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The first time I flew with my baby, he was just under 3 months old.
We were flying from California to Minnesota with one layover, and I was so nervous about traveling with a newborn.
I planned for everything.
And I mean everything.
I packed extra diapers, extra clothes, blankets for different temperatures, toys, wet bags, Ziploc bags, burp cloths, a nursing pillow, a baby carrier, our full-size stroller… basically anything I could imagine possibly needing.
We also stayed in a hotel the night before our flight and another hotel after we landed, so this wasn’t exactly a simple airport-to-airport trip.
And after all that worrying?
My baby did amazingly well.
He had a few fussy moments, but he nursed, slept through most of the flights, and even slept straight through our final landing.
Looking back, there are definitely things I overpacked — but there are also a handful of things that made flying with a newborn significantly easier.
If you’re getting ready to fly with a newborn for the first time, here’s what actually helped us.
Quick Answer: What Helps When Flying With a Newborn?
Flying with my newborn was much easier than I expected. The things that helped most were giving ourselves plenty of extra time, checking most of our luggage, bringing the stroller through the airport, keeping feeding and diaper supplies easy to reach, and nursing during the flight. I definitely overpacked, but my baby handled the actual flying amazingly well.
What I Packed for Traveling With My Newborn
I checked as much as I reasonably could.
My son and I shared one checked suitcase.
Once we were inside the airport, I had:
- my diaper bag
- a small purse
- our full-size stroller
- a reusable bag containing my nursing pillow, a couple of blankets, and the folded travel bag for our stroller
I was very glad I didn’t try to carry all of our belongings onto the plane.
There is already enough to manage when you’re traveling with a baby.
What I Packed in Our Checked Suitcase
I essentially packed the baby things we regularly used at home.
That included plenty of clothes for different temperatures, extra diapers and wipes, diaper cream, a few bottles, formula, our Hatch sound machine, baby monitor, and even his soft activity play gym.
I also brought the little top hat potty we used while practicing Elimination Communication.
That probably isn’t making the average newborn packing list, but it was part of our normal routine. Being able to continue that routine while traveling was actually helpful for us.
The activity gym was arguably excessive.
But he loved lying underneath it, and having something familiar to play on in our hotel rooms made me glad I brought it.
That’s one thing I’ve learned about packing for a baby: something doesn’t necessarily have to be essential to be worth bringing.
If it makes an unfamiliar place easier for your baby — and you have room for it — sometimes it’s worth the suitcase space.
What I Put in My Diaper Bag for the Flight
This is where I really prepared for every imaginable scenario.
I packed more than 10 diapers.
I think we used four of five.
I also brought:
- about half a pack of wipes
- several outfit changes
- burp cloths
- pacifiers
- teething mittens
- a few small toys
- toy and pacifier leashes
- socks
- a hat and mittens
- a couple blankets in different weights
- a muslin nursing cover
- wet/dry bags
- gallon Ziploc bags
- disposable changing pads
I dressed my son in a zippered footed sleeper for the actual travel day.
It kept him covered and comfortable while still making diaper changes easy, and I’d absolutely choose something similar again.
If you’re still figuring out what belongs in yours, I have a full Diaper Bag Essentials guide with what I actually keep in mine.
What I Actually Needed
I definitely overpacked.
At 3 months old, my son wasn’t particularly interested in a giant selection of toys.
He didn’t need an outfit change at all.
I’d still always bring at least one complete backup outfit, because the one time you don’t will probably be the day you get a diaper blowout before boarding.
But I didn’t need several.
The blankets, on the other hand, were useful. I used them for warmth and as extra padding under my arms while holding him.
And I was glad I’d put leashes on the few little toys and baby items we did have out.
Anything your baby puts in their mouth is something you really don’t want repeatedly hitting an airport floor.
Bring the Stroller
If you’re debating whether it’s worth bringing your stroller through the airport, I was very glad I had ours.
I didn’t own a special travel stroller, so I brought our regular full-size stroller.
Obviously, you can push your baby in it.
But it also becomes a very useful cart for all the stuff you’re suddenly carrying around.
