Now that we’ve taken a lot of flights with the kids (Prim has been on a total of 24 flights, Lark has been on 20) and traveled internationally with them to 9 and 8 different countries, respectively, I have figured out a few things about packing for long flights.
Every child is different, so your child’s needs are going to differ a little (or maybe a lot) from my kiddos, but when I was trying to research how to travel internationally with a one-year-old before we moved to Amsterdam, I found it really helpful to read about how other parents approached long-haul flights with their little ones.
So here’s what I do:
First, traveling with kids inevitably means that you have to pack a certain amount of stuff. We ALWAYS end up checking at least one bag, so we have embraced the idea of checking as many essential items as we can right up front. This often means that we’re checking the stroller up front, rather than at the gate, along with a big suitcase (I always pack just one big bag with everything for me and the girls together) and our travel crib, if we need it for our trip.
For our most recent trip to California, I checked one big suitcase, our travel stroller, and an infant carseat I was planning to leave in California. Like I mentioned in this post, some parents opt to bring a carseat onto the plane for their child, and if you’re child is very comfortable in a carseat, this is a great option. However, if you’re child isn’t wild about the carseat, or you’re not sure they’re going to love sitting in it for many hours on end, my advice is to check it or leave it at home. Having a carseat onboard that you’re child doesn’t want to sit in is SUPER ANNOYING because it takes up an entire seat and makes it basically unusable. (We made this mistake when we initially flew to Amsterdam with Prim. Never again.)
Anyway, let’s get to the real point of this post: carry-ons! Packing a carry-on when you’re traveling with little kids is tricky because you want to be prepared, but you don’t want to be dealing with five tons of luggage in addition to dealing with one or more kids. The rule of thumb I follow is: if I can check it ahead of time, I do. I don’t want to carry on anything I don’t need during the flight because it just makes life harder. For short flights I carry on one backpack with everything I need for myself and the girls, for longer flights (like the 10+ hour one to California) I carry on two backpacks (I use the Fjallraven Kanken and the Ayacucho Fast 45). I pack two small backpacks — one for each of the girls — inside of my larger backpack (the Ayacucho), so I’m still only carrying on two bags, both of which can fit under the seat. Also, since I don’t have to worry about securing overhead luggage space, this frees us up to board the plane at the very end, giving the kids extra time to move around and get their wiggles out in the airport before being cooped up in a tiny airplane seat. (Most flights let families board first, which is awesome if you’re traveling with an immobile baby, but if you’re traveling with toddlers, boarding right at the start just means your kiddos will be contained to a small seat for even longer.)
Carrying on two small bags makes maneuvering through the airport much easier (corralling multiple kids + luggage can be a nightmare). If I’m traveling solo, I’ll usually opt to hold onto the stroller until the gate, so I can keep both kids and my backpack(s) contained more easily. If I’m traveling with another adult though, I check the stroller ahead of time and Prim will walk while I carry Lark. (I always have my carrier for Lark while navigating the airport, as it’s much easier to have my hands free).
Ok, onto the packing list. I’ll list out what I packed for our last long flight (Amsterdam to California and back), as I honestly don’t bring too much for shorter flights. Diapers, wipes, iPad + headphones, some snacks, and Prim’s backpack with some goodies inside it usually does the trick for flights under 5 hours.
Carry-on packing list for 10+ hour flight with a 1 year old and almost 3 year old
Backpack #1 (this one)
Wet bag with full pack of wipes, 6 diapers, and small changing pad
iPad(s)
Snacks (I fill these containers with different small crackers, etc. and bring easy to transport items like bagels with cream cheese, sliced apples, and M&Ms for bribery)
Medicine corralled in a quart Ziploc bag (Children’s ibuprofen, Children’s Benadryl, Children’s acetaminophen, Children’s Dramamine)
Sleepsack for Lark if it’s a partial night flight
Headphones for me
Extra battery pack + charging cord(s)
My phone, wallet, keys, all passports, boarding passes
A couple extra Ziploc bags (for soiled clothing or the unfortunate upset stomach. They also work great as mid-flight garbage bags)
*Keeping the tablet(s)/iPads in the same backpack as the medicine, passports and boarding passes makes breezing through security much easier. I can take out the electronics and liquids in one go for the security check, instead of rifling through multiple bags. I do not carry on any other liquids besides the medicine, and generally carry on the small-sized bottles (4oz or less) to try and avoid additional security checks.
Backpack #2 (this one)
Extra outfits for kids (2 each)
Inflatable footrest (x2) with pump
Water bottles for kids (empty — fill after security to avoid headaches)
Backpacks for both kids (see below)
Kids Backpacks (I would get them these if money were no object)
each kid has their own backpack and contains the following:
Headphones
Travel MagnaDoodle
Window Clings
Stickers
Small pad of paper + mini colored pencils
Other small toys (random cheap things we never have at home like little plastic figurines and cars, small containers, etc.)
Small loveys (Lark has this one and Prim has this one)
Prim’s little baby
Small Jellycats (we have the lion, lamb and bunny)
If you’re traveling with a child soon, I hope that this is at least a little helpful. And honestly, one of the most important things to remember when you’re traveling with little ones is that no matter how well you packed and prepared, they’re probably going to make some noise and you both might have some tough moments during the flight, but just remember the mantra I repeat to myself during every mid-flight meltdown: YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO SEE ANY OF THESE PEOPLE EVER AGAIN.
Happy travels!