Whether you fly once a year or once a week -- flying with toddlers is always exciting.

Flying with a toddler has to be one of the most anxiety-inducing things for parents flying with kids for the first time. BUT, I am here to tell any parent, you got this; flying with toddlers is not as bad as it may seem. I promise. This guide will give you 12 tips on flying with a toddler to make your travel day easier and more enjoyable.

For a few years, we didn’t only fly with a toddler, we flew with two toddlers. We have experience flying on long-haul flights with toddlers and also many short domestic flights! Over the years we have mastered getting our kids to sleep on plane, we figured out the best gear for traveling with a toddler, and even the best ways to entertain any toddler on an airplane! All of this to say, we did all the trial and error for you! So, now, let me share my best tips for traveling by plane with a toddler!

Here are 12 ways we make flying with multiple Toddlers (or just one) easier on us and them:

1) Pack light.

Backpack Diaper Bag + Stroller is all we used when I flew from Florida to Texas with the kids by myself

Anyone who has traveled for any amount of time will tell you that excess baggage will weigh you down. If you are traveling alone with kids (i.e. -- only one adult) that rings even truer. Excess baggage is never a good idea.

We typically pack a single carry-on bag plus our normal diaper bag for international flights. When we travel with a toddler on ar domestic flight, we only bring our diaper bag as a carry-on. We only bring necessities. Anything else goes into a checked bag.

When we bring a toddler on a plane, our diaper bag has:

A change of clothes for each kid
The iPads
A water bottle for the kids
So many snacks
A few very small travel toys
Diapers/wipes
Comfort items like pacifiers and loveys.
If I need a stroller, I bring the GB Pockit Stroller because it folds small enough to fit under the airplane seat.

I have put together a guide that explains how we pack light when traveling with a toddler!

2) Avoid bringing a gigantic bulky stroller through the terminal.

Our tiny GB Pockit Stroller underneath the airplane seat

When I see someone in the airport with a massive double BOB or a giant single jogging stroller, I feel bad for them. Yes, you can glide along in the terminal, but at the gate someone is going to be struggling to get that thing folded down. Not to mention, a stroller that size is probably going to get damaged from being tossed around by baggage workers.

We used to use our double city select for travel when our kids were infant-toddler, BUT we didn't use it INSIDE the airport. We checked it all the way through. Instead of dragging that huge stroller through the airport, we each wore a kid in a soft carrier. We put one toddler in our Ergo Carrier and one kid in our Toddler Tula.

However, when I fly alone with the 2 kids, I bring one very small stroller and I wear one kid on my front while I have our diaper bag on my back. We recently started using the GB Pockit Stroller and that thing is a TRAVELER'S DREAM. It folds down SO small that it fits under the seat on the plane meaning it is not going to get damaged by gate checking AND you're going to be able to walk off the plane and GO instead of waiting for your gate-checked stroller. For anyone traveling with a toddler, the GB Pockit is a MUST HAVE.

Get your own Pockit HERE:

3) Pick your seats in advance.

We like the 3 seat combo when it's just the 3 of us.

I like to book my seats when I book my tickets. It’s one of my biggest tips for flying with toddler. If you’re on a super short flight, this won’t matter much. If you’re on a long haul flight with kids, this matters a TON.

We are hardcore about getting the middle 4-across seats when we fly internationally. This gives the kids the two middle and us the two outer seats. We get so much space to spread out. For domestic flights, we usually do a two-two configuration, so each parent gets a kid. If I am flying solo with the kids, I prefer the 3 seat configuration like in the photo. If the plane is 2-2, I put the kids together in 2 and choose the aisle seat next to them.

Please know that some airlines don't allow pre-selecting seats unless you pay extra. If you're flying with one of the airlines that don't allow pre-selecting seats, check to see if they allow families with small children to board first. This will let you board and be sure to get seats together with the kids. I do this when I fly with toddlers on Southwest Airlines and I haven't had an issue not getting with my children.

When I fly with Frontier, I never play to pick my seats. I set an alarm for 2 minutes PRIOR to when online check-in opens and then as soon as it opens, I select our seats for free. This has never failed me and I have always gotten seats together when flying with toddlers.

***If you’re flying with a child under 2, they can fly as a lap toddler, but I always ask the gate agents if there is an extra seat we can sit near so that my child can have their own seat. We have definitely had this work many times.

***If you’re flying with toddlers car seat on the plane, the car seat can not be in an aisle seat.

***ALL children over the age of 2 require their own seat no matter of their size. SO, if you’re flying with a 2-year-old, they will need their own ticket and their own seat and their own seat belt.

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4) Have all of your documents accessible and in order.

I use this little Vera Bradley zipper bag to stow the 4 passports together.

I keep mine where I can easily grab them no matter if I am wearing a kid, a backpack and pushing the stroller. I put each family member's boarding pass inside their passport so that TSA & boarding agents can easily look at both. One of my tips for traveling with a toddler is to use a sticker or strip of washi tape on the outside of the passport to easily identify each person in your family’s passport without having to continually open them.

Flying with toddler identification:

YES, toddlers need identification on flights. I suggest bringing a copy of your child’s birth certificate.
YES, all human beings need a passport to travel internationally, even babies.

This is the exact family passport/document holder I use! I love it so much! Get yours here:

5) Flying with a Toddler TSA Rules

Know all the rules of what you can and can not bring through the line. TSA has modified procedures for children under 12 years old. For example, Children under 12 do not need to remove their shoes or jackets. These are important regulations to be familiar with prior to traveling by plane with a toddler.

You can help yourself have a smooth TSA experience by anticipating this portion of your trip by packing appropriately & have computers/Ipads/liquids EASILY available to pull out of your bag for a scan. If you are a nursing mother, check out my guide for traveling with breastmilk which goes into detail on the TSA rules for breastmilk.