I put my reusable bag with the nursing pillow and blankets in the storage basket underneath.
If I was carrying my son, the stroller carried our things.
I even used the stroller for an outfit check and a couple diaper changes when airport bathrooms felt especially loud and crowded.
Just choose a safe, private place and make sure your baby is secure.
Gate Checking the Stroller
I gate checked our stroller rather than checking it with our luggage.
I bought a foldable travel bag for it, which I really liked.
The bag packed down into a small pouch that stayed underneath the stroller while we moved through the airport. When it was time to gate check the stroller, I pulled the bag out and covered it.
It took an extra couple of minutes, but I liked having a layer between our stroller and everything it encountered while being handled.
Tip: Talk to the gate agent before boarding starts. I was able to get the gate-check tag ahead of time instead of dealing with it while everyone was trying to board.
The stroller travel bag I used: I liked having a lightweight protective bag that folded into its own small pouch. I kept it underneath the stroller until we reached the gate, then pulled it out right before gate checking.
Traveling With a Car Seat
I brought our infant car seat and base as well.
For this particular trip, I checked them rather than using the car seat onboard.
I bought a fitted padded travel bag designed for our particular car seat. It held both the seat and its base and had backpack straps for carrying it.
In reality?
I mostly dragged it over to the baggage counter.
You can also find car-seat travel bags with wheels, which could be worth considering if you’ll be navigating airports frequently.
Important: Check your individual airline’s current policies before traveling. Rules for checking strollers and car seats, baggage allowances, and what can be packed inside a car-seat travel bag can vary.
Also, while children under 2 can currently travel as lap infants in the U.S., the FAA recommends purchasing a seat and securing young children in an approved child restraint system because it provides better protection, particularly during unexpected turbulence.
FAA guidance for flying with children
Give Yourself More Airport Time Than You Think You Need
This is probably one of my biggest tips for traveling with a newborn:
Don’t make an already stressful situation more stressful by cutting your timing too close.
Babies don’t care that boarding starts in 15 minutes.
They may suddenly need to eat.
They may poop immediately after you changed them.
They may spit up all over themselves.
They may simply need five minutes somewhere quiet because the airport is a lot.
I’d much rather spend extra time sitting at the gate than be running through an airport with a newborn.
Look for a Quiet Place in the Airport
Airports can be incredibly stimulating for a tiny baby.
There are lights, announcements, people, luggage, conversations and constant movement.
Before your trip, look to see whether your airport has a nursing or lactation room.
Even if you don’t necessarily need complete privacy to feed your baby, having somewhere quieter to sit can be really nice.
I’ve also found that if there isn’t a dedicated space available, an unused gate can be wonderful.
Find a quiet corner away from the crowds and let everyone decompress for a few minutes.
During our layover, I changed my son in a busy airport bathroom and he was clearly getting a little overwhelmed by the noise and activity.
He was okay, but it reminded me that something as ordinary as a bathroom can be a lot when you’re 3 months old.
Look for family restrooms, too. When one was available, I much preferred using a family restroom for diaper changes. I could roll the entire stroller inside with us, close the door, and have our own space instead of trying to change my baby in a loud, crowded women’s restroom.
The quieter environment was better for both of us, especially when he was already taking in so much stimulation from the airport.
Going Through Airport Security With a Newborn
Security was one of the things I worried about before traveling, but my experiences with TSA agents while traveling with my baby have generally been positive.
When I needed help managing the stroller, people were helpful.
If you’re traveling with breast milk, formula, water, or cooling accessories, check the current TSA guidelines for traveling with children and infant feeding supplies before your trip. These items have specific allowances and screening procedures, so the standard liquid restrictions don’t necessarily apply in the same way.
TSA also has separate guidance specifically for traveling with breast milk if you’ll be bringing pumped milk or cooling accessories through security.
If you have TSA PreCheck, CLEAR, or your airport offers a dedicated family security lane, that may also make getting through the airport easier.
I’ve used CLEAR when available, and anytime I can spend less time standing in a security line with a baby, I’ll take it.
