Traveling with a baby is a bold move. A heroic one, even. But it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. I’ve been traveling with my kids with fair frequency since my first-born was a year old. Whether you’re heading to Grandma’s house or crossing time zones, the secret is simple: plan ahead and pack smart. This baby travel checklist will help you do exactly that – with fewer tantrums (theirs and yours).
From feeding gear to emergency contact forms, here are all the baby travel essentials you need to keep your trip baby-ready, worry-free, and (somewhat) relaxing.
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Pre-Trip Planning Essentials
Before you start folding onesies into cubes like a travel influencer, pause. Smart planning makes the trip better for everyone – especially your baby.
Choose Baby-Friendly Travel Times
Nap schedules are sacred. Plan flights or drives around your baby’s best sleep windows, not your favorite airline deal.
As a budget-conscious family, we almost always drive to our destinations. For long drives when my kids were babies, I always preferred to start driving after dinner. Then they would sleep through the majority of the trip. This works best with two driving adults who can switch off. On the flip side, I would never take a red-eye flight with my babies. Daytime travel was best for flying as they did not sleep as well in that scenario.
Check Policies (And Avoid Surprises)
Airlines have specific rules about lap infants and ticketing and gate-checking larger gear. TSA has guidelines for taking breast milk and formula through security. Many airlines also have special family boarding policies that can get you on the plane first! Research your specific airline for details.
Call ahead. Hotels may offer cribs – but also might not. And even if they do, consider this personal anecdote: the only ones they have available might be full of mold, so be prepared for a possible last-minute Walmart trip! Definitely bring your own travel crib and possibly a baby gate if you’re staying at an Airbnb.
And make sure wherever you’re landing will have car seats available for their rental cars if you don’t want to bring yours along. Do NOT count on Uber options that are supposed to have an infant car seat to actually have one when they show up – we’ve encountered issues with this as well. And for the record, an infant cannot sit in a booster seat.
Be sure to check out my guide to flying with a baby for more in-depth information!
Talk to Your Pediatrician
Double-check your baby’s vaccinations, especially for international travel. Read the CDC’s vaccination guidance for traveling children so you’re prepared with the right questions. Ask about travel health kits, prescription meds, and how to handle fevers on the road.
Consider Travel Insurance
Yes, even for babies. It’s not paranoid. It’s prepared. I find Allianz to be both the most affordable and most fair travel insurance option, and you can add it on any time before your trip begins.
The Ultimate Baby Travel Checklist
Here’s the list you’ll actually want to print out for packing. Divide and conquer by category to stay sane. You can get a free printable of this baby packing list at the bottom!
If you want to learn more about the gear I link here and what I personally have used and recommend, check out my article on essential travel gear for your baby!
Important Documents
Everything below should NEVER be placed in a checked bag. Keep them close to you at all times so they don’t get lost.
- Passport (if traveling internationally)
- Birth certificate
- Lap infant ticket confirmation (if flying)
- Health insurance cards
- Digital and printed health records
- Emergency contact list (printed and digital)
Feeding Essentials
Whether you’re breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, or introducing solids, pack for every possible hunger situation.
- Breast pump and accessories if breastfeeding
- Milk storage bags
- Ready-to-feed formula (handy in a pinch)
- If formula-feeding, at least twice as much formula as you think you’ll need
- Formula dispenser – I would have died making bottles in the car without this
- Bottles and nipples
- Battery-powered portable bottle warmer
- Nursing cover (if you prefer)
- Food pouches, snacks, and snack containers if baby is on solids
- Sippy cup if baby is using one
- Disposable bibs
- Burp cloths
- Cooler bag and ice packs (or Ziploc bags for holding ice cubes)
- Travel bottle brush and drying rack set
- Sterilizing bags
- Cut-up chunks of sponge with dish soap dried in them
- High chair cover for restaurants
Pro Tip: We learned that Disney World doesn’t allow loose ice in a cooler into the parks, nor do the in-room beverage coolers usually get cold enough to freeze ice packs. But they DO let you bring loose ice that’s sealed inside Ziploc bags! Make use of the hotel ice machine each morning for DIY ice packs.
Bonus Item: If you plan on drinking while on vacation, you can still breastfeed! Just make sure you pack some breast milk testing strips.
Diapering & Hygiene
- Diapers (plan for extras – then add more)
- Wipes (regular and sanitizing)
- Diaper cream
- Travel changing pad
- Disposable bags for diapers and messes
- Travel-size baby shampoo, lotion, comb
- Baby toothbrush
- Travel baby bathtub
- Washcloths and a baby towel
- Hand sanitizer (for you)
Clothing
Weather can be moody. So can babies. Pack accordingly.
- Tons of onesies
- Footies, rompers, and/or pants
- Daily outfits (plus extras – at least one more per day)
- Socks, shoes, booties
- Hats, swimsuits, jackets, sun hat (depending on season)
- Pajamas
- Laundry bag and plastic bags for dirty clothes
- Swim diapers, if applicable
- Instant stain remover
Even though they could often go a whole day at home on a single onesie, my babies inexplicably needed multiple outfit changes a day on holiday. It’s not just blowouts or overly full diapers doing the damage, either. Sometimes feedings get messier than normal in unfamiliar environments and, in case you hadn’t noticed, babies can get reeeally sweaty when they’re warm.
