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Flying with children

virgin travel with infant

We want all our customers (big and small) to love flying with us. From meals and entertainment to an inclusive baggage allowance for pushchairs and car seats, we've got it covered.

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virgin travel with infant

Meals designed for children

After you've booked your child a seat, you can pre-order a kids meal created especially for ages 2 to 12, anytime up to 24 hours before your flight. Don't worry if you haven't ordered a kids meal, they can choose from the main menu during the flight, including a vegetarian option.

virgin travel with infant

Entertainment for kids of all ages

We've hand-picked the best shows to keep younger viewers entertained or help them snooze at bedtime. Bigger kids can choose from hours of audio and family films or set limits using our Parental block feature.

Car seats and pushchairs welcome

Bring a fully collapsible pushchair and car seat or booster seat in addition to your free checked baggage allowance. In most airports, your pushchair can be used right through to the gate and your car seat or booster seat can be used onboard. At check in, hand us anything you won't need during the flight, and we'll store it safely in the hold.

virgin travel with infant

If your child has their own seat on the flight, they may prefer a meal from our kids' menu . You'll need to pre-order kids' meals online in My booking at least 24 hours before your flight.

Car seats and booster seats can be checked in with your other baggage or taken with you into the cabin for use during the flight, provided it meets our requirements. FInd out more about seats for children .

Children and seated infants get the same baggage allowance as grown up's so they can bring all their favourite things and you can pack that extra pair of shoes. 

You can also bring one fully collapsible pushchair and a car seat in addition to your free baggage allowance.

You may need to make specific arrangements for cots and pushchairs. Read the guide here .

Got questions?

You'll find answers to common questions in our dedicated help centre section.

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Flying with children

Kids onboard, inflight entertainment , 1 of 2.

We've loaded our aircraft with everything kids love. Boredom is banned.

With a huge range of children's films and TV shows on offer, your children will be busy enjoying themselves from pre take-off right up until you step off the plane. That's sure to take some of the strain out of family travel.

Once onboard they'll find KiD backpacks on their seat, bursting with goodies to keep them busy while you get settled in.

On all flights your kids can choose from movies, TV and games suitable for all ages. And if they've got their own seats, they'll have their own TVs too.

Parental lock functionality is available on all aircraft apart from our A340 300's. Please ask a member of cabin crew at the start of your flight if you need any help setting it up.

Inflight entertainment

What's playing for kids this month?

We've got the latest movies and entertainment for kids that you'll love too!

Kids' meals , 2 of 2

Our kids’ menu has been created with the fussiest child in mind and includes a variety of familar dishes that are sure to tickle their tastebuds. The crew are also regularly on hand with drinks to keep you and your little ones refreshed.

  • Baby meals  - specifically for little ones under 12 months which include standard pureed or bottled foods (no solids).
  • Children’s meals  - specifically for our younger passengers aged 12 months to 12 years old which are nutritious, easy to eat and nut friendly. This means that while they don't contain nuts, they're not prepared in a nut free facility so may contain nut traces.

Kids meals aren't vegetarian. If your young one is a veggie they should go for the standard vegetarian option rather than a kids meal.

Children's meals aren't booked automatically. As soon as you’ve booked your tickets you can order a kids’ meal through My booking , or you can call us on 0344 874 7747.

Seats for children

Bringing your own car seat , 1 of 3.

If you’re travelling in Economy, you can bring your own car seat onboard all our international and domestic flights as long as you’ve booked a seat for it.

If you would like to use your own car seat, it must:

  • Be designed to be secured by means of a normal aircraft single lap strap
  • Have a separate 5-point restraining harness
  • Not exceed the dimensions of the aircraft seat, and should fit into an area of 43cm x 43cm (17.ins x 17ins)
  • Must be secured to its host seat at all times of the flight
  • If for any reason your car seat cannot be fully secured, it may have to be placed in the hold. In these circumstances, your infant will have to be secured to your lap whenever the seat belt sign comes on

The car seat must also display one of the following labels:

EU approved labelling

Approved for use in motor vehicles according to the UN standard ECE R 44, -03” or later

‘Qualification Procedure for Child Restraint Systems for Use in Aircraft’ (TÜV Doc.: TÜV/958-01/2001)

Australia/New Zealand approved labelling

Australian Standard AS1754 New Zealand Standard NZS1354

Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS1754

FAA approved labelling

Approved for use in motor vehicles and aircraft according to US FMVSS No 213 and manufactured to these standards on or after February 26, 1985 ‘This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety standards.

This Restraint is Certified for Use in Motor Vehicles and Aircraft.’

