How early can you fly with a child?

FLYING WITH AN INFANT: WHEN IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL WITH A NEWBORN BABY BY PLANE? In general, doctors recommend you wait to fly until your baby's immune system is better developed. This could be as soon as one month for full-term infants, though most doctors recommend anywhere between three months and six months.



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In general, pediatricians recommend that newborns not fly until their respiratory and immune systems are fully developed. This often means that a newborn should not fly until they're three to six months old. However, these dates can vary greatly from child to child.

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Generally, you should avoid flying with your newborn until they are at least 7 days old. Ideally, wait until your baby is two or three months old to fly. Air travel (and being in crowded airports) can increase a newborn's risk of catching an infectious disease.

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Every US citizen, regardless of age, must have a passport to travel abroad. Newborn babies, infants, and toddlers all need a passport to leave and enter another country.

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Instead, you can use their birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or other documentation that identifies them. When crossing state lines, you may need to provide sufficient proof of your relationship with the infant.

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Most international flights allow children under 2 to fly as lap children, but with one big difference — it's usually not 100% free. Typically, if you're flying on a revenue ticket, you must pay the taxes and fees for your lap infant plus, in some cases, 10% of the fare.

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Planning your trip
  • Infants on lap. Children under two can sit on a parent's lap during flights to any destination.
  • Infant seats. Alternatively, infants can have their own seat if you bring an approved car seat.
  • All other kids. Children older than two will need a ticket and their own seat on the plane.


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Children's strollers and child safety seats are not counted as part of the standard baggage and therefore can be easily checked for free. For your convenience, these items may be checked at the curbside, the ticket counter or at the gate. Child safety seats may be brought on board the plane in certain circumstances.

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This often means that a newborn should not fly until they're three to six months old. However, these dates can vary greatly from child to child. Some pediatricians will allow some babies as young as one month old to fly internationally. Always check with your pediatrician.

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Diaper bags, soft-sided cooler bags with breast milk, child safety seats, strollers and medical or mobility devices don't count toward your personal item or carry-on.

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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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The price of a child ticket will differ from airline to airline. Some airlines offer discounted prices for children, whereas others have a flat fare for adults and children. On average, discounted airline tickets for children are around 25—33% cheaper than adult tickets. Are there kids options on the in-flight menu?

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An infant is considered fit to fly if:
  • You can produce a passenger medical form, also known as a medical release for travel, signed by a physician stating that the baby is healthy enough to fly.
  • You have a copy of the baby's birth certificate as proof of age.


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An infant is considered fit to fly if: You can produce a passenger medical form, also known as a medical release for travel, signed by a physician stating that the baby is healthy enough to fly. You have a copy of the baby's birth certificate as proof of age.

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