How to Travel with a Baby on a Plane | Safer Seating & Screening

Book a separate seat for your baby under two and use an FAA-approved child restraint system, which is significantly safer than flying with a lap infant.

Flying with a baby changes everything about how you pack, move through security, and choose your seats. Whether you’re taking a short hop or a cross-country flight, the decisions you make before boarding—especially about where your baby sits and how you handle liquids at the checkpoint—determine how smoothly the whole trip goes. Here’s what the FAA and TSA want every parent to know before a flight with a baby.

The FAA explicitly states: “The safest place for your child under the age of two on a U.S. airplane is in an approved child restraint system (CRS) or device, not in your lap.” That’s the official position, and it’s worth reading twice.

Lap travel remains an option for children under 2, but it’s the least safe choice. Turbulence can happen without warning, and an unrestrained infant can be seriously injured if the plane drops suddenly. Even a smooth flight can hit unexpected rough air.

If you choose lap travel, you’re not breaking any rules, but the FAA strongly discourages it. The agency also notes that “buying a ticket for your child is the only way to guarantee that you will be able to use a CRS for your child under two years old.” That means if you want your baby in their own car seat on the plane, you need to buy them a seat.

Which Car Seats and Restraints Are Approved for Aircraft?

Not every car seat is approved for airplane use, and the certification label matters more than the brand name. For children 2 and older, a child restraint system must have a label reading “certified for use in aircraft, ” and your child’s weight and size must fall within the seat’s published limits. If you’re not sure whether your seat made the cut, check the label before you pack it.

• FAA-approved car seats have the aircraft-use label and work for most infants and toddlers.
• CARES devices are a harness-style restraint for children between 22 and 44 pounds; they’re approved for aircraft use and pack much smaller than a car seat.
• Baby carriers, booster seats, and backless restraints are not allowed during ground movement, takeoff, or landing.

The trade-off is real: carrying a car seat through the airport is heavy, and renting one at your destination adds cost. But the safety margin it provides during the flight—especially during unexpected turbulence—is exactly why the FAA recommends it. If you’re using a baby carrier for travel, you can use it at the gate and through the airport, but it must be stowed for takeoff and landing.

What Are the TSA Rules for Flying with a Baby?

TSA has clear, family-friendly procedures designed to keep you and your baby moving through the checkpoint without unnecessary stress. Knowing them in advance saves time and confusion.

At screening, you’ll need to remove your baby from their stroller and car seat and carry them through the metal detector. Infants may stay in a sling or carrier while you walk through the detector, which keeps your hands free. TSA also states that children will not be separated from their parent or guardian during screening, and children 12 and under can accompany a parent in TSA PreCheck lanes.

Children 12 and under don’t need ID at the travel document check, and they may keep their shoes, light jackets, and headwear on during screening—one less thing to juggle with a squirmy toddler in your arms.

How Much Baby Formula and Food Can You Bring Through Security?

The standard 3.4-ounce liquids rule does not apply to baby essentials. Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby or toddler food—including puree pouches—are allowed in carry-on in quantities over 3.4 ounces / 100 milliliters, and they don’t need to fit inside a quart-sized bag.

The catch: you should declare these items and expect them to be screened separately. Pull them out of your bag before you reach the X-ray belt, and tell the officer they’re medically necessary liquids. That simple step speeds up the process and avoids surprise bag checks.

A few practical packing tips for the checkpoint:

• Keep bottles, formula, and pouches in one easy-access spot so they’re quick to pull out.
• Freeze breast milk before the flight—frozen milk counts as medically necessary and often sails through screening faster.
• Pack more than you think you need; delays happen, and hungry babies don’t wait.

If you’re trying to minimize what you carry through security, a carrier that keeps your hands free makes a measurable difference when you’re juggling bottles, boarding passes, and a baby.

One more thing to know: the rules above apply to what you bring through security. Once you’re past the checkpoint, you can buy water or other drinks for yourself and your baby at airport stores, which keeps your carry-on lighter and cuts down on what you need to declare.