Flying with a toddler

[mommy2jack]

Hello Everyone!

I have a question regarding flying with my 1 and 3 year old children. I know flight restrictions do not allow you to carry on more than 3 oz of fluids but they do make exceptions for babies, correct? My question is would I be able to bring a sippy cup (or 2) filled with juice or if not would I be able to pack a few sealed gerber 4 oz juices? Last time we flew was when my son was 13 months, but I can't for the life of me remember how I handled it then. Also we are flying out of a different and much smaller airport than last time and I am unsure if they have any stores to buy juice or milk once we pass through security. We have a short flight, only a few hours and thankfully no layovers but I still want to make sure I have the necessities at hand if needed.

Thank you!

 

[marmalade]

Hello Everyone!

I have a question regarding flying with my 1 and 3 year old children. I know flight restrictions do not allow you to carry on more than 3 oz of fluids but they do make exceptions for babies, correct? My question is would I be able to bring a sippy cup (or 2) filled with juice or if not would I be able to pack a few sealed gerber 4 oz juices? Last time we flew was when my son was 13 months, but I can't for the life of me remember how I handled it then. Also we are flying out of a different and much smaller airport than last time and I am unsure if they have any stores to buy juice or milk once we pass through security. We have a short flight, only a few hours and thankfully no layovers but I still want to make sure I have the necessities at hand if needed.

Thank you!

When I flew with my kids when they were younger, I was allowed sippy cups full of juice. They just put a testing strip in it to make sure it wasn't dangerous and off we went. I also have taken single serve unopened bottles of juice that they let go through, they just asked if they were for the kids.

 

[Mouse7116]

I'm a little on the paranoid side so I always plan on purchasing juice/water after getting through security. I would think they would make exceptions for children but I don't plan for it.

 

[ElenaRN]

Yes! They allow you to take pretty much anything for your child. It is however, subject to very serious security checks. They opened my sippy cup of milk and waved some sort of litmus paper over it. The TSA agent said that it checks the molecules that it emits. Or something to that effect.
It was actually a big PIA and had I knew it would take so long, I wouldn't have brought as much stuff.
My advice it to bring juice boxes or things that are sealed. That seems to be easier than sipppys and the like.

 

[Ginny Favers]

I always bring an empty sippy cup and either buy stuff after we get past security or ask the flight attendant to fill it with apple juice when they're doing drink service.

 

[DopeyDame]

My advice it to bring juice boxes or things that are sealed. That seems to be easier than sipppys and the like.

Most of the time the sealed boxes do seem to work better, but I had one agent in Dulles who made me open 3 of the shelf-stable boxes of milk for him to do the little litmus test thing. I was so annoyed. So just be prepared to have to open anything you're bringing. Also, having it out and separate from the rest of your carry ons will make things run a lot more smoothly.

 

[TinkNH]

I have seen people be forced to toss juice boxes at Logan so it can all depend on the agent (which now that i think of it bugs me..it should be standardized...but anyhoo) There are signs that tell you how much formula/baby food you can take, and I think it is less on short flights, but I could be wrong. I would bring empty cups and try to get the sealed juice in..but be prepared they may toss it on you more than likely there is at least a magazine shop once you are through security and you can buy something. Even our small airport here in NH has several shops and a food court near the gates. Worst case they should have something on the plane unless you are on a super short flight. The airport / airline websites should have all the info, good luck!

 

[jessp1021]

Glad to hear they do test everything..I know it is a pain but I am glad to know they do take precautions I would recommend buying something after security and putting it in a sippy cup then? Just put the cup in your carry on and this will give them a super cold drink for the trip!

 

[jana616]

I have been wondering this too. My 18 month old DD needs soy milk, and I would like to bring her filled sippy, as well as 2-3 shelf stable individual boxes of soy milk in my carry-on. Soy can be very hard to find, esp. in an airport. We have an hour and a half flight, a 2.5 hour layover, and another 2 hour flight, so we have a long morning of travel, if that makes a difference.

 

[luvmy2babies]

Yes, they let me bring formula and baby food through. Baby food was sealed. Formula was either ready to feed in an unopened container or in a bottle already made because he was consuming it.

Once my son was off formula, I just bought empty cups and purchased liquids after security though. It was a pain like someone else said for them to make sure it was safe.

Dd and I both have mesh pockets on the sides of our backpacks. I put empty sippy cups and empty see through bottles in these pockets so it was obvious everything was empty just by looking. Once we were through, I would go to a store and get ds a 20oz apple juice and/or a milk and dd and me each a 20oz lemonade and fill the cups and bottles once we were at the gate.

 

[ccgirl]

Hello Everyone!

I have a question regarding flying with my 1 and 3 year old children. I know flight restrictions do not allow you to carry on more than 3 oz of fluids but they do make exceptions for babies, correct? My question is would I be able to bring a sippy cup (or 2) filled with juice or if not would I be able to pack a few sealed gerber 4 oz juices? Last time we flew was when my son was 13 months, but I can't for the life of me remember how I handled it then. Also we are flying out of a different and much smaller airport than last time and I am unsure if they have any stores to buy juice or milk once we pass through security. We have a short flight, only a few hours and thankfully no layovers but I still want to make sure I have the necessities at hand if needed.

