There is nothing worse than the stress of forgotten essentials — or frantically searching through a messy bag with a crying toddler on your lap at 30,000 feet.
I've taken
over 30 flights with my daughter Liana, starting when she was tiny. These are
the tips I wish someone had told me before our first flight — hard-earned,
real-world advice that no packing list will ever cover.
My Top Tips
for Flying Solo with a Toddler
1🍪 Food First. Always.
Your child can be dirty, tired, or bored — but never hungry. Airline food is unpredictable and often rejected by toddlers. Always bring familiar snacks and baby food in quantities that feel like too much. They never are. I pack double what I think we need. Better to carry extra than to have a meltdown at 30,000 feet because the airline pasta was rejected.
2🗺️You Can Buy Almost Anything at Your Destination
Before every trip, I look up stores near my hotel and save them on Google Maps offline. Diapers, wipes, formula, sunscreen — most things can be bought when you arrive. This is the mindset that makes one-bag travel possible with a toddler. I always find the nearest pharmacy and supermarket before I land. It takes 5 minutes and saves kilos of luggage.
3🏊 Test Your Setup Before You Travel
Going to the beach? Take a full day trip to the pool first. Spend a whole day out with your child and write down everything you needed — and everything you didn't use. These lists become your real packing list. No blog can write it for you. This was a game changer for me
4👕 Designate One "Eating Outfit" at Your Destination
At the
destination, pick one outfit just for mealtimes — ideally already
stained so you don't stress. If you forgot a bib, use this same shirt every
time they eat. Saves laundry, saves stress, saves your sanity.
5💺 Baby Straps as a game changer
In a tight airplane seat with a toddler on your lap, getting up is nearly impossible. Everything you might need — snacks, wipes, a change of clothes, toys, medicine — must be reachable without standing. Use a bag with multiple pockets so each category has its place.I attach toys and the water bottle to my bag with special cords. When my kid throws something, I just pull the string. No more crawling under seats.
6 👜 Always Wear a Belt Bag.
When your child is crying and in your arms, your backpack is completely inaccessible. I wear a belt bag with: small toys, a drawing pad and pencils, my wallet, and documents. It also works as a hip support when carrying a toddler — unexpected but incredibly useful. My belt bag is honestly one of the most important things I travel with. It's saved me so many times at passport control with a crying toddler in my arms.
🛍️ My Exact Travel Bag Setup — All on Amazon
