4hr plane trip with 2y/o?

Question

My 2 year old daughter and I are flying a 4 hour flight to visit family.

How can I make this go as smooth as possible?

Do I bring the carseat? Can I bring the stroller, or does that count as a carry on?

Answer 1

Usually you can bring the stroller to the gate and then it's a last minute checked item so they stow it for you once you're there- just talk to the people at the check in counter.  2 year olds often fly for free if you put them on your laps so i would suggest that if you can hold her for 4 hours (also, if she's cute the flight attendents will often hold her for awhile).   If you can't hold her, you are allowed to bring the carseat but it's kind of a burden.  Also, talk to her pediatrician about a special ear drop that will numb her ears- this prevents her from feeling the changes in ear pressure and her ear's popping which often causes toddlers and small children to cry a lot.  Bring a few small items to keep her occupied or give her some nyquil to knock her out.  

Answer 2

books, Books, BOOKS!!!!

Car seat, yes. You have to buy a seat, so you don't have to if she rides in your lap. Stroller does not count, they check it at the gate as you board. Make sure you keep her up as much as possible so that she sleeps in the plane. Make sure to have plenty of snacks and her favorite stuffed animal and blanket. Don't forget to bring a sweater and if she is wearing shorts, then an extra pair of pants in case it gets cold. Bring an extra set of clothes too just in case.

We took American Airlines. It was hot on one plane and freezing on another. The hot one we sat in back, the cold one we sat in front. (Hope this helps)

Answer 3

just ignore that other person about keeping ur kid quiet. if your child is going to be a "lapchild" then there will be no room for a car seat. as for a stroller, what you could do, is put ur daughter in it, and then right when you are fixing to board a plane, they take "bigger items" and store them in the bottom of the plane, and you get it when you land. make sure you carry lots of snacks and little activities u think ur daughter would like in a on-board bag. be careful how much you pack, some airlines charge with the more weight. when you are "taking off" and "landing" try to get her to drink something, because of her ears....where are you flying to? we are going from pensacola florida to las vegas then from vegas to sacramento, then back to vegas, and then back home. we are going to see my dads side of the family. and if u think ur gonna have a time with ur daughter, hopefully not though, just think about me...we are flying with a 4 year old daughter and a 3 month old little boy, so its gonna be double trouble with us lol...good luck and my best advice possible is to pack light as you can. if ur daughter is in diapers or pull-ups then only carry enough for the plane ride cuz you can always stop at the store once u get to ur destination and buy stuff as needed. and dont worry about if you are making other people mad or whatever if ur daughter cries. seriously, they will just have to get over it and be more understanding about things. good luck to you!

p.s. i was just thinking u may want to carry ur car seat and put it thru luggage in case you need it at ur destination?

Answer 4

call your airline, because it depends on them.  as far as what to do, you can rent a portable dvd player ahead of time and 2 sets of headphones.  also have a new toy ready, or stop together at a dollar store right before the airport and don't let her open it til you're on the plane.  anything new and distracting.  For an emergency tantrum/ear pain...have some children's Benadril ready.  A really chewy snack can help ear pain too, if she can't chew gum yet.

Answer 5

I just flew with my 2 yr old son-  yes bring the stroller-it does not count as a carry on. As far as a car seat I think it depends on if she has her own seat or not.   Call the airline and see what they say. I went to target and  bought a handheld dvd player and kid sized earphones and brought a few new dvds-  a couple of new books and lots of snacks- m&m's were a life saver. You will be suprised- my son did way better than  I thought he would! Pack a change of clothes for the plane- it never fails...

Answer 6

Keep your kid quiet. If you don't, you're bound to p**s a lot of people off.  

Answer 7

Most airlines require "lap children" to be under 2, w/proof of age (birth certificate or passport).  Since you will have to buy a seat, bringing the car seat may make life easier, at least if she is used to sitting in it in relative contentment.  Besides one or two favorites, try bringing a bag of *new* small toys (dollar store works) to distract her with.  If they are wrapped, that makes them into even more of a treat, as well as giving her one more thing to do.

Definitely make sure you have something chewy for her to have during takeoff & landing for her ear comfort.  Also, while flight attendants are usually nice about providing liquid, they do it when they can, so bring a something (water, juice) that you can put in her sippy cup when she gets thirsty.  You _can_ bring toddler juice through security (www.tsa.gov/travelers/

airtravel/children/formula

.shtm).  Good luck!

P.S. I had to break the web address into 3 lines to get it to all show, so you'll need to type it in instead of clicking on it.