Thank you!

I have done both. Sippy cup full of juice and juice boxes. We use the Capri Sun roaring waters. Alternatively, you can bring sippy cups and purchase the juice once through security.

 

[mommy2jack]

Thank you everyone! Juice boxes never even crossed my mind. I think what I will do is bring an empty sippy cup and a sealed gerber juice for my daughter and a juice box for my son. If they get pitched then oh well! Our flight is only 2 hours so if the juice gets tossed we'll find another means. I think any food/ juices I have I will pack in a seperate smaller bag instead my larger diaper bag. That way at security I can easily get it out and open it up hopefully saving us and them the hassel of searching through the diaper bag.

 

[TinkerBelle920]

Hello Everyone!

I have a question regarding flying with my 1 and 3 year old children. I know flight restrictions do not allow you to carry on more than 3 oz of fluids but they do make exceptions for babies, correct? My question is would I be able to bring a sippy cup (or 2) filled with juice or if not would I be able to pack a few sealed gerber 4 oz juices? Last time we flew was when my son was 13 months, but I can't for the life of me remember how I handled it then. Also we are flying out of a different and much smaller airport than last time and I am unsure if they have any stores to buy juice or milk once we pass through security. We have a short flight, only a few hours and thankfully no layovers but I still want to make sure I have the necessities at hand if needed.

Thank you!

Flown many times over the past year and always had 2 cups of juice or milk with me they just use a testing strip or put it in a machine to test it takes less than a min

 

[ccgirl]

Thank you everyone! Juice boxes never even crossed my mind. I think what I will do is bring an empty sippy cup and a sealed gerber juice for my daughter and a juice box for my son. If they get pitched then oh well! Our flight is only 2 hours so if the juice gets tossed we'll find another means. I think any food/ juices I have I will pack in a seperate smaller bag instead my larger diaper bag. That way at security I can easily get it out and open it up hopefully saving us and them the hassel of searching through the diaper bag.

Sounds like a perfect plan.

 

[luckyfin]

I have brought juice boxes through many airports and have never been questioned or even given a second glance. We put them in the same bin as our liquids bag and "claim" them. There is no question that we aren't trying to conceal them, there they are. I figure even if they want to take them that I'm not out more than I have to pay for a new drink. Good luck!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You know, you can always check tsa.gov for the definitive answers to these types of questions:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/index.shtm

 

[lovetogowdw]

Use that site from the last post -- and print it out and bring it with you. Some gate agents interpret differently from others. I travel extensively with work and it is just crazy how different things are from airport to airport based upon how the agents in each location handle things.

If you feel you must take liquids with you, the key is to have it such items in their OWN clear plastic bag and "declare" them just as you would any kind of liquid medicines. Also, some airports ask you to use a special lane (marked for families with small children) and those gate agents typically know the drill.

I've found the VERY small juice boxes work best if you feel you must bring juice. But I just buy it after security. Just far less hassle. Security can be so scary for the little ones anyway. If you get an uninformed agent and you have to toss it or pour it out, be prepared for your child to totally melt down. Is it really worth it to save a a little bit on the juice or milk when you can buy it past security?

To make sure I have something with me, I just use the toddler cups with tops that are marked in ounces and take the empty cup and premeasured toddler formula with me and mix with water to make up "milk" AFTER security. (I think they make powdered soy formula, too. Totally agree that the one poster will have a hard time finding soy after security!) For my six year old and myself, I just take EMPTY travel water bottles and some individual portion kool aid mixes or lemonade mixes and again, make up the drinks AFTER security. We all always get on the plane with something to drink in hand, but save ourselves the security hassles.

 

[JoanneDisFan]

Yes you can take juice for the little one. Coming back from Disney last October, I had a bottle of juice from a leftover snack credit. At first they told me it wasn't allowed, but when I said it was for my DS they let it through.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

from 2 MAW trips last year, i would have shelf stable boxes of milk, soy milk or juice and an empty sippy cup until after security. guys next to us complaine that unopened bottles of water had to be thrown out but my daughter's orange juice was allowed for medical reasons. did see some parents forced to throw out juice out of sippy cup. also child not allowed to carry cup thru scanner which caused a meltdown at scanner.

 

[m2zjj]

For the soy milk issue. When I traveled with my son, who can only drink soy milk, a couple years ago I was sure he would have to just live with water and juice on the plane. A few days before our flight I was getting a coffee at Starbucks and it dawned on me that our airport had both a Starbucks and another coffee place in the terminal. Both have soy milk for drinks and will allow you to purchase just a cup of milk if you ask. Problem solved and DS who was 2 at the time was happy with his sippy of milk.

Just a suggestion check and see if your airport has a coffee place that has soy milk. It's not exactly cheap but will save you the hassle at security.