After two flights with my baby when she was 3 and 4 months old, I felt confident flying the friendly skies with my kid [1]. It turned out that she hated being stuck in the car for a long road trip, but flying? She loves it. She's not stuck in the car seat, and she gets to see my face the whole time (listen, I wouldn't be impressed, but it calms her down). She makes cute faces at everyone she sees and is on good behavior the whole time (no meltdowns yet, knock on wood). So I decided we'd only fly to travel [2] in the near future, even to visit family, who live an eight-hour drive (plus stops) or a one-hour flight away.
But when I had to make a trip and my husband couldn't come with me, I panicked. Yeah, baby loves flying, but how would I do it alone?! The baby gear itself [3] is enough to drown two adults, and I didn't know how I'd manage to do anything if I couldn't hand her off to my husband. Still, we had to take the trip, so I womaned up and laid out a plan. Then we flew, just me and my daughter. And we survived. Here's how I pulled it off — and how you, intrepid traveler, can, too.
Get a Ride to the Airport
Yes, I know you're flying solo [5], but don't plan on carting yourself to the airport if you can help it. Have someone — or an Uber, Lyft, or taxi — drop you and baby off. You'll have the benefit of someone helping you get all your gear out, but more importantly: they can drop you right at the curb. This is crucial!
Check in at the Curb
As I was saying, you need a ride so you can get dropped right at the curb at a ticket counter for your airline. Your carrying-on days are over with a baby, and you'll have at least a car seat, travel stroller [7], and a bag to check (unless you are lucky enough to have all that stuff at your destination, in which case, you are killing it. I need your tips). When I'm flying with my husband, I always swear by gate-checking the car seat and stroller, but in this case, you're going to want to get rid of that stuff as soon as you can, at the most convenient place, and that's the curb.
Wear Baby in a Carrier
When you get dropped off at the curb, put your baby in your comfiest carrier [8], and plan on wearing her or him throughout the flight. This is the key to being able to do everything else you have to do while still being attached to your baby. Bonus: you can totally pee while wearing a baby carrier. It's not the easiest thing in the world, but it's doable. (Trust me.)
Bring a Backpack Diaper Bag as Your Carry-On
Not only do I advocate for having a backpack diaper bag [10] in general, but it's essential for traveling. Even with baby, you'll be hands-free, and pockets galore mean you'll stay organized. Plan on only having this as your carry-on (even though you're allowed two — trust me, you want to be able to be as hands-free as possible).
Once you've put your baby in the carrier, then you sling your diaper bag on your back, and you are literally good to go. Pack that sucker full of the essentials you'll need, and stash your cell phone, wallet, and anything else you need access to in the front pocket. When you have to check in and go through security, they'll be easily accessible. I have this backpack from Skip Hop [11] ($80), and I can't say enough good things about it.
Sub-tip: Put a slim, foldable diaper clutch (like this one from Herschel, $30) [12] in the backpack, so when you need to perform a diaper change, you can pull that out, hang your backpack on a hook, and change baby without going into the whole bag.
Get TSA PreCheck
If you don't already have TSA PreCheck [13], now's the time. Until your kid is 12, they can go with you through the lane, so it's a no-brainer for a parent, but it's even more important when you're flying with a baby [14]. You don't have to take off your shoes or jacket, or take out your liquids or laptop from your carry-on, making life much easier. Depending on the airline, you may or may not need to take your baby out of the carrier; it's not that bad to take them off, but it's really a breeze when you don't have to.
Book an Aisle Seat
There are advantages to both aisle and window seats [16] when you fly with a baby. If you're breastfeeding, it's nice to have the privacy of a window seat, so I always pick the window when I'm traveling with my husband — but if you're alone, pick an aisle. You'll be able to get out easily for diaper changes and for deboarding. Plus, when you're boarding, you won't have to try to shimmy you and your baby past the other occupants of your row to sit down.
Take Advantage of the Kindness of Strangers
When you're flying with a baby, you worry that people might be annoyed with you before you even board, but the reality is that so many people want to help you [17]. Accept it! If someone offers to help with a bag, getting a bottle ready, whatever, let them. And don't be afraid to ask. And remember: you got this!
