I was met with kindness and compassion every step of the way. Our baby was so excited to be in a new place (the airport) and loved all the attention she got from friendly strangers.

For flight times, we booked two morning flights. Our first flight was at 9 am and the second flight was at 7 am. I’m glad we did the morning flight times because those times align close-ish to our baby’s nap times and she ended up sleeping shortly before take off both times!

If I were to go back and tell myself what to expect when flying with an infant, I’d list these things:

• Arrive 2 hours early. I was always the girl who skipped checking luggage because I’d just bring a carry-on. Not the case when traveling with a baby! I’m glad we arrived at the recommended 2 hours before takeoff because we had enough time to check luggage, go through security, grab some coffee, and change her diaper before boarding. Plus, she was up the whole time at the airport so when it was time to take-off, she was ready for her nap!

• Pack for the Unexpected Our baby pooped not once, not twice, but three times on the flight! I was shocked because she normally doesn’t go that much in one day, especially all in three hours. I’m so glad we packed 10 diapers (ok, maybe a slight overkill but better than being underprepared)! and extra outfits because she stained two of them.

• Check what Documents You Need for Baby. SUPER IMPORTANT! We flew Allegiant Airlines and on their website, they stated that baby’s need a document like their birth certificate in order for your baby to fly. Thank goodness we read that beforehand and packed it in our carry-on! Make sure to look at your specific airline’s website to see what documents they may require.

• Gate check stroller and car seat. This was nice because we could be hands-free in the terminal while we ate a quick meal and drank coffee before the flight. Since it was gate-checked, we could have her in the stroller right up until boarding and right when we got off the plane, which was so nice.

• Board last if you don’t need overhead. This may be controversial, but I stand by this. Most of the time, families are one of the first groups to board a plane, which is great if you need the extra overhead space or you’re installing a car seat. For us and our baby, though, we only had two backpacks and a diaper bag and our baby was going to be on our laps so we didn’t need to board early. In fact, it was nice boarding at the end because we didn’t have to sit on the plane with our baby for extra time. Our baby loves to be walked around and held so the less time in a seat, the better!

• Plan to not sleep on the flight. I used to LOVE flying because I always found that I was super productive in the air. I would get a free, hot coffee with cream when we were up in the air and I would whiz through mini projects like organizing my photos on my phone or making a big to-do list. Other times, I would pass out and get a few extra beauty sleep hours in. Well, with a baby in my arms, she napped and I stayed wide awake and just listened to music or was lost in thought. But I still consider it a huge win since she got a good nap in!

Flying with a Four-Month-Old Infant: Survival Tips and Worked for Us

• Ask the Pilots for Trading Cards and Pictures. When we boarded, we asked the stewardess by the door if we could get a trading card and a quick picture with the pilots since it was our baby’s first flight. The pilots were super nice and let us sit in their seats and took a bunch of photos with us and our baby. These will be photos we cherish forever <3

• Look for a Separate Changing Room at the Airport. We went to change our baby’s diaper before the flight, and I was shocked and horrified that I couldn’t find a changing table! After asking some of the airport staff, I was kindly directed to the separate changing room. If this is the case at your airport too, look for the separate changing room.

• Look for Empty Terminal Seating to Breastfeed at the Airport. My baby is exclusively breastfed, and while I have done it in public and I do have a nursing cover, I still get nervous and shy. I saw that not too far from our gate was a large and relatively empty terminal seating area. I used this area to breastfeed, and it made me feel much more comfortable.

• Feed or use binky for takeoff and landing. This is my #1 advice to prevent a crying baby! Sucking and swallowing can help your baby’s ears adjust to the pressure changes during ascent and descent. It also gives them something comforting to focus on.

• Bring a New toy and a Favorite Toy. We bought these window fidget spinners as a fun new toy, and she loved it! Granted, she’s four months old, so she was entertained for only 10 minutes tops, but the novelty hooked her attention longer than most toys. Plus it was fun for us too, seeing how she reacted to a new toy. I think if your baby is even older, it might be an even better reaction!

• Ask flight attendants for help. I researched where changing tables were before the flight and I still had to ask the flight attendants for help. But they are located above the toilets and they were pretty good size, not small at all which was perfect for my big baby.

• Pack the Instruction Manual for the Car Seat. This is super important if you don’t plan on bringing a car seat base with you on your trip. Luckily, my husband had great foresight and thought to bring it with us so we could quickly install the car seat in the Uber.

• Breastfeeding Seat Choice…is an Aisle or Window seat better? Ok, I think it depends if you’re traveling solo or with another person.

-> If you’re with another person, I’m team window seat on this one. Again, I’m a little shy when it comes to breastfeeding and I didn’t want to have her head next to people passing us in the aisle to try and get to the toilets. The window seat was nice because it was a little more private.

-> If you’re solo, I’d recommend getting an aisle seat. I say this because when I was breastfeeding my baby, when her head was next to the window, her little feet were a bit past my armrest and into the other person’s space. Luckily, that other person for me was my husband, but if you are less shy about breastfeeding in public, then I’d go aisle. Plus you don’t have to haul a stinky baby and a diaper bag over all the seats to get to the bathrooms.

Infant Travel Packing List: What I Packed for Our Flight

Packing for a flight with a baby can feel so overwhelming because you have to think about what items are essential to bring for the flight and the trip, and what bags you should pack them in.