Canadian approved labelling

Standard CMVSS 213/213.1

Please note:

1. You may be asked to show the approval labelling to our ground staff and cabin crew, so please make sure you know where to find it.

2. You’ll need to show our cabin crew that you’ve fitted the seat securely and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

3. The seat must fit securely using a normal aircraft seatbelt, as unlike cars, we don’t have ISOFIX systems or seatbelts that are worn over the shoulder.

Premium Economy and Upper Class

If you have a car seat, you may be aware that you can’t use them where airbags are fitted. As all of our Upper Class suites and the Premium Economy seats on many of our aircraft have airbags you will be unable to use your own car seats.

Special assistance , 2 of 3

If you need special support seating for disabled children, take a look at our information on support seating.

Planning your seating , 3 of 3

We need to make sure that each child in a car seat is supervised by a guardian aged at least 14 who is sitting right next to them.

If you’ve got two children in car seats, you’ll need to have them either side of you.

Children flying alone

Can children fly alone , 1 of 3.

If your child is travelling without you, don’t worry, we’ll make sure their flight goes smoothly.

We’re happy to accept unaccompanied children on flights from the age of 5 up to and including 15 – and it goes without saying we’ll make sure they're OK throughout their journey. Just let us know they’ll be unaccompanied and follow the process below.

  • The parent/guardian of the travelling child must stay at the airport until the child's flight has departed
  • Children under five must always travel with someone aged sixteen or over – we can't fly them on their own
  • We also regard children aged 5 to 15 as unaccompanied minors if their parents or guardians are travelling on the same flight, but in a different cabin. This is because our crew will be responsible for them in the event of an emergency or the seatbelt signs are switched on, as you won't be able to attend to them
  • If you're travelling in Upper Class seperately from your children they aren't permitted to visit you, but you are of course free to come and check on them

Organising a flight for an unaccompanied child , 2 of 3

  • Make sure you let us know the child will be travelling alone when you book, by calling our  reservations  team on 0344 209 7777 (open 24 hrs a day), or through a travel agent. You can't book online
  • If the child has any special needs or medical conditions, again please be sure to let us know at the time you book
  • We'll send you a Declaration of Indemnity form for you to complete and sign. One part of the form needs to be returned to the UK Support centre
  • Keep hold of the remainder of the form to present at check in on the day of departure. If the form is not completed and signed we won’t be able to accept the child for lone travel
  • Please check whether your child needs any visas or documentation for their destination, and organise these if necessary
  • After check in, a member of our ground staff will take your child to the aircraft, where our cabin crew will then look after them
  • Once landed, another member of Virgin Atlantic staff will take them through immigration and customs and hand them over to the adult noted on the Declaration of Indemnity form. This adult will have to show formal identification before we end our care of your child.

We won't be able to accept your child if:

  • They are not brought to check in by a parent or guardian. 
  • They arrived from a connecting flight, other than one operated by Virgin Atlantic.
  • They are travelling on another connecting flight, other than one operated by Virgin Atlantic.
  • They are not going to be collected from Virgin Atlantic directly by a parent or guardian upon arrival.
  • The transit time between flights is over four hours, if the flight includes a stop-over or if there are inter-airport connections by road or rail such as between Gatwick or Heathrow.

Extra things to be aware of:

  • Children travelling alone in Upper Class cannot use the Upper Class lounge or the limo service.
  • The Unaccompanied Minor service is charged as an adult fare.

Unaccompanied minors travelling into, out of or via South Africa , 3 of 3

Since 1 June the South African immigration department have changed the requirements for children under 18 years of age travelling into, out of or transitting through South Africa, with or without a parent or guardian. Please make sure you have all the correct paperwork:

South African requirements for children travelling alone

Flying with babies

Flying with a baby , 1 of 6.

Flying with a baby doesn’t need to be stressful, even if it’s just you and your little one.

Our baby-friendly cabin crew will be on hand to help throughout your flight. We offer specially designed in-flight cots, we’ll warm milk for you, and some of our toilets include changing facilities to help you along the way.

International flights , 2 of 6

Your baby must be healthy and at least 48 hours old to travel on Virgin Atlantic international routes.

Baby milk , 3 of 6

  • Cow’s milk, formula and water (to make formula up) are all allowed on the aircraft.
  • They must be in baby bottles or cartons, not bottles from the supermarket or flasks etc.
  • They can be over 100ml, but only up to a reasonable amount that’s necessary for the flight.
  • You will be asked to taste 50% of what’s taken through

Whenever you need milk warming up, just let the cabin crew know and they’ll be happy to do it. They’ll always do it properly too – by warming it in hot water then leaving it to cool.

