Carry-On Packing List for Flying with Babies & Toddlers

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Have Baby Will Travel Carry-On Packing List

This baby and toddler carry-on packing list may seem excessive. But, if you’re flying with a baby or toddler, needing something and not having access to it would be awful. And airports and airplanes do not have great selections of baby products on hand.

If you split the contents between the usual three bags of carry-on luggage by most airlines for two adults and a lap baby, you should be able to avoid needing a mule to carry everything 🙂

And as with our Mother of all Packing Lists, depending on the age of your baby and your travel plans, you won’t necessarily have to bring everything on this list. But having a comprehensive baby and toddler carry-on packing list ensures you won’t forget anything essential.

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Baby & Toddler Carry-On Packing List:

Divided Among All Carry-On Bags and Diaper Bag:

Printed travel itinerary (flights/accommodation/contact information)
Passports & other ID
Consent form if both parents are not traveling
Credit cards and money
Travel insurance information
Smartphone & charger
Tablet or laptop & charger, headphones
Camera & charger
Prescription medications
Pen(s)
Toys
Books
Baby’s ‘Woobie’ or special blanket or toy (guard this with your life!)
1 diaper per every hour of your journey
Wipes, wipes & more wipes (diaper wipes)
2 changes of clothes for baby
At least 1 change of clothes for you
Plastic bags to hold aforementioned possible laundry
Snacks for you and for baby
Food for baby – at least two more meals than you think you’ll need
Formula or milk for baby – at least 2 more feeds than you think you’ll need
Clean bottles or sippy cups
Breast pump & accessories (if you’re pumping)
Extra pacifiers (if baby takes them)
Face masks
Disinfecting wipes

2 one-litre zippered plastic bags for you and adult travel partner containing:

toothpaste (travel-sized)
mouthwash (travel-sized)
hand sanitizer (travel-sized)
moisturizer (travel-sized)
liquid dish soap (travel-sized)
deodorant (travel-sized)
shampoo (travel-sized)
conditioner (travel-sized)
disinfecting liquid, like alcohol or peroxide (travel-sized)
small tube antibiotic ointment
toothbrushes
a few cotton swabs
fabric bandages

1 one-litre zippered plastic bag for baby containing:

liquid baby antihistamine
liquid baby acetaminophen
baby wash (travel-sized)
shampoo (travel-sized)
baby moisturizer (travel-sized)
diaper cream (travel-sized)
baby sunscreen (travel-sized)
baby laundry soap (travel-sized)
a few oral rehydration freeze pops (unfrozen)

Buy the Baby Travel Kit with TSA-approved bags and toiletries at Amazon

I know, I know, this carry-on packing list seems like A LOT OF STUFF.

But, split amongst 2 ½ of you in easy-to-carry (or pull) carry-on baggage, it’s totally doable.

We’ve taken a gazillion flights with our kids and never once have I had to regret not bringing something when we were mid-flight or stuck in a delay. One of our delays was four hours, and I know that’s lucky.

Travel regulations limit the amount of liquid you can bring through airport security. But if you’re traveling with a child under two, you are exempt from those limits (within reason). We’ve had no trouble with our kids’ milk, formula, food, and medicines. We keep it in the original packaging and separate it from the rest of our things.

Lastly, all of the travel-sized toiletries and baby’s mini-pharmacy mentioned above should fit in your one-litre zippered plastic bags. Ours did.