As we all know, traveling for the holidays can be a little chaotic. From navigating traffic and crazy airports to dealing with crowds and delays, it can be easy to let the stress take over. And trust me, I don’t blame you; I’ve been there! That’s why I wanted to put together a blog with my top tips for traveling during the holiday season. These might seem like little things, but trust me, they make a huge difference. If you are traveling with a baby or young kids, don’t worry; I’ve got tips for you too! As a new mom myself, I knew I was going to need to make some adjustments to our travel plans and make sure we had everything we needed. Check out all my travel tips below to keep you happy and sane this holiday season!
MY HOLIDAY TRAVEL TIPS
Bring snacks (especially if layovers are short):
- I love chomps, boiled eggs in the morning, Lara bars, almonds, or apples!
Bring electrolytes and your own water bottle:
- Traveling can be super dehydrating. I always have the most energy and sleep the best whenever I am hydrated. Most airports have filtered water systems for water bottles that you can fill up. This can save you time and money because water bottles in airports can be expensive!!
Wear layers:
- Planes can either be super hot or freezing. Wear pieces that you can easily layer!
Wear minimal makeup or don’t wear any makeup at all:
- This is a BIG one! Whenever I wear makeup on the plane, my face breaks out. There are so many germs on the planes and airports and I tend to touch my face more whenever I am sitting down for a long period of time.
If you are short on checked baggage weight:
- Wear your heavier pieces, such as coats and tennis shoes, and pack your belts, curling irons, etc, in your carry-on!
Wear a belt bag/sling bag over a purse:
- This makes it SO much easier to access your ID and boarding passes!
If you want Starbucks at the airport:
- Order ahead of time on the app for pickup! This is especially great if you have a short layover or are running late. Not all locations do this, but you would be surprised that most do! I will usually order in the app before I go through security, and it will be all ready for me by the time I arrive at the store. Usually, the app will generate any local Starbucks and will say the gate they are at in the app.
TIPS FOR THOSE TRAVELING WITH A BABY
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Nurse, bottlefeed, or give a pacifier to baby during take-off and landing.
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Change their diaper before you board the plane… even if you changed them not too long prior.
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Check the stroller at the gate. If it is within your budget, I HIGHLY recommend traveling with the Doona over a regular stroller. It saves a lot of space, and it’s just easier and less to carry!!
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Bring a picture or copy of your child’s birth certificate if your baby is under two and they do not have their own seat. 9/10 times, you will not be asked for their birth certificate, but the airlines have every right to ask you for a birth certificate if they want to. If you cannot prove their age is under 2, then you will need to purchase an extra seat. We never were asked about a birth certificate, but there were definitely times when my friends were asked.
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Bring a nursing pillow on the plane. This was super nice for Blake to sleep on and it gave relief to us while carrying her on the plane.
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Have a bottle ready! We would always have a bottle ready just in case she woke up and got hungry. It helped prevent any crying moments.
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Even if your child is under two, you still need a boarding pass for them, so make sure you get one!!
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If it is in your budget, try to get priority boarding. We were able to board ahead of the family boarding with Southwest by paying a little extra!
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Pack an extra pair of clothes for YOU and your baby in your carry-on bag. You never know when they will have a blowout!