A Baby Carrier Can Be Extremely Helpful — If Your Baby Cooperates
I brought a baby carrier because my vision was that my son would happily hang out against me while I walked through the airport with both hands free.
Great plan.
My baby had other ideas.
He wasn’t particularly interested in being in the carrier that day.
I’d still bring one again.
If your baby likes being worn, having your hands available while navigating the airport could make things significantly easier.
Just remember that airline rules apply to when carriers can be used onboard; the FAA says baby carriers cannot be used as the child’s restraint during taxi, takeoff or landing.
The Best Thing I Brought on the Plane: My Nursing Pillow
This is probably my favorite specific tip from our first trip.
If you’re breastfeeding and have room to bring your nursing pillow, I would.
Breastfeeding on an airplane isn’t exactly like settling into your normal spot on the couch.
You’re working around narrow seats, armrests and another passenger beside you.
Having the few breastfeeding essentials I was already comfortable using at home made feeding away from home feel much more manageable.
Putting my nursing pillow across my lap gave my arms significantly more support.
And when my son fell asleep after nursing, it gave me a much more comfortable place to support him while he slept.
I also used blankets for a little extra padding under my arms.
If you’re planning to hold a baby for hours, tiny comfort improvements make a surprisingly big difference.
Nursing Made Flying With My Newborn So Much Easier
I was primarily breastfeeding when we made this trip, so I didn’t have to manage much formula or pumped milk during the actual flights.
And nursing turned out to be incredibly helpful.
Babies may experience ear discomfort from changes in cabin pressure, and swallowing during ascent and descent can help with pressure equalization. Nursing, bottle-feeding or sucking on a pacifier can encourage that swallowing.
When I could, I tried not to give my son a huge feeding immediately before boarding because I hoped he’d want to nurse once we were on the plane.
And honestly?
I pretty much let him hang out on the boob for as long as he wanted.
He nursed.
He relaxed.
He fell asleep.
And then I wasn’t about to mess with a good thing.
My doula had told me beforehand that traveling with a 3-month-old might actually be easier than I expected because I could solve a surprising number of problems by nursing.
She was pretty much right.
Keep a Few Things ON You During the Flight
One of my favorite little travel tricks is wearing a fanny pack or keeping a very small bag directly on you.
Once your baby falls asleep in your lap, the water bottle underneath the seat may as well be in another country.
You’re not bending down and digging through bags if doing so means waking the baby you just spent 20 minutes getting to sleep.
I kept things like my:
- phone
- headphones
- chapstick
right within reach.
I’d also keep water as accessible as possible, especially if you’re breastfeeding.
And if you want to listen to or watch something during the flight, get your headphones connected and everything set up before your baby falls asleep.
It’s such a tiny thing.
It matters.
Diaper Changes on an Airplane Aren’t Fun — But They’re Doable
I was genuinely nervous about this part.
I don’t even particularly enjoy using airplane bathrooms myself.
Now I was supposed to take my tiny baby into one and change his diaper?
Plane bathrooms are small, loud, and the changing table is generally a hard little surface that folds down.
But it was fine.
Not luxurious.
Not enjoyable.
Fine.
My Disposable Changing Pad Trick
Whenever I changed my son in a public bathroom, I liked using disposable underpads on the changing table.
I did the same thing on the airplane.
I’d take:
- one disposable underpad
- one diaper
- wipes
into the bathroom rather than hauling my entire diaper bag with me.
I’d cover the changing surface with the pad, change him, and throw the pad away afterward.
That gave him a clean barrier from the public changing table and made cleanup easier if the diaper change got messy.
This became one of my favorite little baby travel tricks.
Our Layover Was Easier Than I Expected
We had one layover on our flight from California to Minnesota.
Fortunately, our next gate was only about three gates away, so we didn’t have to race across an unfamiliar airport.
I changed my son, gave him some time out of the plane, and we headed to our next flight.
I didn’t feed him during the relatively short layover because I was hoping he’d nurse once we were back on the plane.
And he did.