Baby meals , 4 of 6

If you are travelling with an infant that does not have an assigned seat a meal will need to be requested in advance by contacting us on  0344 874 7747 .

In-flight cots , 5 of 6

To make our flights comfortable for your baby (and peaceful for you), we offer in-flight cots free of charge. For your baby's safety, we don't allow them to be placed on the cabin floor. The cabin crew will install the cot for you after take-off and advise you if your baby will need to be removed from the cot and secured on your lap should there be any turbulence. 

Please note sky cots have to be requested in advance by calling 0344 874 7747. There is a limited number of sky cots offered on a first come first served basis.

The cots have very slightly different dimensions depending on your aircraft. To check your baby will fit comfortably in the cot that’s on your flight, see the dimensions below.

Please note there are no in-flight cots in the Upper Class cabin on B747-400 aircraft operating to or from Gatwick or Manchester.

Dimensions of baby cots:

  • Premium Economy and Economy classes on the A340-300 and B747-400 aircraft: Maximum weight of baby: 9kg (19.8lb) Maximum height of baby: 740mm (29”) Dimensions: 35cm wide x 21cm deep x 74cm long (13.8” wide x 8.3” deep x 29” long)
  • Premium Economy and Economy classes on the A340-600 and A330 aircraft: Maximum weight of baby: 11kg (24.25lb) Maximum height of baby: 760mm (30”) Dimensions 28.6cm wide x 72.7cm long (11.25” wide x 28.6” long)
  • Upper Class on the A340-300, A340-600, A330 and B747-400 aircraft: Maximum weight of baby: 11kg (24.25lb) Maximum height of baby: 750mm (29.5”) Bassinet Dimensions: 35cm wide x 24cm deep x 76cm long (13.8” wide x 9.4” deep x 29.9” long)

Pushchairs and car seats , 6 of 6

When travelling with children or infants, you’re welcome to bring one fully collapsible pushchair and a car seat, in addition to your free checked baggage allowance. Please note that pushchairs will fly in the aircraft’s hold. Car seats can be used on board (in Economy only) if they meet the necessary requirements. These can be found in the above section seats for children.

Pushchairs may be checked in or used up until the boarding gate. On landing, whenever possible we’ll have your pushchair ready and waiting at the aircraft doors. However, you may have to reclaim it at the baggage hall, due to local customs restrictions at some destinations.

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Virgin Australia Infants Policy

  • Planes & Seat Maps

Do I need to reserve a seat for my infant?

Children up to two years old (24 months), are not required to have their own seat as these children may sit on an adult's lap. Only one lap child is allowed per adult. If one adult is traveling with more than one infant under two years of age, a seat will have to be purchased for the second infant. You can also choose to purchase a seat for your infant as long as you have the proper child restraint device.

Will I pay for my infant to travel?

No, a child up to two years old (24 months) will travel free of charge if he or she is sitting on an adult's lap.

What if my child turns two on the trip; will I have to buy a ticket for the return flight?

Yes, a ticket will have to be purchased for any flight on which the infant will be over two years old.

What infant amenities are available on the aircraft I'll be flying (i.e. bassinets)?

Bassinets and baby car seats cannot be taken aboard Virgin Australia flights. Infant restraint belts are available on all aircraft and must be worn by infants on take-off, landing, during turbulence and whenever the seat belt sign is illuminated.

Can I sit in the exit row with my infant?

Neither lap children nor infants in car seats are allowed in an exit row. In fact, all passengers in an exit row must be at least 15 years of age. In addition, infant seats are not allowed in the row directly in front of or directly behind an exit.

SeatGuru was created to help travelers choose the best seats and in-flight amenities.

Flying With a Baby? Here’s What to Know Before You Go

Medical review policy, latest update:, how old should a baby be to fly, read this next, what do children need to fly, tips for flying with an infant.

What to Expect the First Year , 3rd edition, Heidi Murkoff.  WhatToExpect.com, Do Babies Need Passports? , May 2019.  WhatToExpect.com, Should You Bring Your Child’s Car Seat on an Airplane? , August 2021. WhatToExpect.com, Your Ultimate Guide to Traveling While Breastfeeding , August 2020. American Academy of Pediatrics, Family Friendly Flying , November 2015.  American Academy of Pediatrics, Flying With Baby: Parent FAQs , November 2019.   American Airlines, Traveling With Children .  Delta Air Lines, Infant Air Travel , 2021.  Federal Aviation Administration, Flying With Children , March 2021.  Transportation Security Administration, Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQ .  Transportation Security Administration, Identification .  Transportation Security Administration, Will Minors Need to Have a State ID to Fly Domestically? United Airlines, Traveling With Children , 2021.  U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Children – Child Traveling With One Parent or Someone Who Is Not a Parent or Legal Guardian or a Group , December 2019.

