Flying With Newborn Babies

Newborns can fly on a parent's lap for domestic flights.

Air travel with a newborn baby presents a host of challenges and questions regarding security regulations, flight safety and what to bring along. Specific rules applying to newborn passengers vary by airline, but general guidelines are the same.

Expert Insight

By the time they're 2 weeks old, babies are physiologically able to fly. However, waiting until a baby is 6 months old is advised by pediatrician Dr. James Sears, co-author of "The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two." Sears says that the immune system of a 6-month-old is better able to handle all the germs encountered during travel.

Checklist

Parents flying with newborns need to bring several items to be comfortable during the flight, including one diaper per hour of travel (plus a few more), wipes, a changing mat and dirty diaper baggies. Mothers who don't breastfeed exclusively need bottles of formula or expressed milk packed in insulated bags. Extra baby clothes, burp cloths, lightweight blankets and hand sanitizer are all essential, too.

Considerations

Most airlines allow babies to fly free, seated on a parent's lap, for domestic flights and flights to Mexico and Canada. Most international flights require a purchased seat and the use of an FAA-approved infant car seat. The labels on flight-approved car seats read "This restraint certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft."

References

• Pregnancy Today: Newborn Health--Keeping Newborns Healthy When Traveling
• Baby Center: Car Seat Safety--Using a Car Seat on a Plane
• United Airlines: Infants and Toddlers

Resources

• Transportation Security Administration: Traveling with Kids