The Benefits of Flying with Kids

There are benefits to flying with little ones? Awesome!

1st: Babies Fly Free

Kids under two fly free! Stock up on flights before they get older! Make sure you let the airline know though. Also, if they are flying with only one parent have a note from the other that they have permission. Even if the airline doesn’t require this, if you are leaving the country passport control definitely will. Be aware that if they are flying free they will not get a seat so you have to hold them on your lap for the duration of the flight. Also keep in mind a free lap-baby comes with no luggage allowance, so you may have to pay for an extra checked bag.

2nd: You get to bring extra luggage

Well, unfortunately not free bags, but you can bring a stroller and carseat, even on the discount airlines. This doesn’t count as a checked item or as a carry on…it’s actually free. This makes life in an airport so much easier. After piling your luggage (or baby) on the stroller to push through the airport you can check it right at the gate.

Note that some airlines are putting weight limits on the strollers being pushed past security so if this is important to you, make sure yours is within the limit. If baby still fits in the carseat that attaches to the stroller, this is the ideal situation for me since it is just always there and it is one less thing to remember.

One additional reason having the free carseat is great is if you are ultimately renting a vehicle. Car rental companies charge a ton of money for carseat rentals. It can be $25 or $30 per day so it’s a big savings to be able to just bring that with you.

Note that if you want to use the carseat on the plane, it has to be FAA approved and you need to have a paid ticket for your child to have their own seat. It is not common for car seats to be FAA approved, but you can still bring the car seat for free even if you are just checking it to your final destination. If you are looking for a car seat that is FAA approved, here is an example.

If you are planning to take alternative transport like a bus or train the carseat may not be a big deal, but you never know if you will end up taking a taxi or lyft unexpectedly so it’s always a good idea to have a car seat along. For older children, I recommend the mifold booster seat for travel.

3rd: Kids jump the Line

When flying with kids you genreally get to go through the pre-check line, which makes life a lot easier since the kids themselves make life harder 🙂 And not only kids, but everyone who booked their ticket at the same time. A bonus of this is you don’t have to remove shoes, coats, etc, and you don’t have to take out your liquids bag or laptop.

You don’t just get to skip the line in security though. Most airlines also let you get on the plane ahead of other passengers so you can get settled in.

4th: You can take food and drinks through security.

Okay, so you can’t bring whatever food and drink you want, but in all seriousness, parents need not worry about being able to feed their baby on the plane. Breastfeeding is something many moms worry about when traveling. Don’t worry, you can take breast milk, formula, or even juice on a plane in containers larger than 3.4 ounces, but you have to let the TSA agents know so they can hand-inspect it. Ice packs are okay too so you can keep your items cold. If you end up traveling without baby, breast milk can still be brought in your carry-on. Jarred baby food can be brought on as well. Check with the TSA for any updates.

Have questions?  Ask below, or contact me directly for more information on traveling with little ones, check out our tips for traveling with babies or tips for traveling with kids.