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Kids On A Plane

Virgin Atlantic Airways Pregnancy, Infant and Children Travel Policy

virgin travel with infant

Virgin Atlantic Airways operates between the United Kingdom and North America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia from its bases at London Gatwick Airport and London Heathrow Airport. Here’s a summary of Virgin Atlantic’s pregnancy, infant and children travel policies.

*This is for informational purposes only. For more information on flying with children on Virgin Atlantic Airways, click here .

Expectant Mothers

As long as you haven’t experienced any complications during your pregnancy, you can fly until your 28th week without needing to tell the airline. Beyond the 28th week, you’ll need to take note of some guidelines.

Read more about Virgin Atlantic’s pregnancy policy here .

Infants (under 2 years old)

Infants are not required to have their own seat however you must inform Virgin Atlantic that you will be traveling with an infant on your lap.

Only one lap child is allowed per adult. If one adult is traveling with more than one infant under 2 years of age, a seat will have to be purchased for each additional infant.

A seat may be purchased for your infant as long as you have the proper child restraint device. Virgin Atlantic offers these seats at discounted rates.

For international flights, infants are charged 10% of an adult fare plus taxes, even if the infant will be on the lap of another passenger for the flight.

A ticket must be purchased for any flight on which the infant will be over 2 years old.

Baggage Allowance for Infants

Passengers travelling with infants or children can bring a fully collapsible pushchair or car seat, in addition to their free check in luggage allowance.

Infants too young for their own seat on the aircraft (travelling on the lap of a parent or carer) can have one piece of hold baggage weighing up to 23kg, and one piece of hand baggage weighing up to 6kg. We’re afraid we can’t allow extra baggage allowance to be purchased for infants.

Strollers, Bassinets / Baby Cots and Child Restraint Devices

When travelling with children or infants, you’re welcome to bring one fully collapsible pushchair or car seat, in addition to your free checked baggage allowance. Note that these will fly in the aircraft’s hold, rather than the cabin.

Bassinets / Baby Cots:

To make our flights comfortable for your baby (and peaceful for you), we offer in-flight cots free of charge. For your baby’s safety, we don’t allow them to be placed on the cabin floor. The cabin crew will install the cot for you after take-off and advise you if your baby will need to be removed from the cot and secured on your lap should there be any turbulence.

The cots have very slightly different dimensions depending on your aircraft. To check your baby will fit comfortably in the cot that’s on your flight, see the dimensions below.

Please note there are no in-flight cots in the Upper Class cabin on B747-400 aircraft operating to or from Gatwick or Manchester

Premium Economy and Economy classes on the A340-300 and B747-400 aircraft:

Maximum weight of baby: 9kg (19.8lb) Maximum height of baby: 740mm (29”) Dimensions: 35cm wide x 21cm deep x 74cm long (13.8” wide x 8.3” deep x 29” long)

Premium Economy and Economy classes on the A340-600 and A330 aircraft:

Maximum weight of baby: 11kg (24.25lb) Maximum height of baby: 760mm (30”) Dimensions 28.6cm wide x 72.7cm long (11.25” wide x 28.6” long)

Upper Class on the A340-300, A340-600, A330 and B747-400 aircraft:

Maximum weight of baby: 11kg (24.25lb) Maximum height of baby: 750mm (29.5”) Bassinet Dimensions: 35cm wide x 24cm deep x 76cm long (13.8” wide x 9.4” deep x 29.9” long)

Child Restraint Devices:

Child restraint devices must have the labels noted below, or you will not be allowed to use it during take-off, landing, and surface movements. This includes booster seats and other types of harnesses.

Special Services

We offer specially designed in-flight cots, we’ll warm milk for you, some of our toilets include changing facilities and we even carry spare baby items such as bottles (although it’s always best to bring your own).

Cow’s milk, formula and water (to make formula up) are all allowed on the aircraft. They must be in baby bottles or cartons, not bottles from the supermarket or flasks etc. They can be over 100ml, but only up to a reasonable amount that’s necessary for the flight. You will be asked to taste 50% of what’s taken through

Whenever you need milk warming up, just let the cabin crew know and they’ll be happy to do it. They’ll always do it properly too – by warming it in hot water then leaving it to cool.