**Remember: Strollers have to be scanned & not every country allows you to babywear through the body scanner.

TSA Guidlines

6) Manage the Layover.

The kids watching a movie in the USO in Houston during a 3 hour layover

First, only have a layover if you HAVE to. Direct is always best. We recently had a 38-minute layover in Atlanta with both kids. We had to sprint, ride the train, sprint again, and were the very last people to board the plane. We were soaked in sweat & a bit flustered.

If you are flying with toddlers and you absolutely have to have a layover, I like to make it at least an hour, maybe 2. I like the kids to be able to run free, use the bathroom, and eat. Things that can help make longer layovers easier: Play areas, Airline lounges, sleep rooms, nursing rooms, and open areas. We love the lounges, but these days many airports have play areas for kids. It's always a go-to for me. I get a coffee and let the kids loose while I take a deep breath and appreciate not having someone sitting on me.

For military families: Find the USO. Free food, drinks, and typically some nice accommodations.

For American Express Platinum cardholders: You get access to all of the Centurion Clubs and all of the lounges in the Priority Pass network as a perk of your card. (We have this card and highly, highly recommend it for anyone looking for a card with massive travel perks) Get 100,000 membership points when you use THIS link.

If you’re going to be doing a lot of international travel, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a fantastic option as VISA is more widely accepted than AMEX. This card also offers Global Entry fee, $200 hotel credit, and the priority pass as well. We have both cards and use the perks often!

This is the kids play room in the centurion lounge in dallas on an 8 hour layover

7) Restrain them.

If you asked me a year ago my thoughts on flying with a car seat, I would laugh. "We never fly with car seats" I would say. While it is still true, we have never brought a car seat onto an airplane, we DO now use the CARES harness.

This is the only FAA-approved safety harness for children. It's tiny and lightweight. It is very easy to install. It keeps your little one restrained. (and safe) My kids must think they are in a car seat because they don't seem to mind this harness. I love it. It makes flying with them by myself so much easier.

PERK: The CARES harness can save your child's life during unexpected rough air or turbulence. It would prevent a child from flying up and hitting the ceiling if the plane suddenly lost altitude or jerked violently forward in a ground crash.

mother and 2 children on a plane — We have used these for so long and i love them!

Get your own CARES harness here:

8) Snacks on Snacks and more Snacks.

silicone mats are great to keep germs off food AND for keeping toys on the tray table!

On any parents flying with toddlers checklist, snacks need to be at the top of the list. I don't need to harp this, so I'll just ask you: Does eating make you happy? Probably. It also makes kids happy. My go-to snacks for planes? Gummy bears, yogurt melts, goldfish, baby food pouches (easy + mess-free), Nilla Wafers, Apples & Clementines. OH and the Delta cookies they hand out -- my kids go to town on those, so I ask for extra always.

ALSO - to prevent your little ones from eating a ton of germs and to keep the snacks ON the tray, try using a silicone mat! We have traveled with them for years and they are a must when traveling with a toddler. Silicone mats roll up compact and are easy to clean.

Snacks are always a must when traveling with toddlers and small children

9) Keep them entertained.

Window clings are always a hit. Target Dollar Spot usually has them!

We believe in using movies on planes. If you don't, that's cool too. We use movies, but we also bring a couple distractions. We like the Melissa + Doug Water books, window clings, Tegu magnetic blocks, sticker books, and picture books. We introduce different things at different times and my theory is, if they aren't crying, don't pull out all the stuff at once. If you have multiple flights in one day, save some activities and toys for that second flight so it's new. OH and my son spends most of the flight shredding the Skymall magazines, so that could work for your kids too! Get creative!

santa window clings on an airplane window — santa window clings to keep the kids occupied and cheer up the air crew

10) Surviving Potty Breaks + Diaper changes.

changing table on a plane — the changing table is usually located behind the toilet in the airplane bathroom

We bring our potty-trained toddler to the bathroom every single time we go and ask constantly if she wants to go. We always take her, regardless, before boarding and as soon as they make the "initial descent" announcement. They may still surprise you, so don't get too comfy.

For diaper changes, this is pretty typical. We change when dirty. There are changing tables and family bathrooms in almost every single airport I have ever been too. There are also changing tables in *almost* every plane I have ridden on, except 1. In that case, I just put the baby on the floor of the galley and did a quick change. (Yes, I used a changing pad so he wasn't on the actual floor) If you are uncomfortable changing the baby on the floor, ask the flight attendants where you can discretely change the baby, they will help!

11) Hype up the Destination.

Kids are getting restless, so I assume we are hyping them up here

We recently traveled for 21 hours straight with our 1 and 2-year-old in tow. We salvaged many toddler meltdowns by reminding them that their Nina and "the tower" (Eiffel Tower) were on the other end. On the way home, we did the same by hyping up coming home to our house and seeing their Oma at the airport! It surprisingly worked every single time.

So, if I can give you any tips for flying with toddlers, it’s to be your kid’s biggest hype man!

12) Relax.

No matter how long or how short these plane rides are, it's going to end at some point. It is a blip on the entire trip Who cares if they cry some? You paid just like everyone else. Don't worry about other people. One thing I love about flying is that I can tend to my children face to face unlike driving where I can't see them and its dangerous for me to do much interacting with them.

There are so many ways to make flying with a toddler easier and these are just a few of the ways we tackle the monster of traveling by plane with a toddler. When in doubt - refer to Tip #12. Everything that happens on your travel day is a temporary moment on the longer journey on your family travel. Keep your chin up, you're rockin this whole "flying with kids" thing.

Do you have something special you do when you fly with your tots? Let us know in the comments!