Flying With Children: A Practical Guide

Marcus Reiner · May 17, 2026 · 8 min read

The single most useful thing to know is that the age categories airlines use are fixed at the date of travel, not the date of booking. A child who turns two during the trip needs a seat for the return, and airlines will apply that rule strictly.

Fare categories

Child discounts have been shrinking. On many low cost carriers a child pays the same as an adult, and infant charges are per sector rather than per journey. Budget for close to full price on anyone over two.

Seats, bassinets and car seats

• Bassinets attach to bulkhead walls, have weight limits usually between 10 and 14 kg, and are limited in number. Request one at booking and reconfirm before travel.
• Bulkhead rows are the only rows with bassinet positions, and they are frequently released only at check in on some airlines.
• An approved car seat can be used in a purchased seat on most carriers, and is the safest option during turbulence. Check the airline's approval markings requirement.
• Children under a certain age cannot sit in exit rows, and adults travelling with them cannot either.
• Airlines are generally required to seat young children with an accompanying adult without charging for it, though systems handle this inconsistently. Contact them if seats are split.

Documents

1. Every child needs their own passport for international travel, including newborns.
2. Children need electronic travel authorizations in their own right, including ESTA, eTA and ETIAS.
3. A child travelling with one parent may be asked for a consent letter from the other, particularly for South Africa, Canada and Mexico.
4. Carry a full birth certificate where the child's surname differs from the accompanying adult's.
5. Infant tickets are issued as a separate document attached to an adult ticket, so check both appear on the confirmation.
6. Unaccompanied minor paperwork must name the person collecting the child, with identity details that will be checked.

Scheduling the day

Timing choices do more work than anything you pack. Direct beats connecting almost regardless of price on any journey with a child under five, because the difficulty scales with the number of transitions rather than with hours in the air.

During the flight

1. 01

   Ears on climb and descent

   Feeding, a bottle, a dummy or chewing all help. Descent is worse than climb, so keep something in reserve for the last forty minutes.

2. 02

   Bring more snacks than seems reasonable

   Airline catering timing rarely matches a child's schedule, and delays extend the day unpredictably.

3. 03

   Pack a change of clothes for the child and for you

   Experienced parents pack the second one. It is the item most often missing when it is needed.

4. 04

   Ration novelty

   Introduce one new small item per hour rather than everything at once. Novelty is the resource, not quantity.

5. 05

   Walk when it is safe to

   Movement resets a difficult mood faster than any device, and the galley area is usually tolerant of a short visit.

6. 06

   Ignore the audience

   Crew see this daily and are generally helpful. Most other passengers are far less bothered than anxious parents assume.