All children on flights leaving the UK get a free backpack crammed with exciting things to keep them occupied. Inside they’ll find:

  • A Virgin Atlantic baseball cap
  • An uber-cool digital watch
  • A packet of sweets
  • A colouring pen

Virgin Atlantic Airways - Flying with Babies, Toddlers and Children and While Pregnant

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  • How to Travel While Potty Training + Potty Training Essentials Packing List

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Virgin Australia becomes first Aussie airline to give infants dedicated checked baggage allowance

virgin travel with infant

Virgin Australia has become the first Australian airline to allow its littlest travellers a dedicated checked baggage allowance when flying on domestic, international short haul and international long haul routes.

The change means that parents travelling with a child under 23-months-old on Virgin Australia-operated flights can check-in one additional 23kg bag free of charge, as well as two special infant items, such as a pram, cot, car seat or baby capsule.  Parents travelling with an infant are also welcome to bring an additional 7kg carry-on bag for essential baby products.

General Manager of Ground Operations, Paul Woosnam said: “We know travelling with an infant can be incredibly stressful and we’re pleased to make that journey a little more effortless by introducing an infant baggage allowance on domestic and international flights.

“We want to be the airline of choice for travelling families and we’re proud to be the only carrier in Australia to recognise that travelling with an infant sometimes means packing far more than usual. We think parents will be pleased too, as they can now pack a little extra for themselves on their next trip,” Mr Woosnam said.

Infant baggage allowance is the newest announcement in a suite of initiatives introduced by Virgin Australia to make travelling easier for families.

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virgin travel with infant

Need to Know: Flying Virgin Atlantic with a Baby or Toddler

flying Virgin Atlantic with a baby or toddler

Virgin Atlantic’s infant and child discounts:

Unlike many U.S. carriers that may serve the same or similar routes for your flights, Virgin Atlantic offers a 25% discount for infants riding in their own seats and also for children from 2 to 11 years. This can make a big difference in your family’s bottom line when comparing overall ticketing fees between airlines. Especially if you will be flying during a peak travel season when fare sales are few and far between.

To ensure the child discount is applied, make your reservation directly on www.virgin-atlantic.com or use one of these sites that factors in the child’s age and available discount by airline (warning: not all do!) and may also have special offers or promo codes for extra discounts:

CheapOair.com             OneTravel.com

Tip:  Click “More Advanced Options” in the search box to enter the ages of your children and your preferred airline (eg. Virgin Atlantic).

Flying Virgin Atlantic with a lap child or lap-held infant:

Virgin Atlantic charges the customary 10% of the adult fare for infants and babies under 2 years riding on an adult’s lap. Each lap child is allowed one complimentary checked bag weighing up to 50 lbs. (23 kg.) and one carry-on bag.

Infant bassinets (AKA skycots) are available, but bassinet sizes vary by cabin class. Economy sky cots fit babies up to 20 lbs. or 29″ L, while Upper Class sky cots fit babies up to 25 lbs. and 30″ L.

You must call Virgin Atlantic in advance to reserve your airplane bassinet or skycot: +1 888 747 7474 or 0344 874 7747. You might also want to read Five Things You Should Know Before Flying with an Airplane Bassinet (AKA Skycot) .

And one more reason to call after you’ve booked your flight with your lap child? It’s the only way to ensure children flying without paid seats will have meals provided.

Using car seats (child safety seats) on Virgin Atlantic:

Car seats are only allowed in the cabin for children  in Virgin Atlantic’s Economy class and where their are not airplane air bags. Be warned that MOST premium and upper class seats on Virgin Atlantic flights. Check with reservations to avoid disappointment.

Car seats labeled with current U.S., Canadian, EU, New Zealand, or Australian standards marks will be accepted as long as they fit in the airplane seat and can be installed using safety belts (remember, no ISOFIX/LATCH on airplanes). As always, be prepared to point to your car seat’s certification label when boarding, if necessary.

Also accepted in Economy class: The CARES harness for children.

Virgin Atlantic’s policy for strollers, car seats, etc.

When flying with a baby or toddler, Virgin Atlantic allows one fully collapsible stroller (or pushchair) and one car seat in addition to your regular checked baggage allowance. In most cases, you may opt to check either or both of these at the gate (recommended to avoid damage in the airport baggage system).

For help with gear logistics during travel, see Seven Easy Ways to Get Your Car Seat Through The Airport . You might also like Best Lightweight Travel Strollers , Best Car Seats for Travel , Car Seat Alternatives for Travel , and Best Car Seat Carriers and Transporters . And don’t forget, there’s also the Worldwide Directory of Baby Gear Rentals & Equipment Hire to help on the other end.

