Flying with a baby feels a lot more intimidating before you do it. The secret is a good baby airplane packing list: when your carry-on has the right snacks, a few quiet toys and a plan for messes, the flight goes from survival mode to surprisingly manageable.
I put this checklist together after flying internationally with my 11-month-old. Below you’ll find the full checklist first, then the 13 products that earned a spot in our diaper bag. Planning the whole trip, not just the flight? See my 15 Amazon baby travel essentials that make traveling with a baby easier for strollers, travel cribs and what you’ll need once you land.
FTC: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through my links at no extra cost to you. Thank you for the support and as always all opinions are my own.
If you only pack 5 things: window clings, a snack spinner, pacifier wipes, wet bags and a baby carrier.
The Baby Airplane Packing Checklist
In your carry-on
Diapering & messes
- Diapers: one per hour of travel, plus extras for delays
- Wipes and a portable changing pad
- Two spare outfits for baby, plus a spare top for you
- Wet bags for dirty clothes (our pick: Mushie Wet Bags)
- Burp cloths and bibs
Feeding
- Breast milk, formula or bottles
- Nursing cover (our pick: Momcozy Nursing Cover)
- Snacks and teethers in a spill-resistant container (our pick: GoBe Snack Spinner)
- Food pouches and a no-squeeze holder (our pick: Momcozy Pouch Holder)
- Pacifiers and pacifier wipes (our pick: Munchkin Pacifier Wipes)
Entertainment
- Window clings (our pick: Safari Jelly Window Clings)
- Busy book (our pick: hahaland Busy Book)
- Suction spinners (our pick: ALASOU Suction Spinners)
- Light-up busy board (our pick: TINTECUSA Busy Board)
- Toy straps (our pick: LittleHugs Toy Straps)
Sleep & comfort
- Baby ear muffs (our pick: Alpine Muffy Baby)
- Sleep soother or favorite lovey (our pick: Riff Raff Sleep Soother)
- A light blanket or sleep sack for chilly cabins
Wear or gate-check
- Baby carrier (our pick: Ergobaby Omni Classic)
- Travel stroller or car seat
Documents
- Passports or ID and boarding passes for everyone, including your baby
- Proof of age for a lap infant (many airlines ask for it)
Save this checklist for your next trip.
Our Favorite Picks for the Flight
Wet bags: Mushie Water-Resistant Wet Bags
Pack it in: carry-on · Best for: blowouts, spit-ups and swimsuits
As a mom, you need to be prepared for blowouts and spit-up at any time. Mushie’s wet bags give you somewhere to throw dirty clothes so the rest of your bag stays clean. The set of two (a large and a small bag) is water-resistant, zips closed, has a handle for hanging on a stroller and is machine washable.
Nursing cover: Momcozy Nursing Cover
Pack it in: carry-on (or wear it) · Best for: breastfeeding and pumping moms
An easy nursing cover that you can just leave on. The Momcozy Nursing Cover is a soft, breathable poncho that gives you privacy while nursing or pumping and doubles as a scarf, a stroller cover or a light blanket. It’s machine washable and comes with a laundry bag.
Snack container: Snack Spinner
Pack it in: carry-on · Best for: snack-loving babies and toddlers
Fill it with teethers and your baby’s favorite snacks. The spinner function will also keep them entertained. The GoBe Small Snack Spinner Flip has five compartments behind a flip lid, so little hands spin to the next snack without dumping the rest. It’s BPA- and PVC-free, dishwasher safe and designed not to spill, and this bundle comes with a hand strap and a sticker sheet.
Pouch holder: Momcozy No-Squeeze Pouch Holder
Pack it in: carry-on · Best for: pouch-loving babies who are learning to self-feed
Food pouches are perfect for flights until your baby gives one a big squeeze. The Momcozy Baby Pouch Holder helps prevent messes: the pouch or juice box sits inside the holder, so little hands can’t squeeze out the contents, and the easy-grip handle lets your baby feed themselves. It’s BPA- and DEHP-free.
Pacifier wipes: Munchkin Arm & Hammer Pacifier Wipes
Pack it in: personal item · Best for: pacifier babies and dropped teethers
For when you can’t get up from your seat but need to clean a pacifier. Munchkin Arm & Hammer Pacifier Wipes are made with food-grade ingredients and baking soda, and they’re safe for pacifiers, bottles, teethers and breast pump parts. This two-pack has 72 wipes, so you can keep one pack in the diaper bag and one within reach.
