Solo flying with two young kids

[Anonymous]

I am trying to figure out if I can manage a flight with a two and four year old, without my husband. I’m not worried about the flight itself, it’s not long and we can manage with snacks, small toys, and screens. But I’m worried about the logistics of carrying all of the stuff. I would drive to the airport and then I think about how I would get through the airport with both kids, luggage, car seat and booster seat, and I’m stumped. We would be renting a car at our destination. Any tips for how to make this work?

Cross posting in General Parent forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am trying to figure out if I can manage a flight with a two and four year old, without my husband. I’m not worried about the flight itself, it’s not long and we can manage with snacks, small toys, and screens. But I’m worried about the logistics of carrying all of the stuff. I would drive to the airport and then I think about how I would get through the airport with both kids, luggage, car seat and booster seat, and I’m stumped. We would be renting a car at our destination. Any tips for how to make this work?

Cross posting in General Parent forum.

Can you get a friend to take you to the airport? Check as much luggage as you can. I regularly see car seats and booster seats as checked luggage on the carousel.

[Anonymous]

I’ve done this many times with 3 kids for cross country flights with a connection. It’s not that hard, just be prepared.
Carry the baby in a carrier and put car seat attached to a carryon size rolling bag. Check the other luggage and the booster seat (they’re not approved for planes anyway). Have a backpack for the older child with their toys and snacks and another backpack for you with everything else.

[Anonymous]

I’ve done it with three kids. You just need to be super organized with your packing. Think one diaper bag, one back pack and an easily collapsible stroller.

And skycap is your friend. Have some small bills handy to tip the curbside guys helping you check on your car seats.

[Anonymous]

If your 4yo is over 40lbs/40 inches, consider a portable booster like the mifold.

https://mifold.com/

[Anonymous]

Check your luggage at the curb. Bubble Bum booster in your carryon. Backpack holder for car seat if you intend to use on plane. Each child wear their own tiny backpack with a few snacks, water bottle, and airplane-appropriate toys. (Plus headphones if you intend to use a device.)

Minimize, minimize, minimize.

[Anonymous]

Would it be easier to pay for a car seat in the rental car? It adds up, but might be worth tHe reduced hassle. They also make wheeled bags for car seats (that maybe would fit the booster too?). Can you pack far enough in advance to ship your clothes to your destination? Then you don’t need to manage bags. This is probably unethical but when I traveled with my kids at ages 6 and 2 my 6 year old had just fractured her ankle and we got a wheelchair for her. Connecting through Atlanta the wheelchair was very much the silver lining of the injury. At check in, our connection, and landing someone met us with a wheelchair and pushed her in it. She could hold a bag in her lap and there was a hook for another bag. I pushed out two year old in a stroller - it worked well (and I gave large tips). You would request a wheelchair…at the time they didn’t require any proof of medical condition. Again, that’s probably a bridge too far but I remember thinking that it helped a ton!

[Anonymous]

If you can get someone to drive you (in your car) to the airport, it will be much easier. Friend drops you curbside. You have: one rolling luggage that you check, one lightweight car seat (cosco scenera) and a booster both together in a second bag that you also immediately check. A backpack carryon, a stroller that you put the 2 year old in with a bag stowed underneath that you can slide it into for gate checking. Your 4 year old holds onto the stroller handle or strap at all times while you walk.
When you get off the plane, grab the stroller from gate check and put 2 year old in. Collect car seat bag and rolling luggage. Sling car seat bag over your shoulder or cross-body, push stroller with left hand, wheel luggage behind you with right hand. Four year old holds stroller handle. Make sure you have a stroller you can push with one hand. Take your time boarding shuttle to get to the rental car place. Ppl may or may not help you. Just take your time. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can get someone to drive you (in your car) to the airport, it will be much easier. Friend drops you curbside. You have: one rolling luggage that you check, one lightweight car seat (cosco scenera) and a booster both together in a second bag that you also immediately check. A backpack carryon, a stroller that you put the 2 year old in with a bag stowed underneath that you can slide it into for gate checking. Your 4 year old holds onto the stroller handle or strap at all times while you walk.
When you get off the plane, grab the stroller from gate check and put 2 year old in. Collect car seat bag and rolling luggage. Sling car seat bag over your shoulder or cross-body, push stroller with left hand, wheel luggage behind you with right hand. Four year old holds stroller handle. Make sure you have a stroller you can push with one hand. Take your time boarding shuttle to get to the rental car place. Ppl may or may not help you. Just take your time. Good luck.

Yes, I completely agree with this. I imagine in a pinch you could do an Uber. I just flew on my own with my slightly older kids and we got dropped off and it was so much easier. I also recommend an inflatable booster if the 4 year old is tall enough and heavy enough. My kids at 2 were monsters so I would have strapped them into a vet lightweight foldable stroller and gate checked it. They are usually quite nice helping with a stroller.

[Anonymous]

You could also use a ridesafer vest for your 4-year-old, which i MUCH preferred to a bubblebum or other booster for that age. But it's more expensive (holds value, good resale).

[Anonymous]

Maybe your kids are too young, but if you are an Apple user and are afraid to lose track of one of a child, (very worst case scenario) Air Tag bracelets may be a good idea.

[Anonymous]

I travel solo with twins. With those ages, buy a mifold for the 4yo, so you only have one car seat to manage. Get a strap to attach the car seat to a rolling carryon. https://www.amazon.com/Convert-Luggage-Airport-Stroller-Carrier/dp/B06XTT17QC

I would probably skip the stroller and just bring a baby carrier but I almost never used the stroller anyway. What I would have done was backpack/baby carrier on my body, carseat+rolling suitcase in one hand, 4yo holds my other hand. Then you only need to let go of the 4yo if you are checking additional bags and if that’s the case only until they have been checked.

If you bring a stroller, plan to gate-check it and make sure that you can reliably steer it with one hand. Another option I have seen work well is a folding wagon. Not always the comfiest seat for the kids, but you can put a toddler and a backpack in it and have one free hand for the suitcase/car seat. Then 4 yo has a backpack with their toys and books for the plane.

I also pack really light. If you are traveling within the US, just order diapers/wipes/formula to your destination via amazon (if visiting family), or arrange a grocery pickup for the day you arrive and stop on the way from the hotel.