Are you getting ready to travel and hearing all of the travel nightmare stories in the news?

Cancelled flights, long lines, the potential for unexpected overnights... it all sounds a little scary when you're planning for travel with kids. 

Here are 7 don't skip tips for getting on and through your flight easily with kids:

✈️ Find the “Approved for Air Travel” sticker on your car seat BEFORE you go to the airport. If you don't have a sticker its likely your car seat isnt approved but to be sure check your car seat's instruction manual too.

The sticker will look something like this (colors may vary)

✈️ Double-check the plane’s seat size and car seat’s base size are compatible. The car seat base needs to be smaller than the airplanes seat size to make sure it will fit easily. Many car seat bases are too large and won't be allowed on the plan if they wont fit.

✈️ Pack an extra set of clothes in your carry-on not only will this will come in handy in case of spills or accidents but will be a lifesaver in case of unexpected overnights or delays.

✈️ Avoid booking flights on Southwest if you  want to know where you will be sitting and who will be sitting next to you while bringing your car seat. You can’t get assigned seats ahead of time, making it pretty difficult to plan accordingly.

✈️ Whenever possible choose an early morning flight so if there are delays or cancellations there are a few other flights to choose from as alternatives. Babies are also more ready for napping and calmer earlier in the day.

 ✈️ Bring NEW portable things they have not seen before to color, craft, or watch and hand them to your kids in timed increments (every twenty minutes - every half an hour - when they're getting antsy) so there's a steady flow of new things to look at. I liked to get small novelty items from a local store called Cracker Barrel but you can find lots of things easily online as well. 

✈️ Airports are full of yummy treats but eating or drinking too much before a flight can lead to nausea, accidents, and general unhappiness for everyone. Heavy treats like ice cream won't sit well if a flight becomes turbulent causing nausea and/or vomiting. Save the treats for vacation and keep little tummies full of easy to digest things before the flight.

All in all, flying with kids during travel delays doesn’t have to be stressful with a little planning ahead and coming prepared. Take a deep breath and know you’ve done all you could to be ready.

Pro Tip: Delays CAN happen and is frustrating for everyone. You'll get the most help from airline staff when requests are made patiently even under less than ideal circumstances.

Read next post ➡️ https://www.bucklemecoats.com/pages/science-behind-puffy-coat-danger

To learn more check out the FAA’s article “Flying With Children”