Other perks for families flying Virgin Atlantic with a baby or young child:

Virgin Atlantic also offers in-seat TVs with children’s programming and children’s meals. You must reserve your child’s meal online at least 48 hours before your flight. The option will be available under “My Booking” once your reservation is made.

Have your choice of airlines? Use the Airlines Comparison Chart in   Travels with Baby: The Ultimate Guide…   to compare the family-friendly perks, amenities, and available infant/child discounts between more than 40 airlines.

virgin travel with infant

For more help planning air travel with young children,  see chapters 15 – 18 in  Travels with Baby , and see more online  Flying with Babies and Toddlers tips here .

flying Virgin Atlantic with a baby, photo of airplane

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More tips and advice are on the way! For help for planning travel of every kind–with babies and children of every temperament–in Travels with Baby: The Ultimate Guide for Planning Travel with Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler.

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Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning  Travels with Baby  guidebooks

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What?! Your kids aren’t babies anymore? Head over to Family Travel 411

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Flying With A Baby - Family Travel

Virgin Atlantic Flying With Kids Information

All the Virgin Atlantic flying with kids information in one place. Including:

  • Flying when pregnant
  • Flying with a newborn baby, and baby or toddler under two
  • Flying with older children
  • Kids’ baggage allowance
  • Car seat policy
  • Other child restraint device policies
  • Pushchair/stroller policy
  • Bassinet policy
  • Are Sleep devices and child ride-ons/leg rests permitted?
  • Baby and child meals
  • Inflight entertainment for children
  • Other family services provided

Flying With Kids Information on Virgin Atlantic

AD/Affiliate link . This article may contain affiliate links. Please read more in our disclosure policy here. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

VIRGIN ATLANTIC FLYING WHEN PREGNANT

Table of Contents - Click to jump to a section

As long as you haven’t experienced any complications during your pregnancy, you can fly until your 28th week. Beyond the 28th week, you’ll need to take note of the guidelines below.

Single pregnancy

If you’re expecting one baby and want to travel between your 28th and 36th weeks, you need to travel with a certificate from your doctor. The certificate should state that you have had no complications and your estimated delivery date. This might be asked for at the airport or onboard. Travel may be delayed or denied if you do not have this if asked. It’s important to remember to include your return travel within these dates.

Multiple pregnancy

If you’re expecting more than one baby and want to travel between your 28th and 32nd weeks, again you’ll need to travel with a doctor’s certificate stating you’ve had no complications and your estimated delivery date. Travel may be delayed or denied if you don’t have your certificate available if asked. Please do remember to include your return travel date in this time frame.

Travelling after the cut-off date

For travel after the 36th week for single pregnancies, or after the 32nd week for multiple pregnancies, Virgin Atlantic can only carry you for urgent medical or compassionate reasons, and only on approval from our medical advisors.

Virgin Atlantic may also ask that a suitable medical attendant accompany you. Contact Virgin Atlantic’s Special Assistance team on 0344 412 4455 for more details.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC NEWBORN POLICY

Your baby must be healthy and at least 48 hours old to travel with us.

FLYING WITH BABY POLICY (INFANTS UNDER 2 YEARS OLD)

Lap infants and infants with their own seat..

Babies up to the age of 2 are classed as infants. They’ll usually fly snugly in the comfort of your lap, so Virgin Atlantic only charge 10% of the adult fare (plus any taxes fees or charges). 

If you do require a seat for your infant, please contact Virgin Atlantic to book. You must be 12 or over to accompany a lap infant, and it’s only one baby per lap, or things get a bit too wriggly.

FLYING WITH CHILDREN AGED TWO AND OVER

Child fares apply for children between 2 and 11.

Infants who become children while travelling

The age of your child on the day of travel determines which type of ticket they need.

FLYING WITH OLDER CHILDREN ON VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Young adult fares apply for children between 12 and 16.

KIDS’ BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE ON VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Children and seated infants get the same baggage allowance as grown up’s.

You can also bring one fully collapsible pushchair and a car seat in addition to your free baggage allowance.

FAA approved car seats, stickers showing airline approved car seats

VIRGIN ATLANTIC CAR SEAT POLICY

If you’ve booked a seat for your baby (instead of travelling on your lap) they can sit in their car seat. They must be next to an accompanying adult or young adult age 12 or over. If you have two children in car seats, you’ll need to have them either side of you.

