What age is easiest to travel with a baby?

The best time to fly with kids The best times, most agree, are between three and nine months, when kids aren't yet mobile, and any time after age two or three. The idea here is to bypass the toddler phase, and, more importantly, to avoid flying with young infants.



Many experienced travelers and child development experts suggest that the "sweet spot" for traveling with a baby is between 3 and 9 months old. At this stage, infants are typically past the fragile newborn phase and have often settled into a more predictable sleep routine, yet they are not yet mobile. Once a baby starts crawling or walking (usually around 10–12 months), they become significantly harder to contain in a plane seat or stroller. A 6-month-old is generally content to be held, worn in a baby carrier, or sit in a lap, and they require less "active" entertainment than a toddler. Additionally, if they are still exclusively breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, you don't have to worry about managing complex solid meals on the go. For 2026 parents, this "pre-mobile" window is the highest-fidelity time to plan a long-haul trip before the "High-Fidelity" challenges of toddler tantrums and "High-Fidelity" flight-long movement begin.

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9-12 Month Olds At about the time your child starts to crawl in the last few months of the first year, things may start to get a bit more challenging. If your child is active, he or she may want to spend the flight squirming out of your arms and crawling in the aisles.

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In fact, family travel expert Corinne McDermott believes traveling with an infant is often easier than traveling with an older toddler. “They're not mobile, they're not wiggling and they're eating and sleeping around the clock,” she says. “It doesn't really matter where you are!”

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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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If it's a long journey, allow plenty of time for breaks so they can stretch their legs and get a break from the car seat. It's important not to keep them in their car seat for too long anyway (Baby Routes, 2012; Baby Can Travel, 2017).

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It's so much cheaper than when they're older: We are all about the rule that most airlines don't make you purchase a second seat until your child is 2 years old. Besides flying, traveling with babies is also cheaper because you don't have to pay for additional meals, beds or entrance fees.

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If you think your toddler is likely to cry, yell and be noisy on the plane, you might want to book seats near the back of the aircraft. This section of the plane, behind the wings, is generally noisier, thanks to the engine, and the background hum might cover the sound of your child.

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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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Standard strollers, folding wagons, and car seats can be used to get to your gate and then checked for free. They'll be returned to you on arrival. Collapsible strollers can be stored in-cabin. Car seats can be used onboard your flight too.

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Consoling your baby Walking up and down the aisle may calm them and shouldn't cause problems for other passengers. A favourite toy may also help to distract them. If they are inconsolable, try taking your baby to the back of the plane where the hum of the engine may mask their crying.

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The front seat is safer for the parent: it is properly profiled and secured with airbags. The parent, usually the mother sitting in the back, most often takes the middle seat, so that she can be as close to the child as possible or, in the case of two children, have equal access to them.

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