10 Travel Essentials You’ll Actually Need When Flying with a Baby or Toddler

Flying with a baby or small child is a matter of survival. Not only are you parenting in a confined, pressurized space, but you also have to worry about upsetting your aisle-mates with potential tantrums or spilled snacks. If you’re stressed, Mom, it’s perfectly natural. But understand that equipping yourself with the right travel essentials are the secret to making plane journeys exciting for you and your child.

Travel Essentials for Plane Rides

Flying with a baby or toddler isn’t a vacation—it’s a mission. The good news? You don’t need to bring the whole nursery. What you need is a travel checklist with purpose. Imagine items that reduce meltdowns, save your back, and keep you from silently panicking in Row 14. This is your no-nonsense, mom-approved guide to what’s actually worth packing in your carry-on.

1. A comprehensive diaper bag

This diaper bag is your command center. It will carry everything you need to calm yourself and your child. But don’t just get any old rucksack. The design must serve a function. The size has to fit under the seat because you can’t keep reaching for the overhead compartment. A backpack helps keep you hands-free, and ideally, you should be able to open the bag one-handed.

Pockets are also crucial for fast-grab items like wipes or napkins or snacks.

2. Neat snacks

Research states that hunger is one of the biggest tantrum triggers. So, it makes sense why snacks are the ultimate hack to flight disasters. They keep little hands and mouths occupied, after all. Always bring more than you think you’ll need. But, to help keep your sanity intact, pick ones that don’t cause a mess. Think dried fruit, cheese cubes, crackers, or tiny sandwiches.

3. A compact carrier or lightweight stroller

Small children can't walk the way you do. A carrier or stroller can help give you a break from all the “carry me” cries.

If your baby is clingy or your toddler refuses to walk the long aisles of NAIA, a soft carrier lets you calm them down while staying mobile. Baby-wearing has benefits for both parent and baby.

A 2024 study in Infant Mental Health Journal found that parents who frequently carry their infants reported lower levels of frustration when their baby cried. It can also reduce stress in children when in busy or crowded settings, such as an airport.

A foldable stroller that fits in overhead bins can also be a lifesaver for long layovers. Choose what your child is likeliest to nap in. Even if they feel like roaming around, you can use the stroller for your things.

4. A multipurpose swaddle or blanket

This humble cloth is your MVP. It can be a nursing cover, changing mat, plane seat liner, nap blanket, or burp catcher. Bonus if it dries quickly or rolls up small. When you think travel essentials, always look for single items that fulfill different purposes.

5. Antibacterial wipes

Planes aren’t exactly sterile. Wipes are for seatbacks, tray tables, and sticky fingers. Ziplocks can store used diapers, dirty clothes, or half-eaten snacks you might revisit. A study by Auburn University even showed that airplane tray tables are among the most germ-laden surfaces in commercial flights. Certain bacteria, such as E. coli and MRSA, can last up to several days.

6. Extra outfits for you and your kid

Accidents happen. Milk spills. Diapers leak. Motion sickness happens. Your travel essentials checklist always includes spare clothes for your kid, but don’t forget about you, Mom. You need at least an extra top in case of spit-up, milk soaks, or any other messes.

7. Busy toys and comfort items

Put a soother in your list of things to bring when travelling to make flying easier, especially if our child is riding a plane for the first time.

Skip noisy distractions like rattles or light-up musical toys—unless you want to risk the ire of other passengers. Think reusable sticker books, a beloved stuffed animal, or small board books. For babies, crinkle toys (which create only minimal sounds) or teething rings can buy a few precious minutes of calm.

Try to avoid messy toys, like slime or Lego, if you can. You don’t want to be on all fours on the plane, trying to look for a missing piece.

8. A pacifier

The change in cabin pressure can hurt tiny ears, which can make them cry or trigger a freakout. Nursing, sucking on a pacifier, or even sipping water (if your child is old enough) during ascent and descent helps relieve that discomfort.

9. Digital entertainment (but only as a last resort)

Yes, we all try to limit screen time. But on a long-haul flight? A loaded phone or tablet with downloaded shows, games, or songs can be your secret weapon. Just don’t forget kid-friendly headphones and a power bank.

Don't use screentime as your immediate solution. Only employ it as an emergency distraction when everything else fails.

10. Your calm, nourished self

Your kids will pick up your vibe. If you’re stressed and harassed, they’ll catch it as well. A 2021 experiment published in Frontiers in Psychiatry demonstrated this clearly: infants whose mothers were exposed to a short stressor showed greater behavioral distress and heart rate changes, compared to those whose mothers remained calm.

So, think about yourself when planning what to bring when traveling. Having a calm, nourished, and organized mom matters a lot when your kids are in an unfamiliar environment or new situation. Pack a snack for yourself, too. Drink water and give yourself grace. You’re not just traveling—you’re parenting at 35,000 feet.

Hey, Mom! Flying with a child (let alone children!) isn’t easy, but you’re doing something brave and wonderful. You’re showing your little one the world, one bumpy flight at a time. With the right travel essentials, you can fly lighter, calmer, and more prepared. You’ve got this.

Share your best travel essentials with the other folks in the ParenTeam Moms and Dads Facebook Group.