Sleep & Comfort
Sleep on the go is possible! Set the scene to help it happen.
- Sleep sack or swaddle
- Travel crib/pack ‘n play
- Baby monitor (if baby will be in a separate bedroom)
- White noise machine or app
- Blackout travel curtains
- Lovey
- Blanket to keep with baby
- Pacifiers – a lot, in case you can’t wash right after a floor drop
- Rechargeable nightlight
I fully admit we chose to co-sleep with our littles while on vacation and did not tote along a travel crib. The one time I tried to use a hotel-provided pack-n-play, it was filthy, so we stuck to bed-sharing after that.
Baby Travel Gear
Mobility = sanity. Think light, compact, and multipurpose. If you’re flying with any of the larger items below, be sure to check both TSA and airline-specific rules about having to check them, potential fees for doing so, and what is allowed on board.
- Travel-friendly convertible car seat
- Car seat travel bag
- Lightweight stroller
- Stroller hooks
- Rain cover for stroller (doubles as protection from mosquitoes)
- Stroller fan (if temperatures require)
- Travel high chair/booster seat
- Baby carrier or wrap
- Diaper bag (backpack style is best)
- Mini backpack for quick outings and public diaper changes
- Travel baby gate (for the explorers)
Please know that some luggage handlers can be rough with your gear. Many just don’t care or realize that you need your car seat and stroller to be unbroken upon arrival! That’s why I highly recommend the travel bag to at least keep your car seat from getting filthy. Wrapping your stroller in a protective material or foam can give it a shot at arriving unscathed as well.
Health & Safety
Don’t skip this! It’s seems like overkill until it’s essential, and you likely have most of this so you don’t have to buy a lot of extra things.
- Infant nail clippers
- Nasal aspirator
- Thermometer
- Infant pain reliever and teething gel
- EpiPen Jr. or allergy meds
- Baby-safe sunscreen and bug spray
- First aid kit
- Baby-proofing kit (for outlets and edges)
We have had two different vacations where the thermometer was needed to confirm a fever before heading to the urgent care. Both times turned out to be ear infections, so I was grateful to also have pain relievers on hand.
Entertainment & Soothing
Second to a sleeping one, a distracted baby is a happy traveler.
- Favorite toys (soft and silent is ideal – skip the crinkly ones)
- Sensory/activity toys, like soft books
- Teething toys
- Board books
- Tablet with kid-safe content pre-downloaded
- Baby-friendly playlist (downloaded)
Unfortunately, you can be as prepared as you like in this regard, but on our lengthier journeys there was always a point at which my babies became virtually inconsolable until they got a change of scenery. Brace for this during flights and long car rides.
Helpful Tech & Apps
Modern problems require modern solutions.
- Baby tracking app (for feeding, naps, meds)
- Offline maps for data dead zones
- Checklist or reminder app (bonus if shareable with a co-parent)
- White noise app OR phone settings
I don’t want to admit how many trips we took before we realized our iPhones had an option to turn on constant white noise! But we figured it out when we forgot our white noise machine when we went on a cruise AND didn’t have internet to download an app. Follow these taps in your Settings app:
- Accessibility
- Audio & Visual
- Background Sounds
Then turn on Background Sounds and choose your preferred Sound (we stuck with Balanced Noise). Adjust the volume as needed, and baby will be ready to sleep!
Smart Packing Tips
- Use packing cubes: Separate clothes, gear, and diapers.
- Compression bags: Maximize space without maxing out your sanity. But keep in mind the weight of your suitcase when flying – I went well over the limit using this method and had to pay a hefty fee to check it.
- Label everything: Yes, even baby socks. Have general labels for each suitcase, then more specific ones for individual cubes or bags inside them. I also keep a reference list of what is in what bag so I can get to them quickly if needed!
- Pack carry-on essentials: Include enough for at least 24 hours of chaos, even if your flight is only supposed to be an hour.
- Maintain a digital checklist: You won’t lose it and future trips will be easy to plan.
- Have a “Go” diaper bag: Be ready with just the essentials for quick stops at changing or feeding stations – the mini backpack I recommended above is perfect. You can keep this small bag inside your bigger diaper backpack.
Download Your Free Printable Baby Travel Checklist
You can enter your name and email below to have the free PDF delivered to your inbox! I’ve also included a version you can edit in Google Sheets. The checklist includes everything listed here in their categories, but there’s a separate “carry-on” section of items you want to keep in a bag that is easy to reach and stays with you at all times. This applies to flying OR road trips – you don’t want all your necessities stuck in the big luggage!
Final Thoughts
You can do this. Really! Traveling with an infant is intimidating, but it’s also magical. You’ll bond, explore, and get really good at finding diaper-changing stations in unexpected places. If you’d like some further reading, check out my full guide on how to travel with a baby. It includes tips like the best age to start and how to keep a baby calm on the go!
Start with this list. Adjust for your baby’s needs. And if something goes sideways, know you’re not alone – every parent has a story about that one airport, that one diaper, and that one epic blowout.
Happy travels, brave parent! You’ve got this.
