Advice Needed for 3 1/2 Hr Plane Travel with Two Toddlers

I would call the airline about the carseat checking. Every airline we have ever flown does not count those as carry ons. The umbrella stroller is the same thing. The stroller doesn't count as a carry on. Just check them all at the gate. Again, call the airline (or look online), but I have never had that issue.

I suggest buying a few cheap toys from the dollar store (or something similar) that are new and exciting for the flight. That way if all else fails, which could happen, you would have something new and exciting to keep their attention.

You sound pretty well prepared! Good luck!

Color Wonder by Crayola has these neat lap-desk things. You can get them at Target or Amazon for $10 or so. You can keep a coloring book and 4 pens in the case, then when the kids want to draw, the closed case has two little hooks up top to secure the paper. It was very helpful in keeping the area neat, and pens from falling all over the place. That said, when I travel, I have a new "gift" for the kids for each hour of the trip. So you will need 6 little things. Wrap them. The anticipation, unwrapping & excitement of seeing something new will take 5-10 minutes, then they have 50 mins of playtime before getting bored. Try books, mini etch a sketch, Pez, small cars, things like that.

Hello B. P,

I have recently flown with my 2 year old and it wasn't as bad as I expected. Your car seats will be used on the plane - actually it is mandatory for them to use them in order to fly. Ours did not meet their 'code' so they provided one for us and fed exed ours back to us. So, they are NOT carry on's. And the stroller is not a carry on either. One way to ensure this is to wheel your children up to the gate in the stroller, then they will just stow it underneath as you board the plane.

Now, for entertainment, I am not sure. I have never flown with both of my daughters and the second is only 9 months so have not had to deal with arguing. I think the DVD player is the best idea. You want to avoid things with lots of pieces because you know things will be dropped, and with the two children, car seats and extras, there will be very little room to move around.

When taking off and landing, there may be lots of fussiness due to air pressure changes. Expect looks from those people that just have NO idea what it is like to travel with children!! It is a shame, but some people will just NEVER understand...

Good luck and have a safe flight,
L.

Try to get the bulkhead seats where the tray table are in the armrests and therefore close enough for the kids to reach. Bring lots of snacks, including a few "treats" like fruit gummies or chips that they would not usually get. Use a backpack as one carry-on so you can wear it while towing the kids. Lengthen the straps on the carseats so you can wear one of them as a backpack (over the real backpack) while you board. I like to bring a deck of colorful cards or two. It doesn't really matter what game they are for as long as they have cute pix and can be used for easy matching games. Get dual headphones for the DVD player so both kids can hear it.If the kids have their own tickets then the carseats should NOT count as carry-ons (just be sure the tag says FAA approved).
Lastly, remind yourself that no matter how challenging this is, the flight will eventually be over :) Have a great trip!!

based on my experience: First-Carseats can be checked for free-they don't count. Second-each ticketed seat gets a "free" carry on and a personal item, plus a diaper bag is also counted as "free". I have not used my carseat on the plane bc I knew my kids would just sit in them and cry to get out. They were very good about sitting with their "big kid" seatbelts on or in my lap. Third-I was told that the snacks I packed in the little spill proof cups in my diaper bag were fine. Also-when you check your bags,do not hesitate to ask for help getting to the gate if you are still feeling overwhelmed with what you have to carry to the gate, they will check an umbrella stroller at the gate for you.

As for what to do during the flight, I think the movie will help The ears were a problem for my 3 year old, I brought safety ring pops and would break them out on the way up and down-we would see who could suck the hardest on the pop, we would compete to see who could open their mouth the widest and as a last ditch effort, I would gently huff a warm breath into her ear and immediately cover it with my hand-the warm moist heat helps relieve the pain. They used to give you a plastic cup with warmed moist paper towels to hold over your ears, but they will not do this anymore. Things change all the time so check the website for your airline.

It really goes by quickly-enjoy your adventure!

Car seats do not count toward baggage. I would recommend checking them at the counter and just collecting them when you get your luggage. They are just too hard to drag around airports. I would also recommend getting a car seat travel bag (BRU or Target) because it will protect them. I ALWAYS use a stroller in the airport (not sure whether you have a layover or not), but it gets the kids where you need them quickly and ensures they aren't lost. You can check it at the end of the jetway on the plane, just get a stroller tag at the gate counter. Suckers and M&Ms are a must. Lots of snacks too - cheerios, goldfish, etc. You can bring liquids for the kids too, it will just have to be looked at by the TSA people. Don't forget even kids need to take off their shoes & coats for security, so make it easy on yourself. Also, one change of clothes might be wise. The throw-up bags make great hats or coloring surfaces. And if the seat belt sign is off, take your kids for a quick walk up & down the aisle. If anyone has a problem they will let you know. Just remember your kids have as much of a right to fly as everyone else, so don't feel too bad if they get a bit loud or crazy. Good luck!

