Table of Contents
If you are flying solo with a baby kudos. Flying with a baby is one of the most challenging things you can do in the world of family travel. So flying solo with a baby is an amazing accomplishment whoever you are.
We are a full-time travel family who have flown many times with a baby. Including a long-haul solo flight with a baby. We are super excited to share some of our top tips and secrets with you. In this article we will share 12 top tips for flying solo with a baby in 2026. Everything from packing, planning, getting through the airport and surviving the flight.
Don’t miss our TOP TIPS and SECRETS for booking cheap flights with kids.
Flying solo with a baby – travel checklist
Here are a few things to think through and plan before you fly with a baby:
- Passport for you and your baby. If your baby doesn’t have a passport, apply for one with plenty of time before your flight
- Any other travel documents you need. If you need a visa for your destination country your baby is likely to need a visa too. If possible apply for visas in advance
- If you can, check in online in advance – boarding passes for you and your baby
- Make sure you have an airplane seat with a bassinet (bassinet seats tend to be at the front of sections)
- Airport transfer to and from the airport, consider access to a baby car seat
- Good accommodation for resting after your flight
Carry on packing list for flying solo with a baby
Make the most of your carry on allowance. You are generally allowed a larger carry on bag. Usually at least 55cm x 36cm x 20cm even for budget airlines. With a baby you will normally be allowed to bring an additional smaller carry on. Consider a large handbag with lots of compartments, zips and pockets.
Consider the journey time to and from the airport, waiting time and layover times and also possible delay times. This will affect consumables like snacks, drinks and nappies.
Packing list for a carry on if your are flying solo with a baby
- Travel documents for you and your baby
- Sling or stroller
- Baby bottles and formula or other drinks for your baby
- Snacks for you and your baby
- A change of clothes for you and your baby
- A warm layer for you and your baby. Airplanes and airports can actually be quite cold due to the air conditioning
- Plenty of nappies for your baby, remember flights can be delayed
- Wet wipes and hand sanitizer
- A travel baby changing mat
- Small toys or books that your baby is familiar with
- Muslins
- A small lightweight blanket
- Dummy or pacifier
- Plenty of ziplock bags
- If your baby is prone to getting nappy rash taking a flight can exasperate this. Consider bringing some nappy rash cream
- If you are breastfeeding, consider bringing a good nursing bra and a top for feeding. You may also want a shawl or lightweight scarf to cover you and your baby.
- Baby headphones / ear muffs to protect your baby’s ears from the noise of the airplane and improve sleep. Until around 18 months we recommend getting a specially designed baby ear muffs for flights
- Pen to fill out arrivals cards (if possible try and fill out your arrivals card in advance)
- Clip on cot light. This is not essential because airplanes do have lights above the seats. However, these lights may not be sufficient if you need to tend to your baby in the night. Therefore having an additional clip-on cot light can be very helpful if you are flying solo with a baby.
Keep an eye out for great deals on flight tickets
Flying solo with a baby – what to expect
If you are planning to fly solo with a baby it can help to know what to expect. Your experience is very likely to depend on the age and temperament of your baby. If you are flying solo with a newborn, this may well be less challenging than flying with a 1-year-old baby. The advantage of flying with a newborn is the fact that they are small, portable and tend to sleep a lot anywhere. In contrast, flying with a 1-year-old may present a range of challenges.
A one-year-old baby unwilling or unable to sleep in a bassinet. Furthermore, a 1-year-old baby is likely to spend less hours asleep and be more aware of their environment. They have a stronger routine, making it more challenging to get your child to sleep on the flight. We are not trying to scare you off, even if you are flying solo with a 1-year-old there are still some things you can do to help you and your baby have a smooth flight.
1 Pack an Amazing Baby Friendly carry on
If you are flying solo with a baby your carry-on is your survival kit. The great news is most Airlines have generous Provisions for parents flying with infants. You will generally be allowed to take your standard carry-on back plus an additional bag for your baby. We recommend planning your baby carry-on with plenty of time to buy things and think through everything. A good carry-on bag for traveling solo with a baby should include things like dummies or pacifiers, nappies, wet wipes.
We recommend bringing snacks and drinks including a feeding bottle that your child is familiar with. In your carry-on we also recommend bringing Baby Friendly toys and if your baby has weaned onto solid food consider bringing some baby friendly snacks. We found the fruit pouch drinks to be a fantastic soothing treat for a baby on the flight. Also remember to think about some treats for yourself. If you’re flying solo with a baby you deserve it. Don’t forget to bring a change of clothes for your baby and for yourself and plenty of Muslin cloths. We recommend finding a carry-on bag that is small enough to fit underneath the seat in front of you and has plenty of pockets and pouches for organizing your baby survival kit.
Top tip: Airlines normally fine with you putting small bags underneath the seat in front of you or underneath your own seat if you’re at the front of a section. It is almost essential to be able to access things quickly if you are flying solo with a baby. So make sure anything you are likely to need during the flight is stored in the small bag underneath the seat.
2 Plan snacks and drinks
Having plenty of snacks and drinks are essential to your survival if you are flying solo with a baby. If your baby drinks formula milk, we recommend preparing small bags with the correct number of scoops of powder. Have a couple of clean feeding bottles that your baby is familiar with. If possible keep the plastic bottle lid for hygiene. Most Airlines should supply you with hot water to add to the bottle and make up your formula when you need it.
Having a couple of your baby’s favorite bottles means you do not need to wash bottles between uses. Some very good Airlines also provide sterile baby bottles if you really need them. We always recommend having plenty of milk if you are flying solo with a baby. Consider the number of feeds that your baby will normally have over your flight time and then also consider the fact that your flight could be delayed and you may also have to do some additional feeds. As a rough guide, prepare an extra 2 or 3 feeds compared to what you would normally give your baby.