Window clings: Safari Animal Jelly Stickers
Pack it in: personal item · Best for: window seats and long-haul flights
If you only pack one toy, make it these. Window stickers were a godsend for my 11-month-old on our international flight. He spent at least an hour sticking these all over the window and tray table. This set of 40 thick gel animal clings, including lions and elephants, is quiet, removable and reusable. They’re an easy win.
Busy book: hahaland Busy Book for Toddlers
Pack it in: personal item · Best for: ages 1–3 and families limiting screen time
A screen-free, Montessori-inspired activity. The hahaland Busy Book packs 10 pages of hands-on activities for toddlers ages 1 to 3 into a soft book that slips into your diaper bag. Save it for the flight so it feels brand new when you pull it out.
Suction Spinner Toys
Pack it in: personal item · Best for: babies 12 months and up
Super entertaining for babies and perfect for planes. This set of three suction cup spinners sticks to smooth surfaces like the airplane window, so your baby can spin them again and again without them rolling under the seat. They also work on high chair trays and in the bath.
Busy board: Light-Up Busy Board
Pack it in: carry-on · Best for: switch-obsessed babies and toddlers
If you have a baby that likes playing with switches, they are sure to enjoy this toy. This Light Up Busy Board is a small wooden board with all sorts of switches, dials, and buttons that light up colorful LEDs. It runs on 2 AAA batteries (not included), so pack them before you leave.
Toy straps: LittleHugs Toy Straps
Pack it in: personal item · Best for: babies who love to throw things
These make sure toys don’t get thrown onto the dirty floor. The LittleHugs Toy Straps are adjustable silicone tethers that attach toys, pacifiers and sippy cups to a stroller, high chair or car seat. This listing is a 5-pack, so you can strap down a few favorites at once.
Ear muffs: Alpine Muffy Baby
Pack it in: personal item · Best for: light sleepers and loud cabins
For their sensitive ears. Alpine Muffy Baby ear muffs reduce noise by 23dB and have an adjustable headband that fits babies and toddlers up to 4 years old, so they keep working at fireworks, concerts and games long after the trip.
Sleep soother: Riff Raff Raccoon
Pack it in: personal item · Best for: babies who sleep with white noise
Helps soothe babies to sleep. The Riff Raff Sleep Soother is a plush raccoon with a sound box that plays a lullaby or a white-noise heartbeat on a 20- or 40-minute timer. You can record a short message in your own voice, and a Velcro strap attaches it to a carrier or car seat.
Baby carrier: Ergobaby Omni Classic
Wear it · Best for: boarding, deplaning and aisle walks
For boarding and deplaning and for when your baby needs to be walked around the plane. The Ergobaby Omni Classic in breathable mesh fits babies from 7 to 45 lbs with no newborn insert and has four carry positions, lumbar support and a sun and privacy hood for naps. Most airlines ask you to take your baby out of the carrier for takeoff and landing.
5 Tips for Packing Your Baby’s Carry-On
- Pack in zones. Keep in-flight items (snacks, toys, wipes) in your personal item under the seat, and put a diaper, wipes and a changing pad in a pouch you can grab for the bathroom.
- Plan for delays. Pack a few extra hours’ worth of diapers, snacks and milk or formula.
- Rotate toys. Hand them over one at a time, and save something new for the hardest stretch of the flight.
- Feed on takeoff and landing. Sucking and swallowing can help with ear pressure, so have a bottle, the breast or a pacifier ready.
- Keep your hands free. Wear your baby for boarding and gate-check the stroller.
Flying With a Baby FAQs
What should I pack in my carry-on when flying with a baby?
Diapers (more than you think), wipes, two spare outfits, feeding supplies, a few quiet toys and a wet bag for messes. The checklist above covers everything in one place.
How do I keep my baby entertained on a plane?
Choose small, quiet toys that stay put, like window clings, suction spinners, a busy book and a snack spinner, and rotate them instead of handing them all over at once.
How can I help my baby’s ears during takeoff and landing?
Try nursing, a bottle or a pacifier as the plane climbs and descends. Baby ear muffs can also make cabin noise more comfortable.
Can I bring breast milk, formula and baby food through airport security?
In the US, the TSA allows breast milk, formula and baby food in reasonable quantities, even above the usual 3.4-ounce liquid limit. Take them out of your bag and tell the officer at the start of screening. Rules vary by country, so check before international flights.
Ready for Takeoff
The best baby airplane packing list covers feeding, entertainment, sleep and messes without weighing you down. Start with the five must-haves, check off the rest of the list, and you’ll be ready for whatever happens at 30,000 feet.
Once the flight is covered, see my 15 Amazon baby travel essentials that make traveling with a baby easier for travel strollers, travel cribs and everything else you’ll want at your destination. Safe travels!
Leave a Reply