Book an early morning departure.

If you are traveling with toddlers or small children, schedule an early morning departure. According to Patrick, a flight attendant, they provide the highest possibility of avoiding delays during takeoff and landing. "They are usually less crowded, too," he said. "Plus, everyone is tired and just wants to nap—kids especially."

Save Upgrades for Toddler-Free Travel.

Traveling first class with children might be more stressful than it is worth. Mom Joanna tells the experience of flying with her boisterous, energetic kid and facing the verbal fury of her first-class seatmates for the whole journey. "It's not fair, but you're just going to get more empathy and support with kids in economy," says a flight attendant.

Talk to Your Children About What to Expect

"My experience is that kids do so much better when they know what to expect," says Shireen, a mother of three from Australia who has visited the United States multiple times with her children. She advises viewing a Let's Go Play video on YouTube that covers the full flight experience, including baggage check-in, ticketing, onboard etiquette, and safety.

Dress in layers and avoid shoes with laces.

Whether you're changing climates or just dealing with in-flight heat and/or air conditioning, you may and should be prepared for extreme temperature changes while traveling with a toddler. Wendy, a flight attendant and mother, recommends dressing your children in comfortable layers, ideally without buttons, zippers, or anything that may hinder them from using the restroom on time. Wear slip-on shoes instead than lace-ups. "There's the added benefit of getting through airport screening that much faster," she goes on to remark.

Bring Surprises!

When traveling with a toddler, a wrapped new plaything has two advantages: children like unwrapping presents, and a new item has a stronger attention-grabbing pull.

Consider using a small stroller.

Consider using a tiny, compact umbrella stroller or travel stroller instead of your regular-size stroller, since some parents find it difficult to go without one. Also, check your stroller at the gate before boarding; the staff will have it ready for you when you exit the aircraft.

If you're traveling with more than one child, Wendy recommends using a child harness (also known as a leash). "I was completely against them until I saw a mom with three small sons wearing them at baggage claim. "It made perfect sense," she adds, "with the escape doors to the outdoors right there. Look, flying is stressful enough. "Do whatever it takes to protect your children and your sanity."

Pack just enough.

journey attendants recommend that parents pack enough supplies for the journey. "Unfortunately, you can expect there to be zero food on a plane that would interest a kid," Lynn said. "And we are so limited in what we can offer in terms of comfort items as well."

On the other hand, parents who pack excessively will struggle. "Usually, when it's one parent traveling with one or more kids, they'll bring way too much stuff in an attempt to keep their kids happy," she explains. "They forget they have to carry all that stuff off the plane with them, along with their kids."

Plan your packing list.

Consider making a detailed packing list to avoid overpacking and ensure you don't overlook anything important. Star or underline any things that will need to be packed at the last minute (such as the lovey your child sleeps with or the iPad that is now charging) so you have a checklist to go over one final time before leaving.

Sample Plane Packing List for Toddlers

When packing your carry-on for the aircraft travel, start with this list:

• Pack your toddler's favorite comfort item in your carry-on for mid-flight snuggles. If the comfort item is a pacifier, carry more than one in case it gets hurled down the aisle or into the floor.
• Sanitizer, wipes, pull-ups, and diapers.Keep these essential goods handy when traveling.Not sure how many diapers to pack in your carry-on. One diaper every hour of travel is suggested.
• Electronic Devices:If there is ever time to relax your rigorous screen time guidelines, it is while you are traveling. Make sure any gadget you're carrying is fully charged and ready to go, and don't forget to pack chargers for the return journey. Consider pre-loading your children's favorite movies or programs onto their tablet or phone for offline watching.
• Pack comfortable headphones for your child to listen to their favorite games or programs while traveling. Have more than one child in tow? Consider purchasing a splitter so that everyone may watch the program with their own pair of headphones.
• Art Supplies:A modest box of crayons and blank paper might help keep your youngster entertained on a plane. To add excitement, include some amusing stickers or basic sticky notes.
• Pack extra plastic bags for unexpected needs, such as wet clothing, soiled diapers, and rubbish.
• Water Bottle:Put an empty clean water bottle in your luggage to fill when you pass through security. Just make sure it is leakproof!
• Healthy and enjoyable, mess-free snacks:While you don't want to overload your child with sweets just before takeoff, consider bringing a variety of healthful and enjoyable snacks that are reasonably mess-free to keep their stomachs full and happy. Cheerios, pretzels, crackers, string cheese, and granola bars are excellent choices.

Be prepared for security.

When packing, ensure sure any goods that need to be removed during security are readily accessible. Keep in mind that flying with food may result in more attention throughout the screening procedure.

Prepare for air pressure changes.

If your youngster has a recent ear infection or cold, get doctor's clearance before traveling. The difference in cabin air pressure may create discomfort for your kid. After getting through security, stock up on enough water for everyone to get through any potential delays and still have enough for the descent, which is often the most difficult moment for ear pressure pain. Have your children drink some immediately after takeoff and throughout the final 30 to 45 minutes of the descent. Swallowing helps with pressure shifts and provides more hydration.

By all means, use pull-ups.

Pull-up diapers are a terrific resource when traveling with a newly potty-trained toddler or small child, even if they have graduated to large kid underpants. "I even use them on my 6-year-old," Wendy says, adding that it's a lot less stressful than having to rush to the restroom or deal with an in-seat accident.