Top tip: if your baby needs some emergency formula and the airline can only Supply boiling water, add a little bit of cold clean bottled water to cool the formula to the right temperature.
3 Get a seat with a bassinet
If you’re flying solo with a baby you may automatically get a seat that has a bassinet. But if there are a lot of babies on the flight, there’s no guarantee that you will be given a bassinet seat. If you’re flying solo with a baby it is worth doing everything you can to make sure you get one of these bassinet seats. A bassinet is basically a special airplane cot for a baby. The airline staff should help you set the bassinet up. This is a great place for your baby to sit, play, rest and sleep during the flight.
We recommend contacting the airline as soon as you have booked your tickets to make sure you’re assigned a bassinet seat. We would also recommend contacting them one more time you’re close to the date of the flight to confirm that this seat is reserved for you and your infant. It is worth mentioning to the airline that you are traveling solo with a baby and will need the additional support of having a bassinet seat.
Bassinet restrictions
It is worth being aware that some bassinets may have weight, size or age restrictions. It is normally required that your baby can comfortably fit in the bassinet and normally no more than 10kg – 15kg. Check your airline’s specific policy. Most small 1 year olds should be able to use a bassinet on a flight. Your baby will not be able to use a bassinet at take off, landing and when the seatbelt sign is on.
4 Remember to pack plenty of ziplock bags
We already mentioned packing an amazing baby-friendly carry-on. Also consider packing plenty of ziplock bags before the journey. Bring a range of different sized ziplock bags for different things. For example if your baby drops their dummy on the ground you can stick it in a ziplock bag. Or if you have soiled clothing (which will inevitably happen on a flight with a baby) you can put dirty clothing into the ziplock bags.
5 Bring baby milk through security
Normally you’re not allowed to bring more than 100 ml of a liquid through a security checkpoint at the airport. However, when you are flying with an infant it is normally possible to bring a baby drink through the security check at the airport. Most airport security checkpoints allow parents traveling with an infant to bring drinks through security. They may ask you to put the drink in a bag and then they check the drink.
6 Talk to people sitting near you on the airplane
When you first get on the airplane take a moment to chat to the people around you. Many parents feel self-conscious and anxious about other passengers around them on the flight. A short conversation is a great way to break the ice and this also humanizes you to the people around you. When people realize that you are flying solo with a baby they will probably be very impressed and may well offer to help where possible. Showing that you are aware of other people’s experience and peace will encourage them to be more sympathetic and understanding.
7 Bring something for your baby to suck at take off and Landing
The change in air pressure can be very painful for a baby’s ears during the takeoff and landing on a flight. One of the ways to reduce the pain is to give your baby something to suck during takeoff or landing. We recommend using things that your baby is used to sucking such as a feeding bottle, dummy or pacifier or simply breastfeeding them during takeoff and landing. If your baby is eating solids, even having a snack can help reduce ear pain at take off and landing.
8 Plan your baby’s sleep time and routines
It can be very challenging to get a baby to fall asleep let alone sleep on an airplane. Your baby is likely to be aware of the new environment and this can cause them to either be over-stimulated or unsettled. We recommend sticking as close as possible to your baby’s normal bedtime and routines (but be prepared to be flexible). Baby bedtime routines are very personal and unique to each parent. So staying as close as possible to the normal routine will help your little one feel settled and will increase their chances of getting some sleep.
Consider small familiarities such as their normal night time clothing, giving them a bottle of warm milk at bedtime or bedtime stories that you may read your child at bedtime. Another challenge of getting a baby to sleep on the plane is the cabin lighting. It may well be that the cabin lights remain on after sunset and into the evening, past your baby’s normal bedtime. If your baby is sensitive to light it may be worth readjusting their bedtime to line up with the cabin lighting.
9 Bring a pram through the airport with you
Trying to get through an airport on your own can be challenging without the additional challenge of bringing a small human being along with you. It is possible to bring a pram or stroller all of the way through the airport with you all of the way to the boarding gate. You should be allowed to bring your pram or stroller through security. When you get to the boarding gate the airplane staff will help you store your pram or stroller so that you can have it when you arrive at your destination.
If you’re flying solo with a baby, having a pram or stroller in the airport will be extremely helpful when you need your hands-free for jobs like getting through security and passing over travel documents to be checked. If you don’t normally travel with a pram or stroller, consider bringing along a sling or borrowing a pram or stroller from the airport.
10 have a rest plan for yourself before and after the flight
If you are flying solo with a baby there is a good chance that you will struggle to get any meaningful rest or sleep on the flight itself. Therefore (if possible) we recommend trying to get as much sleep as possible before your flight. Also plan to get some good rest and recovery after your flight too. Whether that means asking a partner, friend, relative or grandparent to look after your baby for a bit, do anything you can to get some rest. If you are not able to get any support looking after your baby
11 Use a special assistance lanes
Many airports have special assistance lanes to support passengers with additional challenges. And many special assistance lanes are open to families with young children. Watch out for special assistance lanes at immigration checkpoints, security checkpoints and also when you are boarding the aircraft. Make yourself known to staff and ask for help if you need it. The one place where you will not normally find assistance lanes is at the check-in and baggage drop for your airline. If you have paid for an economy class seat, it is likely that you will need to queue with the other passengers.
12 Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. In the airport staff are often able to assist families.
If you are struggling with a baby on the flight it can feel hard to ask for help. Many people are very willing to help a solo parent struggling with a baby.
AND FINALLY
Don’t miss our FULL baby travel checklist – everything you need to plan and prepare