I travel with my kids all the time. A couple of things work magic. 1.) the umbrella stroller is great in the airport. They will gate check it and it will not count as a carryon. Let the kids have their own carryons in little backpacks that fit under the seats -- sticker books are great, so are coloring books, although you will be picking up crayons for lots of the flight. Books that you can read to them are great. But, the best solution is bringing a laptop or one of those portable DVD players for the car and some kids movies -- one movie is two hours out of your flight. The rest will be taken up by takeoff, landing and snacks on the plane. Plus, your kids will be fascinated by looking out the window for a few minutes at least! They won't let you bring snacks on the plane through security, but you can get some to board with at the gate or on the plane (if they don't provide it). I NEVER bring car seats on the plane for my kids. They are more uncomfortable than the plane seat and I have never been on a plane that had a level of turbulence that couldn't be managed by the seatbelt. I can only see bringing the car seat if I had a little baby, in which case, I would probably take him/her in arms.

I flew over the summer with a 4 year old and a 3 month old. The car seats and stroller did not count as luggage... and I checked them both with my luggage. I gate-checked my stroller (a sit-n-stand) and it was no big deal. I carried a large diaper bag with about 10 diapers, 3 outfits for baby, spare clothes for my son, tons of snacks for my son, and 2 empty sippies. I waited till we were through secutiry to buy the drinks for my son- didn't want to mess with it in security. The baby was breastfed so I didn't need much for her- extra pacis and bibs. My son carried a backpack with a partable dvd player, headphones, small dvd case, coloring books, crayons, and some small quiet toys. The kids will be excited about flying, so I really didn't have to do much to try to entertain them. Good luck!!

OK, so it sounds like you have a 3 yo and a 2 yo... First of all, I wouldn't bring the carseat. Do everything you possibly can to avoid that hassle. I have traveled from the east coast to the west coast and back both ways and I emphatically recommend leaving the carseats home. If you are renting a car at your destination, you can usually rent a carseat as well. If you are not... I assume you're visiting family... try to borrow one from a friend or family member while you're there. I've done both. It is really worth the effort when you don't have to struggle with two carseats, two toddlers, a bag of snacks and goodies, and the airport crowds and lines.

If renting or borrowing is not an option, check those carseats and let the children have room in their seats to wiggle. My boys are 6 and 3 right now and the last time we traveled that far was a couple of years ago... there was no rule that they had to have their carseat on the airplane... and they really enjoyed the freedom of movement (right in their seat!) during the flight.

As far as the stroller... if your little ones will hang out in the stroller during the wait, great... check it at the gate. I also found that letting them get a little energy out before the flight was helpful, so we would play games with cars in a less populated waiting area, or try to walk on only one color of the patterned floor, take a walk around the terminal... that sort of thing. Nothing crazy... no running...

Also: when you pack your carryon... try to use backpack styles. Even the toddlers can carry their own backpacks with their own crayons and goodies... not very expensive at Target to get a fun design small backpack and they feel great because they have something new and exciting. If they get sick of carrying it, hang it from the stroller. Most important is your backpack... I found carrying a shoulder strap and constantly bending over to attend to the children was a real pain. Make it easy on yourself.

Hope this helps. Have a great trip. Remember: 3 hours isn't really that long. You'll be fine.

Why not use the carseats on the plane? I flew with my 2 1/2 yr old and chose to use his carseat on the plane. i'm glad I did because without it he wouldn't have been able to see out of the window.

Car seats and strollers can be tagged/checked at the gate for no fee, and will be waiting for you at the gate of your destination.

A couple new books, a new movie, plenty of snacks will help make the trip better.

I have never heard or been on a flight where car seats or strollers counted as a carry on or check-on item. Do you plan on using their car seats on the plane or are you going to check them in (not all car seats fit plane seats, so do your research). You can take the umbrella stroller to the gate... so you can use it at the airport... they will check it in at the gate so you won't have to worry about putting it on the plane, etc. I would takes snacks/sandwiches for sure. As long as it is not liquid, you can take it through security with you. I use "Trunki luggage for kids"... my daughter has used it from about 3 (maybe even a bit younger) and still can ride on it and she is almost 5! Replaces the stroller and you can pack their stuff in their Trunki! Both you and your husband would have to pull the kids along separately... and this would probably only work if you checked in your car seats instead of using them on the plane. It probably wouldn't be worth buying if you don't plan on traveling much in the next few years either. But it is seriously a very well built piece of luggage that appeals to kids and is really amazingly stable and solid. In any case... good luck and have fun on your trip!!

Not sure about the stroller-but I would definately be on a flight that serves booze. Oh-I'm kidding! Take the car seats-check the stroller-pick it up at baggage claim-Don't make this so difficult-a three yr old is a joy! Wait until you have a kid at college that missed his Thanksgiving flight home! That is a serious pain.