If I were booking flights with a newborn again, though, I’d still avoid an extremely tight connection.
You just can’t predict when you’ll need an unexpected diaper change or feeding stop.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask About Family Boarding
I’ve found that boarding procedures for families with babies vary somewhat between airlines.
Instead of guessing, ask the gate agent before boarding begins.
They can tell you when families with young children are invited to board.
Personally, I liked having enough time to get situated without feeling like an entire plane full of people was waiting behind me.
And if you’re gate checking your stroller, asking early also gives you an opportunity to get your tag sorted out beforehand.
I Actually Liked Having a Window Seat
I preferred sitting by the window with my baby.
It felt a little more tucked away, and I liked having that side of the plane next to me while nursing and holding him.
Seat choice is personal, though.
Someone who expects to get up frequently for diaper changes may strongly prefer the aisle.
For me, the window worked.
My Baby Did So Much Better Than I Expected
This is the part I wish I could have told myself before that first trip.
He was fine.
Better than fine, actually.
My son had a few fussy moments during our first flight, but he didn’t really cry.
He nursed and fell asleep.
He slept through much of our flying time.
On our final flight into Minnesota, he even slept through the landing.
Instead of immediately joining the crowd getting off the plane, we waited.
Everyone else deplaned while I let him sleep.
When he finally woke up, he was happy.
He rode through the airport in his stroller and then happily hung out for another 20 minutes or so while we waited for our luggage.
After everything I’d imagined beforehand, I was genuinely impressed with him.
He did eventually get very tired because we still had to get to our hotel and settle in.
But the actual flying?
He handled it beautifully.
Staying in a Hotel Before or After Your Flight
We stayed in a hotel the night before our flight in California and another after landing in Minnesota.
A few things made hotel stays with a newborn easier.
Ask Whether the Hotel Has a Crib
Many hotels can provide a crib or portable sleep space on request.
I would call ahead rather than assume one will be available, especially if having one is important to your plans.
For Airbnbs, I’ve also contacted hosts ahead of time to ask whether they have a crib or Pack ’n Play available.
Always inspect any provided sleep space and make sure it meets current safe-sleep recommendations before using it.
Bring Your Sound Machine
Hotels can be noisy.
Doors close.
People walk through hallways.
Elevators ding.
Someone inevitably has an enthusiastic conversation outside your room.
Bringing our Hatch Sound Machine helped make an unfamiliar hotel room feel a little more like his normal sleeping environment.
Block Annoying Hotel Light
I was surprised by how much random light there was in our room.
The hallway light coming underneath the door bothered me, so I rolled towels along the bottom of the door to block some of the light.
It also helped dampen a little hallway noise.
Formula Feeding in a Hotel
Although I was mainly breastfeeding at the time, I did bring a couple bottles and formula.
I packed the formula container inside another bag in case of spills and brought gallon Ziploc bags for used bottles.
When I needed hot water, I could go down to the hotel’s coffee and tea area.
If you plan to prepare formula while traveling, I’d check your formula manufacturer’s preparation instructions and make sure you have access to safe water and whatever preparation method you normally use.
What I Wouldn’t Pack So Much of Next Time
Toys.
My 3-month-old did not need an entertainment center in his diaper bag.
I’d bring one or two familiar little things and call it good.
I’d also bring fewer outfit changes.
I was preparing for multiple wardrobe catastrophes that never happened.
I’d absolutely bring at least one complete change of clothes, but I wouldn’t pack half his wardrobe into my carry-on again.
And I probably didn’t need quite as many diapers for the length of our travel day.
That said, diapers are one area where I’d rather have a few too many than discover we’re stuck somewhere because of a delay with one diaper left.
What I’d Absolutely Bring Again
If I were flying with a newborn again, my personal must-bring list would be pretty simple:
- stroller
- baby carrier
- diaper bag
- enough diapers + a reasonable buffer
- wipes
- one or two outfit changes
- disposable changing pads
- a couple lightweight blankets
- burp cloths
- wet/dry or Ziploc bags
- nursing cover if you use one
- nursing pillow if breastfeeding
- one or two small baby toys
- toy/pacifier leashes
- accessible water for mom
- sound machine for the hotel
I’d also wear comfortable, nursing-friendly layers.
