Journeys With Jani: Traveler’s Handbook

Airport & Flying: Flying With Kids Checklist

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Flying With Kids Checklist

Jani’s Kid Proofing Check

☐ Formula, breast milk, or baby food packed loose, not decanted into tiny bottles
☐ Stroller or car seat has a gate check tag ready
☐ Extra outfit packed for the kid AND for you
☐ Lovey, pacifier, or comfort item is in your bag, never checked
☐ Snacks rationed for delays, not just the flight itself

This one builds on the Airport Day Checklist, so grab that too. Everything here is what changes, and what gets added, when there’s a kid in tow.

Before You Book, Before You Leave

☐ Everyone in the family booked on the same reservation, not split tickets
☐ Seats selected together, skip a seat rather than scatter the family if it comes to that
☐ Bassinet seat requested ahead of time if flying with an infant internationally
☐ Consent letter packed if a child is flying internationally with only one parent
☐ Extra 30 to 45 minutes added to your usual arrival buffer, first flights with a baby always take longer at screening

Security, What’s Different With Kids

☐ Formula, breast milk, and baby food are exempt from the 3.4 oz rule, no quart bag required
☐ Declare those liquids to the officer before screening starts, this is the step people skip
☐ Stroller and car seat get X-rayed, pull the baby out first
☐ Kids 12 and under keep shoes, jackets, and hats on through the metal detector
☐ TSA PreCheck covers kids 17 and under traveling with an enrolled parent, no separate number needed
☐ Ice packs and cooling accessories for milk are allowed, even partially melted

In the Diaper Bag or Carry-On

☐ Diapers and wipes, more than you think you’ll need
☐ Changing pad
☐ Two full outfit changes for the kid, one for you
☐ Gallon size bags for anything that gets soiled mid-flight
☐ Formula, milk, or food, already exempt from liquid limits
☐ Snacks that won’t end a friendship if they hit the floor
☐ Pacifier, and a backup pacifier, because the first one is already gone
☐ Small quiet toys or activities, nothing with fifty pieces
☐ Tablet preloaded with shows before you leave home, not counting on WiFi
☐ Kid sized headphones
☐ Any medication, in original packaging, with dosing info handy

Ears and Comfort

☐ Nurse, bottle, or offer a pacifier during takeoff and landing for babies, swallowing is what helps
☐ Gum, a sucker, or sips of water for older kids during descent
☐ Try to keep them awake through ascent and descent rather than asleep

Gate Check

☐ Stroller and car seat both check free per child, confirm with your airline
☐ Gate check tags attached before you board, not after
☐ Car seat travel bag if you’re not checking it loose

Everybody Forgets This

☐ Extra outfit for yourself, not just the kid, someone is getting spit up on
☐ Charging cable for the tablet
☐ A brand new, never seen before toy or snack saved for the moment things fall apart mid-flight
☐ Stain remover pen or wipes
☐ Backup pacifiers, plural

Common Mistakes (These Cost You Time, Comfort, or a Meltdown)

☐ Assuming baby liquids follow the standard 3-1-1 rule and decanting them for nothing
☐ Forgetting to declare formula or breast milk before screening, which slows the whole line down
☐ Packing the lovey or favorite toy in a checked bag, if that bag goes missing, so does nap time
☐ Skipping the spare outfit and betting against the laws of toddler physics
☐ Booking split seats to save money and ending up spread across three rows

Happy travels!

XOXO, Jani ❤️

TSA screening procedures for children and infant liquids can change. Always confirm current requirements at tsa.gov before you fly.

Did you know? The full story on getting through the airport with little ones, including what to expect at the checkpoint and how to keep everyone sane at the gate, is in the Handbook.

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Airport Know-How

Airport & Flying (Toolkit)

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