Can you board first if you have a toddler?

An adult traveling with a child six years old or younger may board during Family Boarding, which occurs after the “A” group has boarded and before the “B” group begins boarding. If the child and the adult are both holding an “A” boarding pass, they should board in their assigned boarding position.



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United, the airline I fly most often, explicitly limits pre-boarding to families with children two and under (though never actually enforces it). Two strikes me as too young to cut off pre-boarding, but once children hit five or six, they generally are able to wait in line and board with everyone else.

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All the major airlines allow infants (there's no age restriction) to fly in first class when accompanied by an adult.

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Mercifully, first-class cabins are designed to make kids feel as at home as possible, with a fully flat bed set up with soft pillows and blankets. So if you're planning a long-haul flight, a first-class cabin can be well worth it for the extra shut-eye for your kids (and fellow passengers).

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Each airline will have its rules about who can sit where, but a bulkhead seat is generally considered an excellent option for families traveling with young children. The bulkhead is at the front of the cabin and sitting in those seats usually guarantees you some extra leg room.

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Although airlines allow for children under 2 to sit on a parents lap, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) recommends for all young children to sit in a FAA approved car seat at all times during a flight.

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Although children who have not reached their second birthday are permitted to travel as lap children, the FAA strongly discourages this practice and recommends that you secure your child in an approved CRS in their own seat for the entire flight.

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All passengers flying in a premium cabin get priority boarding. But the group you'll be assigned to depends on which class of service you're flying. Passengers in the front cabin board with Group 1.

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Customers who need special assistance and families with children under 2 years old can ask to board early at the gate.

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Don't hesitate to ask for accommodations.
Early boarding helps him stay calm, he explains, because standing in line in the jet bridge is intensely stressful for him. It's a simple request: He just asks for priority boarding at check-in, and “80 percent of the time,” he says, the airline is happy to grant his request.

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All 25 turbulence recommendations remain open. The FAA agrees that children ages 2 and under sitting in another passenger's lap while flying is not a safe practice.

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Can I take milk on a plane for my toddler? Travel with toddlers on planes, means you still need to think about food and drink for them. And yes, you can still bring milk or water on board for your toddler. It's usually advised to bring water in a sippy cup rather than a normal water bottle.

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Stay calm. Try to stay calm and speak softly. Don't worry about dirty looks from other passengers—they'll just distract you from helping your child calm down. Once it's all over, you can give a sincere apology. If your child is meltdown-prone, consider stocking a few cookies or other treats to hand out as well.

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