I wore my usual nursing bra with a loose tank top and brought an easy long-sleeve layer over it.
Comfortable shoes that are easy to get on and off are another win.
Travel day with a newborn is not the day I want my outfit creating additional problems.
My Favorite Travel Tip Has Nothing to Do With Babies
Every time you leave somewhere:
Turn around and look back.
Before walking away from your airport seat, restaurant table, security area, hotel lobby — anywhere — physically turn around and look at the space you just occupied.
I’ve caught a water bottle.
Headphones.
Even my phone.
It’s a good travel habit anyway.
When you’re sleep-deprived and simultaneously thinking about your baby, stroller, diaper bag, boarding pass and 14 other things?
It’s even more valuable.
Give Your Baby Time to Be a Baby
This is probably the biggest thing I took away from traveling with my newborn.
Build extra time into everything.
You may need another diaper change.
Your baby may suddenly want to eat.
There may be spit-up.
Your baby may become overwhelmed and need a few quiet minutes.
The stroller may take longer than expected to get into its travel bag.
None of those things are emergencies if you’ve given yourself enough time.
They’re just baby being a baby.
Final Thoughts: Flying With a Newborn Was Much Easier Than I Feared
Before our first trip, I was extremely nervous about flying with my baby.
So I prepared.
And prepared.
And then prepared some more.
I definitely overpacked.
But I also learned what actually made traveling with a newborn easier.
Give yourself extra time. Bring the stroller. Keep essentials within reach. Pack a backup outfit. Bring something familiar for the hotel. And if you’re breastfeeding, a nursing pillow may be worth every awkward second you spend carrying it through the airport.
Most importantly, don’t assume the trip is going to be terrible.
My son was just under 3 months old when we flew across the country.
He nursed.
He slept.
He looked around.
He had a few fussy moments.
And he did amazingly well.
I had spent so much time worrying about how he would handle traveling.
It turned out that I was the one who needed most of the reassurance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Flying With a Newborn
What should I pack in my diaper bag when flying with a newborn?
I’d prioritize diapers, wipes, at least one complete outfit change, burp cloths, a lightweight blanket, disposable changing pads, bags for dirty or wet items, and whatever feeding supplies your baby needs. I packed much more than that for our first flight and learned that a 3-month-old didn’t need nearly as many toys or outfit options as I’d brought.
How many diapers should I bring on a flight?
I brought more than 10 for our first travel day and only used around four. I’d still pack more than I expect to need in case of delays, but I wouldn’t go quite as overboard next time. How many you’ll need depends on the length of your travel day and your baby’s usual diaper routine.
Is a stroller worth bringing to the airport?
For me, absolutely. I brought our full-size stroller and used it for my baby, extra storage, and even a couple of diaper changes when I needed a quieter place away from crowded airport bathrooms. I gate checked it in a protective travel bag.
Should I bring a nursing pillow on an airplane?
If you’re breastfeeding and can manage carrying it, I loved having mine. It supported my arms while nursing and made holding my sleeping baby much more comfortable.
How do you change a newborn’s diaper on an airplane?
Many airplane bathrooms have a fold-down changing surface. I brought one disposable underpad, a diaper and wipes into the bathroom. I covered the changing surface with the disposable pad, changed my baby, and discarded the pad afterward.
Can I bring breast milk or formula through TSA?
TSA has special screening rules for breast milk, formula and related infant-feeding supplies that differ from the standard liquids rule. Because requirements can change, check the current TSA guidance for breast milk and infant feeding supplies shortly before your trip rather than relying on an old packing list.
Can a newborn fly as a lap infant?
In the U.S., children under age 2 are currently permitted to travel as lap children, but the FAA strongly recommends that young children have their own seat and travel in an approved child restraint system or device appropriate for them. You can read the current FAA guidance for flying with children before your trip, and check your individual airline’s requirements as well.
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