If you’re travelling in Upper Class your baby won’t be able to sit in their car seat because of the unique design and functionality of the Upper Class seats. The same applies for Premium seats on the A330 – 300 planes, apart from the front row.  For all of the other aircraft it’s safe for your child to travel in their car seat in Premium. 

Please make sure your car seat complies to the requirements below.

An infant is a child less than two years old. (Children aged 2 and over are not permitted to use an Infant car seat onboard)

If you would like to use your own car seat, it must:

  • Be designed to be secured by means of a normal aircraft single lap strap 
  • Have a separate 5-point restraining harness 
  • Not exceed the dimensions of the aircraft seat, and should fit into an area of 43cm x 43cm (17.ins x 17ins) 
  • Must be secured to its host seat at all times of the flight 
  • Must not require the use of a three-point harness to secure it to the aircraft seat.
  • Rear facing car seats are not allowed
  • If for any reason your car seat cannot be fully secured, it may have to be placed in the hold. In these circumstances, your infant will have to be secured to your lap whenever the seat belt sign comes on
  • The car seat must also display one of the following labels: EU approved labelling, FAA approved labelling, Australia/New Zealand approved labelling, Canadian approved labelling.

Other Child Restraint Device Policies

Booster seats

Booster seats are fine to use onboard, but they’ll need to be stowed away in the overhead compartments for taxi, take-off and landing, and when the Fasten Seat Belt signs are on.

CARES Harness .

The CARES harness fits around the back of the seat and attaches to the aircraft seatbelt to provide restraint for the upper part of a child’s body. It is suitable for children (both able bodied and disabled) age 1 and older who weigh between 22 and 44 pounds (10-20kg), whose height is 40” (100cm) or less and who can sit upright in their own aircraft seat.

The CARES harness can be used in the Economy and Premium cabins but must be fitted within the last row of a cabin zone. It also cannot be used in any seats fitted with an airbag-seatbelt, including our Upper Class suites.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC PUSHCHAIR/ STROLLER POLICY

You’re welcome to bring one fully collapsible pushchair and a car seat in addition to your free checked baggage allowance.

Pushchairs can be checked in or used up until the boarding gate, when they’ll be put in the hold. Once landed, the staff will have it ready outside the aircraft doors wherever possible. At some destinations, you may have to pick it up at the baggage hall due to local customs restrictions.

Alternatively, the following foldable buggies are permitted in the cabin with you instead of as your hand baggage:

  • Britax Holiday
  • SIlver CrossJet
  • BabyZen YoYo

VIRGIN ATLANTIC BASSINET POLICY

Does virgin atlantic supply a bassinet/carrycot.

Yes. You can request a bassinet or cot, subject to availability.

How do I reserve a bassinet/carrycot on Virgin Atlantic?

You can contact Virgin Atlantic before your flight to request a cot or bassinet. This is by speaking to their contact centre to request a cot/bassinet or after booking, go into Manage Your Booking and use the Web Chat function.

What is the size/weight limit for Virgin Atlantic ‘s bassinets/carrycots?

What does the virgin atlantic bassinet/carrycot look like.

Virgin bassinet on Virgin Atlantic

How many bassinets are available on Virgin?

Boeing 787 Dreamliner – Economy = 4. Premium = 4

Airbus A330-300 – Economy = 3. Premium = 3

A330-NEO – Economy = 4. Premium = 4

A350-1000 -Economy = 4. Premium = 4

In Upper Class one is available on each aircraft type, EXCEPT the A330 NEO and the A350

Are SLEEP DEVICES AND CHILD RIDE ON/LEG RESTS PERMITTED

The below devices are permitted to use for children onboard all Virgin Atlantic planes. Any other devices that are not present on this list aren’t permitted onboard at any time. 

  • Child body support 
  • Travel chair 
  • Cares harness 
  • Infant seat belts – these will be provided by the cabin crew onboard your flight 
  • Car seats – these must meet certain requirements. Please read more information below.
  • Canopy to be placed over infant’s bassinet
  • Trunkie/Bedbox that extend seat pan for children to sleep*
  • Plane Pal – inflatable cushion for children to sleep, please note that only the Plane Pal brand is permitted*
  • Small inflatable neck pillows

*Can’t be used if the child is in an aisle seat (middle and window seats are fine). Must be stowed away for taxi, takeoff and landing, and during turbulence. Can be carried instead of a cabin bag.

With the exception of the devices permitted to use onboard (as above), any other devices aren’t permitted onboard at any time. Examples of devices NOT permitted on board at any time:

  • Leg hammock for passengers to place their legs inside 
  • Inflatable foot rest that attaches to the seat in front 
  • Large soft or inflatable head pillow
  • Privacy band that attaches to the headrest 
  • Knee defender

BABY AND CHILD MEALS ON VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Does virgin atlantic provide baby food .

