21 Top Tips for Flying Solo with a Baby to Make the Journey Easier
Are you planning on flying solo with a baby? The thought of it can seem overwhelming, but with these tried and tested tips, you can be as prepared as possible. You *might* even enjoy it!
Flying solo with a baby is obviously very different depending on the baby, and the stage they’re at. I’ve flown with my son Reggie at 4 months, 5 months, and am soon to again at 13 months (and again at 14 months!). I can honestly say, it wasn’t even nearly as bad as I thought.
Even with the nappy explosions each way in a teeny tiny easyJet plane bathroom.
We got through it. One baby outfit down. But it made us stronger.
I wanted to share my knowledge on flying solo with a baby, to help any prospective parents out there achieve their travel dreams, with baby in tow. Don’t let the flight get in the way of exploration!
From planning your flight, to preparing just before, to being in the airport, and eventually on the flight – here’s how you can make sure that flying solo with a baby goes as seamlessly as possible.
Tips for Flying Alone With a Baby, With Ease
Planning your flight
1. Book the baby a seat
It’s now £50 on easyJet to book a baby on your lap, return. It can actually be cheaper to book them a seat, which gives you both more space and eliminates the fear of who could be sitting next to you.
Could be well worth it.
When I went to Valencia it was £259 for my outbound flight, so that was a no – he sat on my lap – but the return was only £30 so I booked him a seat for the extra fiver. I was so thankful to past Vicky when the flight was full, and I had the space for him to stretch out, and to put his things within easier reach than the floor.
For our upcoming Thessaloniki trip, it was £42 for Reggie’s outbound and return seat. It would’ve been £50 on my lap. Do your research!
Under 2s should ‘fly free’, but if there’s an admin fee like on easyJet, buying them a seat just gives you both that extra bit of space.
2. Get good travel insurance
If you should miss a flight or lose anything valuable, or have to cancel, you don’t want the extra hassle of worrying financially. Buy good travel insurance so you know you can get your money back, and there’s someone to help.
3. Pay for the most convenient transfers
Research your transfers at the other end. Trust me, after a solo flight with a baby you want to get out of that airport as swiftly and easily as possible. Make sure that the car rental company you go with has the appropriate seats in the car, or bring your own if you want to be sure.
Before the flight
4. Don’t pack too much for the cabin
The more things you own, the more they own you.
That was one of the first sayings I ever read and it’s really stuck with me. Never more true than when you have a baby to look after. If you have loads of stuff then it’s much hard to gather it all and keep it together, when you need to be focussing your energy on the little one. Pack as lightly as possible, without forgetting anything.
It can be difficult, I know.
If you’re wondering what to pack in the hold, check out my list of the most important essentials for baby travel here.
5. Bring cartons and sterilised milk bottles
Bring more sterilised milk bottles and milk cartons than you think you’ll need. You do not want to be sans milk if there are any delays at all. Don’t expect them to be able to sterilise on board either.
READ MORE on TwinPerspectives.com: The Best Places to Travel With a Baby
6. Prepare for all temperatures
Bring warm hoodies and jumpers for the baby, as well as easy to remove layers. You just never know what that plane air con is going to be like.
7. Choose a great cabin bag / nappy bag
Monica from The Travel Hack gifted me one of these Travel Hack backpacks just before Reggie was born, and it’s been our go to nappy bag ever since. In fact, it’s looking a bit battered now.
We love it because of all the different pockets, which means we can find things quickly thanks to the system I’ve created over the past year, and you can open it fully which makes things easier too. It fits everything we need in for the flight for Reggie.
8. Wear a bumbag
I do also like to wear a bumbag though, to keep our passports and tickets in one safe place for easy access at any opportunity.
9. Think about using a pram that’s allowed in the cabin
Is it your first holiday with your baby? It could be a good time to invest in a great travel pram.
I didn’t really think about this for my first trips, but looking back it was quite difficult to pull my pram apart while also holding a baby. No, no one offered to help.
There are some great prams that can be folded down to fit in the plane cabin. This makes it much easier for you at the other end.