If you’re flying down to Panama City Beach with your toddler, you may feel a bit overwhelmed, especially if it’s their first time flying. The best way to reduce the stress of flying with little ones is to be prepared. I’ve compiled a list of my favorite tips for flying with little ones to help make your trip run a bit smoother.
Flight times:
I like to plan our flights close to my toddler’s nap or bedtime. We make sure to get to the airport extra early so we can have time to run out some energy. Make sure to check and see if your airport has a play area you can utilize to help wear your little one out.
Gate check the stroller:
When flying with little ones you have so much to take through the airport that the last thing you want to worry about is carrying your toddler or about them running off while you’re juggling the luggage. Having a stroller to use through the airport helps eliminate this worry. When we fly we make sure to take our wagon and have it gate checked so there’s plenty of room for my toddler to sit and we can use the other half of the wagon to store the car seat so no one has to carry it. It’s also nice to be able to put some of our carry-on luggage in the wagon when my little one inevitably decides that she wants to be carried.
Make sure your car seat meets FAA guidelines:
The last thing you want to find out when boarding is that your car seat isn’t FAA-approved to be used on board the plane. If this happens the flight crew will have to gate-check your car seat and your little one will be left to sit in the airplane seat on their own which can be difficult since they’re used to being strapped into a car seat while traveling. To avoid this, take a look at your car seat manual or check out the manufacturer’s website to see if your car seat is approved to be used on the plane. If your everyday car seat is not FAA-approved, you can buy a relatively cheap safety first car seat to use on the plane and during your trip. You can find useful videos on the FAA website on how to install both a rear-facing and forward-facing car seat on the airplane.
Know what you can take through TSA:
When traveling with little ones TSA makes certain exceptions to what you can take through. You can bring a reasonable amount of water, milk, formula, and different snacks. Be sure to check the TSA website to know what amounts are acceptable to take through security.
Be prepared for TSA to take longer:
When going through TSA with a stroller and toddler essentials, it may take a bit longer than expected. They will need to test your stroller, wipes, and any liquids to make sure it is safe to take through. Don’t be surprised if they need to swab your hands quickly as well. When I wore my little one through TSA they had us skip the full body scanner and instead did a check with a wand and swab my hands, baby carrier, and wagon that couldn’t go through the x-ray machine for any substances that would not be allowed to go past the TSA checkpoint.
Take-off and landing:
This can be one of the hardest parts of a plane ride for your little one. This is when your ears are most likely to pop and little ones don’t know how to relieve the pressure. Having a bottle, pacifier, or something for them to suck on can help relieve the pressure and make take-off and landing a little easier.
Entertainment in the sky:
Once you are in the air you will want to have some quiet toys on hand to help entertain your toddler. We always love having a busy book, no-mess coloring books, and some of our toddler’s favorite books for the plane ride. We always have our toddler’s favorite movie downloaded and some headphones ready to go in case all else fails.
After flying with your toddler the last thing you want to have to worry about is how you are getting to your condo. Here at Premium Beach Condos, we have two partners who can help with your airport transportation. Condocierge and Xplorie can both help you arrange transportation to and from the airport so you have one less thing to worry about!