Your 9 step plan for flying with a newborn baby

Check your airline’s age limit for newborn babies

Many airlines allow a newborn baby to travel from as early as 2 weeks old. A few allow newborns to fly from as early as 2-7 days old. Others have stricter rules, only accepting babies over 2 months of age.

It’s worth noting that if your baby was born early then you may have to count his age from his due date as opposed to from his birth date.

It’s always best to check with your airline first, so that you’re clear about how old your baby has to be to fly and what documentation they require in advance.

Check it’s safe to fly with your newborn

Air travel is considered appropriate for most newborn babies. There are a number of considerations worth taking into account though, including:

• Your baby’s age from their due date. Due to their developing immune systems, some doctors are concerned about newborn babies flying due to the risk of their catching infectious diseases. Some recommend that you wait for 1 month before travelling unless it cannot be avoided, while others prefer that you wait until baby is 3-6 months old. Consult your doctor for their own advice. If your baby is old enough to have their routine vaccines at 8 weeks then it’s definitely worth getting those vaccinations done before travelling.
• Your baby’s breathing. As the air pressure in the cabin is lower than it would be on the ground, the oxygen levels are also lower. For that reason if your baby has had any heart or lung problems, or any respiratory infections or symptoms, it’s best to speak to your doctor about them before flying. Otherwise healthy babies don’t seem to be affected by flights.
• Your baby’s ears. Babies may struggle to equalise during take off and landing. Breastfeeding them or offering a dummy or bottle can help them to adjust to the changes in pressure. However, if they have had any ear infections or ear surgery before flying, then speak to your GP.

Decide how you want to travel on the plane with your newborn

There are two main ways you can travel with your newborn baby:

In their own airplane seat, secured in a car seat.

When you travel with baby you can choose to pay for an airplane seat for them which is charged either at full adult fare or at a child fare, depending on the airline.

If you book a seat for your baby, then you should bring a car seat for them to sit in. It must be government-approved, with labels stating that it is approved for vehicles and aircraft travel.

We also recommend checking with your chosen airline that they allow car seats in the cabin. And if so which car seats they allow and where on the plane they allow car seats to be placed on.

Look into all this before purchasing a ticket for baby and reserving your seat on the aircraft.

The Federal Aviation Administration recommends that the safest way to travel on an airplane is by having a baby secured in a government approved car seat on their own airplane seat. 

However it’s also worth mentioning that car seats can be heavy and if you bring them on board a flight, you will be carrying them to and from the terminal. Unless you are also travelling with a pram wheel base that the car seat can clip onto until just before you board and as soon as you disembark, unfortunately bringing a car seat on board often means you will be lugging it around long stretches of airport space, together with baby and bags.

So while it is the safest and most recommended form of travel for baby, the convenience is also something to keep in mind.

Holding your baby on your lap.

Most airlines give you the option of carrying your baby on your lap, in which case you share an airplane seat. Some domestic flights offer this for free, others charge a smaller fee for baby.

As a guide this can be about 10% of an adult fare, though it varies from airline to airline.

If your baby is on your lap, then the cabin crew will give you a seat belt for baby that fastens onto yours for take-off and landing. If you’re unsure how to secure them, then always ask for help.

What about baby bassinets?

On longhaul flights some airlines offer the option of a baby bassinet on board.

Airplane bassinets are small detachable cribs which are fixed to the wall of the plane in front of your seat. They are offered to those in the bulkhead seats only, so the supply is limited and they usually require booking in advance.

Some airlines allocate them on a first-come first-served basis in which case it’s a good idea to check in early, for the best chance of getting one.

Baby bassinets can be a godsend for families with little ones. They provide somewhere to place their babies to sleep instead of having to hold them in their laps or keep them in car seats.

For older babies some airlines offer a reclining car seat where baby can be strapped in.

Check what your airline’s bassinets look like and until what age they provide them, to see if they are right for you.

To help you make up your mind we’ve done a little recap of the options:

Pack your airplane bag for baby well

Packing the right airplane bag for baby can make your flight a lot less stressful.

Have plenty of extra nappies, wipes and formula if you’re bottle feeding in your hand luggage in case of delays. It’s also worth having a little zip lock bag with a few toys in too to keep your baby entertained while you wait to board your plane.

We’ve put together a FREE downloadable Packing list for baby’s airplane bag to help you keep your hand luggage to a minimum while also having the essentials that baby might need. You can edit it according to your flight time with the quantities you need.

It’s also helpful to remember that:

The 100 ml rule does NOT apply to baby’s milk

There are strict rules on airlines about only taking 100 ml of fluids in your hand luggage. However, these rules do NOT apply to breast milk or formula or baby food. Sterilised or boiled water is also permitted in quantities over 100 ml, if you need it to make up a formula feed for baby.

Gel or liquid filled teethers are also allowed on board.

The 100 ml rule does still apply to baby products like nappy cream, medicines and other lotions. So you will need to place these in a clear bag and make sure they don’t exceed 100 ml and that their containers are not for more than 100 ml either.

You might be asked to taste baby’s milk or food as you go through security so don’t be alarmed if you’re asked to do so.

Check what carry-on baggage allowance your airline allows with baby

If you pay for an extra seat for your baby, they get their own carry-on baggage allowance.

If you hold baby on your lap, many airlines still allow parents additional baggage allowance.

This includes changing bags, breast pumps, car seats and strollers. As it varies from airline to airline have a look at exactly what yours allows before packing.

Decide what to do with buggies and prams

Most airports and airlines allow you to keep your baby’s buggy up to the airplane door. At this point it will be taken and placed with the checked in baggage in the holds.

They usually aim to return the buggies to you at the airplane door after landing at your destination. However this often doesn’t happen and you may find that you have to wait until you reach the baggage reclaim to get your pram, together with the rest of the luggage.

As this delay can mean that you’re doing long walks through the airport carrying both bags and baby, and possibly a car seat too, many parents have opted to purchase travel buggies. These are strollers which are specifically designed to fold up small enough to fit in the overhead storage compartments of aircrafts. And they mean that you have your buggy with you the moment you land.

Do little things to make the trip go more smoothly

• Request bottle heating. Most airlines can heat up bottles or baby food if you ask. It’s not always a given but it’s definitely worth asking.
• Remember to burp baby. Burp your baby often during the flight. The change in air pressure can upset their tummies and make them windy or colicky, so if you can encourage them to burp it can help.
• Pee before you fly. If you have your baby on your lap and they sleep during the flight, you can find yourself trapped in your seat, scared to move in case you wake them. Make sure you go to the toilet before you board!
• Help baby’s ears. During take-off and landing you can feed your baby, or give them a dummy to suck on, to ease pressure on their ears.
• Keep baby hydrated. Keep your baby well hydrated during the flight by feeding them often.
• Keep yourself hydrated. If you’re breastfeeding it’s important to keep yourself hydrated too. So drink plenty of water during the flight.
• Try to relax. If you’re uptight and worrying about whether your baby will cry and disturb other passengers, then your baby will pick up on your nerves and be more fussy. Babies DO cry. They don’t mean to cause any noise and disturbance. So try to relax and take the flight as it comes. If you’re travelling with your partner take turns to hold the baby or walk up and down the aisle with them.