10 Tips to Start Planning Your International Vacation with a Baby

Hey there friends!

Since many people are beginning to travel again and the world is slowly opening back up - I thought it would be a great idea to share some points on how to begin planning an international trip with a baby. Some of you may be parents traveling with your baby for the first time, or maybe you’re a grandparent or guardian traveling with a little one in tow. You may have questions like: Does my child need a passport? Do I need one? When should I book my flight? Can my baby sit on my lap?

So, here you’ll find 10 tips to Start Planning your International Vacation with a Baby and a FREE Digital Download of a Pre-Departure Checklist! 

1. Find out if your destination requires a passport - and before you ask… yes your baby absolutely needs one. It’s quite adorable when you get it - AND they last for 5 years!

2. Make sure your passport is valid for 6 months beyond the travel date. They won’t let you board the plane or into some countries if it is not valid beyond 6 months of travel. So if it’s not… update it.

3. When you do go to book your flights you’ll need to make sure that your boarding pass and your passport say the exact same thing. If there is a middle name or initial on your passport be sure to include that when booking flights.

4. Find out if you need a Visa to enter the country and what applications you’ll need to send in and to where. Usually just by googling the “country + do I need a visa to travel” will help you get the answer you need.

5. Research the location you’re heading to and find out if there are any travel restrictions, safety issues you should know about, or travel advisories

6. Book your hotel or Airbnb. Find your perfection location and if you need any help at all I’m happy to help and you can reach me at ledadestinations@gmail.com - finding the best deal is like a game for me!

7. Book your flights! If you’re unsure of when to book and you didn't book your flight yet, choose a flight time around the regular time your little one takes a nap. We were very lucky because our son was due for a nap at some point during our flight and he slept nearly 2 hours of the 4 hour flight! He normally napped between 8:30am-10:00am on a normal day. So we boarded the flight at 7:30am and the flight took off at 8:00am, but because we were up seriously early that day, he was fast asleep by 8:00am when the flight was departing and slept a full two hours! Parenting win!

8. Flights on a Budget - If you’re looking to keep an eye on your potential flights costs I always suggest downloading the Hopper App due to the possibility of the prices changing. I definitely don’t suggest going with Basic Economy as your ticket option but sometimes when you’re on a strict budget this is what you’ve got as your choice. I suggest going with Economy tickets so you’ll be able to choose your seats ahead of time. This avoids families getting split up. The app can be set up to alert you when your flight drops to a certain price point - which is awesome if you have time to wait!

9. Be aware: If your child is under 2 they are considered a Lap Infant when purchasing tickets. Some airlines will require you to call to make the reservation for the lap infant. That's what our son was and we did not have to purchase a seat for him. But now that I have experienced this, I would say: get the extra seat every time if your budget allows for it. It is a relief to have their own seat because a kid on a lap is likely really hard to manage a whole flight. Many airlines offer discounts on seats for children and infants - others will make you pay full price. Additionally, even though your child is literally in your lap, they will need a boarding pass as well - and many airlines require you to supply a birth certificate copy (so make a copy before heading out.) Either way, you should call the airline ahead of time to make them aware of your lap infant.

10. Start planning some fun! Think about what you’d like to do as a family or if there are any excursions you’d like to go on. If rest and relaxation are your thing then you can 100% skip this part :)

There is SOOOO much to remember so I created a little Checklist Freebie for you. 

Here’s the link to your FREE download for the Pre-Departure Checklist for Flying with a Baby Internationally. 

It can get stressful when you’re planning a trip with a baby and there’s so much more that goes into planning. If you feel you need help, and an in-depth look at what to do, I cover quite a bit of it in my little Ebook linked here:

I wish someone put together something like this when I did my first trip with our son. I made it complete with checklists and in-depth answers to more questions like the ones listed above. I’d love to help you on your planning journey as you travel with your little one. I’m super excited to share my first-hand knowledge. And if you ever have any travel questions feel free to reach out!!!

Need more info on traveling with a baby? Here’s another blog with some Tips and Tricks on What to Pack for an International Vacation with a Baby - You can access this by Clicking HERE.

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