When Is It Okay To Fly With My Newborn Baby?
I think it’s okay to fly with your newborn baby straight away. After 1 week of age the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) says it’s okay, as does the AAP, but always recommends a separate seat for your infant whenever possible.
The biggest risk flying with a healthy newborn is exposure to infection. So, like any decision in life, you have to weigh the risks and benefits of a decision. Because we take fever very seriously in babies under 3 months of age, we want to avoid infections when possible. Take precautions, wash your hands frequently, and wipe down seat backs, tray tables, and seatbelts on board.
All that being said, I flew with O when he was just 6 weeks old. It was important for us to travel to see family in California for the holidays. I took precautions, loaded up on hand sanitizer, and packed extra diapers. It was a wonderful Christmas…
For more on traveling with children, check out:
TSA Tips For Traveling With Children
Is Air Travel Safe For an Infant (the short answer is “yes”)
Meagan says
For a trip like Seattle – California I highly recommend the train… If you can afford the time. It’s soooo much more comfortable and relaxed. And I think that route is the coastal starlight, which is pretty nice. I wish we could take the train out to visit my parents in Oregon, but I’m in Cleveland and 3 days is a little harder to swallow.
Wish my baby I’m not sure how much difference getting him his own plane ticket would make. He will either be in my lap, or screaming, for the whole trip. And for take off and landing (the most dangerous parts of the trip) I nurse him to keep his ears from hurting. Both times I’ve flown with him (2 mons and 7 months) I’ve felt guilty for not buying him a seat, until I realized a child seat won’t do him any good if he’s not in it.
Nonya Biznez says
It’s never okay to take a newborn on a plane. They will cry and make for a very unenjoyable flight for everyone on board. Wait to take them on a plane until they’re AT LEAST 5 years old and have some control over their noise-making. This should be common courtesy.
jody says
I took my newborn on a plane. I thinks its people like you that should not fly, or all the other stuck up people.
Moe says
Wow, you are really out of touch! I flew with my newborn, as did 2 other couples on the same flight, when my daughter was 16 weeks old. Non of the babies made a peep on the 4 hour flight. Even if they do cry, get over it. They are humans and planes are meant to fly humans. Maybe airlines should not allow impatient people to fly.
Lily says
You’re stupid. Actually, very young infants are unlikely to cry at all. They usually sleep the whole time. It’s easier flying with a newborn than a 2 year old.
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE says
I’m not stupid. Yet agree that it’s far easier to travel w an infant compared to a toddler.
Jo Jo says
Hi Nonya you obviously dont have kids. I have a 6 year old and she has been on planes since she was a year old and she has never cried the entire flight nor has she disturbed the other passemgers. You want to fly on a plane with no children thats fine buy all the damn seats! its stressful for parents too when their kids dont quit crying and they usually applogize to anyone near them. So maybe next time before you open your mouth think of other people and the fact that you didnt buy all the seats they have just as much of a right to be there as you do!!!!
Newborn Screening says
Some great tips here, thanks for the information.
Tracie says
I think flying with a newborn is MUCH easier than flying with a toddler! A friend gave me a good tip for flying with a toddler….she said to find several small and inexpensive toys (think dollar store) and wrap them in wrapping paper. As you see your child getting bored or restless, let him/her open a little gift. This trick got us from Seattle to DC with no problems!
Kristen says
Noneofyourbusiness, resident troll, apparently does not have kids. If so, he would know how much easier it is to fly with small infants than with toddlers. Infants nurse on takeoff and landing, sleep much of the time, and are not mobile. Few very small infants cry for extended periods on flights. Mine didn’t.
The tough time is from 1 to around 3.5 yo, and it’s still quite possible to fly without undue disruption to the rest of the plane. Flying with my 4yo is easy.
Lisa K. says
I took my first airplane flight at 3 days old. (I was born out of country and air travel was the most practical way to get me back home.) To my knowledge I’ve never suffered any ill effects but I also can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t have tinnitus. It took me years to figure out that not everyone has ringing in their ears all the time. Could that have something to do with the air travel or is it more likely to be some other unknown cause?
Melanie R says
We adopted our son and flew across country when he was 2 weeks old; it was the best flying experience we have ever had! He slept the entire time except for when we fed him at takeoff and landing (to keep his ears popping). Everyone went above and beyond to make us comfortable with a newborn; somebody bought my husband a drink and the flight attendant made an announcement over the intercom and everyone cheered in congratulations for us! I agree with the other comments, it would be way more difficult to travel with a toddler! For the record, he is 3 months old now and is healthy as can be. 🙂
Hilary N says
I am a concerned grandmother who’s son thinks it’s alright to take a 1 and half old infant on a ten hour flight. I say safety first and caution airplanes are known to be germ carriers why expose baby to such unnecessary danger. You younger people think we parents are old fashioned and don’t know anything. We are wiser than you think. !!
Sadie parsons says
It is not your baby. That means it is not your decision. When a person has a baby the PARENTS make the choices not the grandparents. Be concerned all you want but it is NEVER okay to try to tell someone what to do with their own child. Just because we are younger, does not mean we do not know how to be parents.
Justa Warning says
Unless it’s absolutely necessary to travel with an infant there is no reason to put them at risk. I could mention a dozen reasons why but here is ONLY ONE. You’re fight gets delayed (happens ALL the time ) and you’re stuck in an airport for god knows how long and your baby begins to get sick or run a fever – they’re babies they do it all the time – and you’re stuck in a crowed airport or train station. Or a dozen other things could go wrong – WHY WHY WHY put your infant at risk to do any travel unless its absolutely necessary. Having said that I know it will fall on deaf ears – people make bad decisions all the time putting themselves and others at risk – so go ahead but don’t say you weren’t warned.
lweezar leanald says
Of course travelling with kids never easy, but you can not leave them behind either . If your trip is very important and necessary to go, of course to need to take your newborn /infant, if NOT… i think we should wait until at least the infant turns 6 months old. And i totally agree with travelling with infant much easier than travelling with toddler. Toddler is harder to handle.