Ok mama….
You’ve successfully packed your bags and triple checked that you didn’t leave anything at home (suitcase, passport, a child…eek). Are you ready to navigate the airport and plane with your twins?
Is the thought of actually making it to your gate, tickets and babies in tow, sending you running for the hills?
Preparing to travel with your twins is quite a project, but getting through the airport and on the plane with your twins is nothing short of a marathon!
Being able to successfully navigate the airport and plane with your twins lies in knowing what to expect, how the rules to flying change when you are traveling with infants and having a few tried and true tricks up your sleeve.
So without further adieu, we give you our list of tips to help ease your travel experience with your twins.
7 Tips to Help You Easily Navigate the Airport and Plane With Your Twins:
1. To Stroll or not to stroll?
Nowadays, airlines are notorious for charging fees for checked and even carry-on bags, but they are still generous enough to check strollers and car seats for free when you are traveling with children.
Always familiarize yourself with your particular airline’s policies.
When we first traveled with our twins, we each did it a little differently.
Meghan and her family opted to use the stroller in the airport (checking it at the gate) so the boys could nap. This made it easy to cruise the airport without having to carrying the boys in the case of a delay.
Jenn went for the baby carrier (We love the Ergo 360 – affiliate link) simply to reduce the amount of stuff that had to be lugged through the airport.
So, the good news is, regardless of how you decide to travel with children, the airlines make it easy to check your bulky gear and reclaim it at your destination.
2. The Carry On:
Traveling with two babies will keep your hands full. Consider packing your carry-on necessities (diapers, wipes, bottles, etc.) in a backpack rather than a shoulder bag.
The backpack allows you to easily push a stroller or wear your baby (on your front side) and still have your hands available to use to hold your much needed coffee or pick up lost socks!
3. Your babies need identification:
You might not always be asked to show it, but you are required to provide a birth certificate or passport for your children.
Play it safe and always travel with copies of birth certificates or passports!
4. Liquids are allowed:
When traveling with your infants, you can bring breast milk, formula and pureed baby food in your carry-on bag without being limited to 3.4 oz.
Before the screening process begins, make sure you inform a TSA agent that you are carrying milk for your kiddos. Separate the formula or breastmilk from your other non-exempt liquids and place it in a separate security bin.
Be prepared that your infant liquids are subject to additional testing but those tests will not compromise the integrity of the milk or food.
You are also allowed to travel with freezer packs to preserve your milk or food, however, if those packs are partially frozen or slushy, they will also be subject to additional screening.
Click here to learn more about TSA’s rules and regulations for traveling with children.
Note to you mama: Bring extra milk and food in case of a serious delay. The last thing you want to be doing is scouring the airport for formula, because you won’t find it. This could be a serious problem. Bring extra!
5. Family Boarding:
Check with your airline to see when families board because each airline has a different procedure.
On Southwest, families board after the A Group. Therefore, you don’t need to stress about checking in super early because you can get a decent seat at that particular boarding time.
6. Get yourself an ally:
Bring goodies for the flight crew in your carry-on. Not only will they love you for it, your flight will be MUCH BETTER because of it.
As you board the plane, hand the treats to the flight attendant who greets you. By the time you and your family have taken your seats, the entire crew will have already celebrated the good news (via radio) and you will surely get priority treatment.
Not only did we have the flight crew handing us free drinks, but we also had them helping us with our boys!
A little kindness goes a long way in the sky!
7. Flying in the friendly skies:
Finding ways to ea
sily navigate the airport and plane with your twins is scary…being enclosed on an airbus can be even more intimidating for a new parent.
When you board the plane, you hope to be greeted by the googly eyes of a baby-loving grandparent hoping you sit next to them.
But the reality of it is you may get the ol’ crank staring you down hoping your seat isn’t next to theirs.
Whatever the case, just know that YOU WILL NEVER SEE THESE PEOPLE AGAIN! So relax and try a few of these tips to help get you through your flight with ease.
- Change your baby RIGHT BEFORE you get on the plane. As long as it is a short flight, and you don’t get a stinky surprise, you won’t need to use the nasty airplane lavatories to change the babes.
- Feed your kiddos (nurse or bottle) or give them a pacifier during takeoff and landing. The sucking motion will help your babies’ ears and distract them from the unfamiliar discomfort that causes most babies to cry.
- If you are using formula, have extra bottles prepared and ready to use at any moment. This is why you HAVE TO HAVE a Mixie bottle (affiliate link) or two. When one of my kiddos got fussy during the flight, I fed him an extra snack mid-flight and then he fell fast asleep. It’s a comforting feeling during the flight.
- You’ve already given the flight attendant chocolates, so use them to your advantage! If you need them to hold a baby while you run to the bathroom and or need to change the other baby, they will be MORE THAN HAPPY to! Trust us!
Flying with twins can seem overwhelming. However, if you prepare ahead of time, understand how to easily navigate the airport and plan with your twins, you are guaranteed to have a smooth travel experience!
Just know, you’ve done all that you can do to prepare for anything that arises. Babies are babies and will meltdown and be fussy at times. Relax and roll with the punches, be ready to adapt.
Know that this is only for a few short hours and you will be back on land in no time.
Have you already travelled with your babies? What made your trip a success? We can’t wait to celebrate with you!
Chat with us in the comments below.