Instead of packing everything by category, I organized our baby travel essentials by what bag I packed them in. That helped me keep the things we needed quickly, like diapers, wipes, burp cloths, and extra clothes, within easy reach instead of accidentally packing them away in the checked luggage.

I broke our packing list into four categories: Carry-on Essentials, Diaper Bag, Checked Luggage, Car Seat and Stroller.

Ok, let’s get into the good stuff! Here’s our exact packing list for our 3 and a half hour flight with our four-month-old baby:

Diaper Bag: Baby Travel Essentials

These were the essential baby travel items I needed within a moment’s notice and for the mid flight blowouts. I meticulously organized the inside of my diaper bag beforehand so I knew exactly where everything was and I could open it up and easily see where everything was. The last thing I wanted was to be frantically rummaging through the diaper bag while I was in the toilets trying to find her extra clothes. I honestly think the extra prep work for the diaper bag helped so much!

And in terms of diaper bags, I am obsessed with this black diaper bag. It’s big and roomy with a bunch of smaller spaces to hold everything I need for traveling with baby. Plus, it looks like a fashionable purse!

• 2 sets of extra footed outfits for her.

• Crinkly book. For baby’s entertainment.

• Colorful link toys. Gives our baby something to grab and chew on.

• Her favorite bunny. Our baby is in LOVE with this toy. Make sure you bring your baby’s favorite.

• My hair clip. To keep my hair out of my face so she doesn’t pull on it, and also as a backup toy.

• Nursing Cover. Allows me to breastfeed in public with more confidence.

• 10 diapers. Maybe a bit too much, but I never was worried about running out! Recommend packing a few less, though, because it made my diaper bag stuffed to the brim!

• Wipes. We packed one pack and it lasted a full week.

• Pacifier. For pressure changes during takeoff and landing.

• Wet Bag. This ended up being one of my favorite things in the diaper bag. It’s perfect for separating those inevitable blowout outfits from everything else.

• Changing Pad. A little cushion and to prevent baby from laying on a public changing table.

• Nasal Aspirator. In case she got any boogers.

• Burp Cloths. Always need a few of these handy.

• Phone Charger. To keep my phone charged for landing.

• Headphones. Entertainment while baby sleeps.

Carry On: Things I Needed Within Arm’s Reach

These were the things I wanted within easy access during the flight. I used a backpack and put it in the overhead bin so I could use the space underneath my seat for the diaper bag.

• Baby Blanket. In case it was extra chilly on the plane.

• Ibuprofen. To combat any unexpected headaches from ruining the trip.

• Sweatshirt. Extra warmth if I needed it.

• Extra shirt. In the event of bodily fluids being spilled all over me.

• Water Bottle. In case I got really thirsty past the food and beverage service.

• Snacks. To prevent a hangry mom.

• Birth Certificate. A MUST for your baby to fly!

Checked Luggage: Baby Items for the Destination

Below are baby items I knew I wanted to bring on the trip but didn’t need for the flight itself.

• More Outfits

• More Diapers

• Thermometer

• Nail File

• Bathrobe. A baby in a cute bathrobe melts my heart every time.

• Wash Clothes. Brought these for baby’s bath time.

• Burp Cloths. Can never have too many!

• Baby Soap. I LOVE how this soap is tearfree and made with clean ingredients!

• Baby Sun Hat. Especially if you’re going somewhere warm and sunny.

Car Seat and Stroller: Baby Transportation

We flew Allegiant Airlines, and we were able to check the stroller and car seat combo right at the gate! This made the airport experience so much easier because we could go handsfree and handle the bags easier once she was in the car seat.

Some people place their stroller and car seat into bags before having them checked. We decided not to because we honestly didn’t think about it until last minute, but it might be a good idea if you wanted to protect the stroller and seat from dings and scratches. I know some advice says to throw in extra coats or things in bags, but I would recommend against it. We saw them check the bags before loading them up!

Optional Baby Travel Items

There’s many baby items that we didn’t pack but you may need to. This depends a lot on your infant’s age, your preferences, and certain needs.

• Pack and Play

• Medications

• Books

Should You Hold Your Baby on Your Lap or Buy Their Own Seat?

I think this depends so much on your baby’s age, if you’re flying solo or not, flight duration, your comfort level and pricing. Our baby was four months old and was content with being held. I also had my husband to pass her off to if I needed and our flight wasn’t that long. We decided to have her on our lap because it saved us an extra $600 and we knew we could handle her for that amount of time.

On the flip side, if your baby is crawling and squirmy, and you’re flying solo for a long flight, I’d seriously consider buying them their own seat. It would give you a little sanity and a safe place for them to be in.

Always check your airline’s current policies before flying, especially for lap infants, car seats, strollers, and baggage allowances!

Final Tips for Your Baby’s First Flight

If you’re planning your flight with your baby and you’re nervous as all heck…I get it, but I promise that it’ll be so much better than you think! I was so worried my baby would be screaming and crying the whole flight, but she honestly hardly made a peep.

It’s also true that everyone was very nice and understanding. I was worried I’d get glares when the other passengers saw a baby walking down the plane aisle, but instead I got a bunch of smiles and comments like, “aww what a cute baby!”. Flying with a baby definitely requires more prep, extra time, and A TON more stuff, but it also allows you to explore the world with your baby!

Book the flight, and enjoy the journey! Let me know how your flight went with your baby down in the comments!