The Best Travel Gear for Flying With a Baby: What I Actually Bring

Flying with a baby can make you feel like you need to pack your entire house. You don’t.

After flying with my kids more than 20 times, I’ve learned that the best travel gear for flying with a baby isn’t necessarily the stuff marketed as a “must-have.” It’s the gear that makes the airport easier, keeps your hands free, helps your baby sleep, and prevents you from hauling way more stuff than you actually need. It’s the gear that makes the airport easier, keeps your hands free, helps your baby sleep, and prevents you from hauling way more stuff than you actually need.

I’m a big believer that less is more when traveling with kids. I typically check one large suitcase for our family, bring one small roller bag onto the plane, and carry a diaper bag. From there, these are the baby travel essentials I actually bring and use.

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The Best Travel Gear for Flying With a Baby

1. Doona Car Seat & Stroller

If I had to choose one piece of baby gear that makes flying easier, it would probably be the Doona.

The biggest advantage is that you don’t have to travel with a separate car seat and stroller. The Doona functions as both, so I can use it through the airport, on the airplane when my baby has their own seat and the car seat can be used according to airline and FAA requirements, and then in taxis or Ubers once we reach our destination.

It also collapses easily and fits through the airport security screening equipment, which makes getting through TSA much simpler.

For me, the biggest benefit is convenience. Traveling with a baby already requires enough stuff. Any product that can replace two bulky pieces of gear with one is a win.

2. A Baby Carrier

Even when I bring the Doona, I always bring a baby carrier.

It’s especially helpful going through airport security because there are times when you’ll need to take your baby out of the stroller. Instead of trying to hold the baby while juggling bags, shoes, bottles and everything else, I can put the baby in the carrier and keep my hands free.

I also use the carrier on the airplane, especially when flying with a lap infant. If my baby won’t settle or sleep, I can put her in the carrier and walk up and down the aisle or stand toward the back of the plane when permitted.

It’s one of those things I may not use constantly during a trip, but I would never want to fly without it.

3. Dagne Dover Diaper Bag

A good diaper bag matters so much when you’re flying, but I don’t think you need one with a million compartments.

I always fly with my Dagne Dover diaper bag because it holds a lot, looks like a normal backpack, and most importantly, helps keep my hands free. I can wear it on my back or use the luggage sleeve to slide it directly onto my roller bag.

I also love that it’s a bag both my husband and I are equally happy carrying. When you’re traveling with kids, you want a diaper bag that either parent can grab without thinking twice.

Inside, I keep the things we’ll actually need during the flight: bottles, formula, diapers, wipes, one or two toys, snacks if my baby is old enough, and a backup outfit.

4. Hatch Rest

Sleep while traveling is never going to look exactly like sleep at home, but I like keeping as much of our normal routine as possible.

That’s why I bring our Hatch Rest on overnight trips. We use the red light and sound machine at home, and bringing it with us gives the baby something familiar in a completely different environment.

The white noise is also helpful for blocking out unfamiliar sounds in hotels, Airbnbs or family members’ houses.

5. Hatch Go

I also love the Hatch Go for travel because it’s small and portable enough to use almost anywhere.

I’ll use it in the stroller, on the airplane or while we’re out and about. You absolutely do not need to bring both the Hatch Rest and Hatch Go. If you’re trying to pack light, I think the Hatch Go can be enough.

Personally, if I have the space, I like bringing both. The Hatch Rest stays where the baby sleeps, and the Hatch Go comes with us during the day.

6. Nanit + Travel Stand

I bring our Nanit whenever we’re staying somewhere overnight.

You don’t need to buy an entirely separate baby monitor for travel. I simply take the Nanit camera off our regular setup at home and attach it to the compact travel stand.

Once we arrive, I position it somewhere that gives me a good view of the crib and connect it to the Wi-Fi at our destination.

It’s easy, familiar and one less travel-specific product I need to own.

7. Travel Bottle Brush Kit + Baby Dish Soap

This is a small thing that makes a surprisingly big difference.

I bring a compact travel bottle-cleaning kit with a bottle brush and drying components, plus a travel-size bottle of the baby dish soap we use at home.

Baby bottles have so many little pieces and crevices, and when you’re traveling, a dirty bottle might sit for longer than it normally would at home. I want to be able to properly get into all the little nooks and crannies rather than relying on whatever sponge happens to be at our destination.

I also bring formula containers that let me pre-measure formula ahead of time. Other than that, I really don’t travel with a lot of specialized feeding gear.

8. Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are one of the easiest ways I’ve found to keep one family suitcase from becoming complete chaos.

Instead of packing a separate suitcase for every person, I divide our large checked suitcase using packing cubes. I have a large one for myself, one for my son and one for my daughter, so I immediately know whose stuff is where.

I really don’t think every child needs their own suitcase, especially if you’ll have access to a washer and dryer at your destination. Fewer pieces of luggage means fewer things you have to keep track of while also managing your kids.

9. An Oversized Stroller Travel Bag

If I’m checking or gate-checking a stroller instead of bringing the Doona onto the plane, I always bring a stroller travel bag.

And here’s the thing: it does not necessarily need to be the same brand as your stroller.

I actually like buying an oversized stroller bag because the extra room is useful. I can fit the stroller inside and sometimes add other bulky miscellaneous baby items that I don’t want taking up space elsewhere.

Just make sure you understand your airline’s policies about what can be packed inside a checked or gate-checked stroller bag, since policies can vary.

My Carry-On Strategy When Flying With a Baby

One of the biggest things I’ve learned from flying with kids is that how you distribute your stuff matters almost as much as what you bring.

We typically check one large suitcase and bring one small roller bag onto the plane. Our main clothes go into the checked suitcase, organized by person with packing cubes.

The roller bag is different. That’s where I want things we may need if something goes wrong, including backup outfits and extra formula. My husband will often put his clothes in there too.

That way, if our checked suitcase is delayed or we unexpectedly get stranded overnight, we aren’t starting from zero.

What I Actually Pack in My Diaper Bag for the Flight

I try not to turn my diaper bag into another suitcase. For the flight itself, I keep it pretty simple:

• Bottles

• Formula

• Pre-measured formula containers

• Diapers

• Wipes

• Backup outfit

• One or two toys

• Baby carrier

• Snacks once baby is old enough

• Hatch Go

The goal isn’t to prepare for every scenario imaginable. It’s to have what you realistically need to get through the airport and flight.

The Best Baby Travel Gear Makes You Carry Less, Not More

There are endless lists of baby travel “must-haves,” but I don’t think flying with a baby needs to involve buying 30 new products.

The things I value most either serve multiple purposes, keep my hands free or help us maintain some version of our routine away from home.

For me, the Doona eliminates the need for a separate stroller and car seat. The carrier keeps my hands free. Packing cubes let us share a suitcase without everything becoming a mess. The Hatch and Nanit make an unfamiliar sleep environment feel a little more like home.

You’ll figure out what works for your own family, but I’d start with less. You can always add something on your next trip if you realize you actually need it.

Planning Your First Flight With a Baby?

If you’re getting ready to travel with a baby, I put everything I’ve learned from flying with my kids into my free Traveling With a Baby Guide.

You can also read my other baby travel tips on Mom 411, including how I’ve gotten a free seat for a lap infant and what I’ve learned about flying with formula and bottles.

Frequently Asked Questions About Flying With Baby Gear

What baby gear do you really need for flying?

You don’t need nearly as much as many baby travel packing lists suggest. My essentials include a stroller or Doona, baby carrier, diaper bag, bottles and feeding supplies, diapers and wipes, a few sleep essentials, and a small number of toys or snacks depending on the baby’s age.

Is a baby carrier worth bringing on a flight?

For me, absolutely. I use a baby carrier at airport security and on the plane when I’m traveling with a lap infant or need to walk around with the baby. It also lets me keep my hands free when I’m managing luggage.

Is the Doona good for flying?

The Doona is one of my favorite products for flying with a baby because it combines a stroller and car seat into one piece of gear. It can make navigating the airport and ground transportation at your destination much easier. If you plan to use a car seat onboard, always check the specific seat’s current aircraft-use labeling and your airline’s requirements before your flight.

Should I bring a sound machine when traveling with a baby?

I always bring one for overnight trips. A portable sound machine like the Hatch Go is particularly convenient because you can use it on the plane, in the stroller and at your destination. I also bring our Hatch Rest when I have room because it helps recreate our normal bedtime environment.

Do I need a travel baby monitor?

Not necessarily. I bring our regular Nanit camera and use the Nanit travel stand rather than owning a completely separate monitor just for trips. Whether this works for you will depend on your monitor and the Wi-Fi setup at your destination.

Do I need a separate suitcase for my baby?

I don’t use one. Our family shares a large checked suitcase, and I use packing cubes to separate everyone’s belongings. I prefer having fewer pieces of luggage to manage while traveling with kids, especially when we’ll have access to laundry at our destination.