Flying with a baby
doesn't have to be scary.
The honest, practical guide to flying with babies and toddlers: packing, seat selection, napping strategies, jet lag, ear pressure, and everything no one else tells you. 24 pages of real advice from a family who's done it.
Wed to Wanderlust · Starter Guide
Travel With Baby
Traveling with a baby is a big deal. Most travel advice doesn't treat it that way.
Most online travel content is written for solo or couples travel and awkwardly adapted for families. This guide is different. It's written specifically for the parent who is genuinely anxious about flying with a baby, by someone who has done it.
"What do I actually need to pack?"
Not a generic list. A specific, tested list of the 10 things that actually matter, plus exactly what to leave behind so you're not hauling half your nursery through security.
"How do I get my baby to sleep on the plane?"
The guide covers bassinet booking strategy, sleep cue timing, white noise, motion, darkness, and how to lower your expectations productively. All of it.
"What if something goes wrong?"
The Common Mistakes section and What No One Tells You section exist specifically for this. The answer is always: more flexible than you planned to be.
This guide answers all of it, honestly.
Not the breezy "just go for it!" version. The real version, written by a parent who has flown internationally with babies and toddlers and learned everything the hard way first.
24 pages. Four sections. Everything a traveling parent actually needs.
Section 1: Packing Smart
The 10 must-pack items that saved us from chaos, the carry-on vs checked bag guide, what to gate-check for free, and the full list of what to leave behind.
- The 10 must-pack items, in order of importance
- Exactly what goes carry-on vs checked
- What to gate-check free at the jetbridge
- The full "leave it behind" list
- 3 packing principles that change everything
Section 2: The Flight
Seat selection, bassinet booking strategy, boarding tips, ear pressure, how to actually get your baby to nap, and a complete jet lag guide for both directions of travel.
- Seat selection guide: bulkhead, aisle, window
- How to secure a bassinet (step by step)
- Boarding early vs boarding last, both strategies
- Ear pressure: takeoff and descent
- Jet lag guide: east vs west, day by day
Section 3: What No One Tells You
The hard-won truths from real family travel: comparison, common mistakes, toddler-specific tips, and why "waiting until they're older" is the one thing we'd push back on hardest.
- 5 things no one admits about traveling with babies
- 6 common mistakes and exactly how to avoid them
- Toddler-specific tips (ages 1 to 3 need their own section)
- The one new toy strategy: when and how to use it
Section 4: Support & Next Steps
A simple, follow-along flight day timeline from the day before to arrival, plus a pre-trip checklist organized by timeline so nothing gets missed.
- Flight day timeline: day before arrival
- Pre-trip checklist: 6 weeks out to day before
- Closing note: you've got this
- Wayfaring Consulting, if you want it fully planned
If you're flying with a baby or toddler, this is for you.
First flight or fifth, domestic or international. The guide is useful wherever you are in the journey.
First-time parents preparing for their very first flight with a baby
The seat selection, bassinet booking, and packing sections are written specifically for you. No assumed knowledge.
Parents of toddlers (ages 1 to 3) who are a different kind of challenge
There's a dedicated toddler section because babies and toddlers are genuinely different travel companions. Both are covered.
Parents planning their first international trip with kids
The jet lag section covers both directions of travel, bassinet strategy applies to long-haul flights specifically, and the packing list is written for longer trips.
Anxious travelers who need specifics, not cheerleading
"Just go for it!" is not useful advice when you're genuinely anxious. This guide gives you specifics: what to do, when, and why.
"If you're feeling nervous about flying with a baby or toddler, you're not doing it wrong. You're doing something new. The airport looks completely different when you're pushing a stroller, hauling a car seat, and trying to remember if you packed enough diapers for a four-hour delay."
Hi, I'm Jenni Schluntz.
I'm a family travel blogger, Certified Travel Advisor, and mom of two, Maximus and baby Lucian. I've taken my boys on planes since before they could walk. Bali as a baby. Italy as a toddler. Hawaii multiple times. This guide is built from real experience, not theory, not research, but the things I've learned from doing it.
The Travel With Baby Starter Guide exists because when I was preparing for our first international flight with Maximus, most of what I found online was either so general it wasn't helpful or so overwhelming it made the whole thing feel impossible. I wanted something that said: here's exactly what to do, in order, honestly.
Everything you're wondering about
Is this guide for babies or toddlers specifically?
Both. The guide is structured to be useful whether you're flying with an infant (0 to 12 months) or a toddler (1 to 3 years). Section 3 has a dedicated toddler chapter because they genuinely need different strategies than babies.
Does it cover international flights or just domestic?
Both, but the guide has more detail relevant to longer flights: bassinet booking strategy, jet lag in both directions, long-haul packing specifics, and international airport navigation with a baby.
What format is it?
A PDF, 24 pages, downloadable instantly after purchase. Readable on any device. Print it, save it to your phone, or pull it up offline on travel day. Works without WiFi.
My baby is already 18 months. Is it too late for this?
Not at all. The toddler section is specifically for ages 1 to 3 and covers the specific challenges that come with a mobile, opinionated child who does not want to sit still. It's actually where the guide gets most specific.
I want help planning the actual trip, not just the flight.
That's Wayfaring Consulting, full-service international family travel planning. Custom itinerary, hotels, activities, and concierge support. Free 20-minute discovery call to get started. See below.
Get the guide.
Stop dreading the flight.
24 pages of honest, practical advice for flying with babies and toddlers. Written by a parent who has done it, not someone who makes it look easier than it is.
Travel With Baby Starter Guide
- The 10 must-pack items + full carry-on vs checked bag guide
- Seat selection strategy + step-by-step bassinet booking
- Boarding, ear pressure, napping, and landing tips
- Complete jet lag guide: eastbound and westbound
- What No One Tells You: 5 truths plus 6 common mistakes
- Toddler-specific section (ages 1 to 3)
- Flight day timeline + pre-trip checklist
- 24-page PDF · Instant download · Works offline
One-time payment
Introductory price
Want someone to plan the whole trip?
I'm Jenni, Certified Travel Advisor and the person who wrote this guide. Through Wayfaring Consulting I plan complete international family trips: flights, hotels, activities, travel insurance, all of it. Fora and Virtuoso affiliations unlock perks you can't get booking direct. Free 20-min planning call to start.
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