If you’re travelling with an infant on your lap (instead of their own seat), you can request a pureed baby meal for them by calling or texting the Customer Services team.  Virgin Atlantic doesn’t offer children’s meals for lap infants, so if your little one has moved on to solid food please bring something along with you for them to eat.

Does Virgin Atlantic provide child meals?

Yes. You’ll need to pre-order kids’ meals online in My booking at least 24 hours before your flight.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT FOR CHILDREN

TV for younger viewers

We have over 30 hours of action packed TV for kids of all ages. As well as already having a sleep genre on board Vera for adults, we also have one for kids too. To help the little ones snooze a little easier, you can find popular titles such as Baby TV and Story Time episodes within Kids sleep.

BabyTV features dedicated content for babies and toddlers created to address a spectrum of early learning skills and development milestones.

Headspace for Kids

This quick, easy breathing meditation is designed to help kids calm down.

Titles include We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Bear Boo & Guess how Much I Love You

OTHER FAMILY SERVICES PROVIDED

Feeding your baby

Mothers are welcome to breastfeed onboard . Virgin Atlantic crew will make you as comfortable as possible, and can provide an extra blanket or a seat in the galley if you’d like some more privacy. They can’t store expressed milk, but have ice and ice buckets if you need to keep it cool for later use.

If you’re bringing baby food, milk or formula in your hand baggage, make sure you read about the airport security guidance on how much and what you can bring. Here’s the guidance for the UK.

If you’re flying from London Heathrow you can reserve your baby milk or formula and collect it at the airport

If you need milk warming up, just let the cabin crew know and they’ll be happy to do it, by warming it in hot water then leaving it to cool.

INDIVIDUAL AIRLINE INFORMATION FOR FLYING WITH KIDS

Find out all the information about flying with kids on your airline. From car seats to strollers allowed in the airplane cabin , to lap infants to bassinets, luggage allowance, facilities on board and much much more.

virgin travel with infant

Air Canada Flying With Kids Information

All the Air Canada flying with kids information in one place. Including:

  • Kids' baggage allowance
  • EXEMPTIONS TO USE OF A Child Restraint Device
  • In-flight entertainment for children.
  • Sleep devices
  • Current mask rules for children

virgin travel with infant

Air France Flying With Kids Information

All the Air France flying with kids information in one place. Including:

  • Other child restraint policies
  • Sleep devices and child ride-ons/leg rests permitted
  • In-flight entertainment for children

virgin travel with infant

Air New Zealand Flying With Kids Information

All the Air New Zealand flying with kids information in one place. Including:

  • Flying with a baby or toddler under two
  • Air New Zealand pushchair/stroller policy
  • Inflight entertainment for children.

virgin travel with infant

Alaska Airlines Flying With Kids Information

All the Alaska Airlines flying with kids information in one place. Including:

virgin travel with infant

American Airlines Flying With Kids Information

All the American Airlines flying with kids information in one place. Including:

virgin travel with infant

British Airways Flying With Kids Information

All the British Airways flying with kids information in one place. Including:

  • Flying with a newborn baby, and baby or toddler under two.
  • BA car seat policy
  • BA pushchair/stroller policy
  • BA bassinet policy
  • Sleep devices and child ride-ons/ leg rests permitted
  • Baby and child meals on British Airways
  • British Airways in flight entertainment for children.
  • Current mask rules for children on BA.

virgin travel with infant

Cathay Pacific Flying With Kids Information

All the Cathay Pacific flying with kids information in one place. Including:

  • Cathay Pacific pushchair/stroller policy
  • Are Sleep devices and child ride-ons/leg rests permitted

virgin travel with infant

Delta Flying With Kids Information

All the Delta flying with kids information in one place. Including:

  • Are Sleep devices and leg rests permitted.

virgin travel with infant

Emirates Flying With Kids Information

All the Emirates flying with kids information in one place. Including:

  • Emirates Car seat policy

virgin travel with infant

Etihad Airways Flying With Kids Information

All the Etihad Airways flying with kids information in one place. Including:

virgin travel with infant

JetBlue Flying With Kids Information

All the JetBlue flying with kids information in one place. Including:

virgin travel with infant

Qantas Flying With Kids Information

All the Qantas flying with kids information in one place. Including:

virgin travel with infant

Singapore Airlines Flying With Kids Information

All the Singapore Airlines flying with kids information in one place. Including:

virgin travel with infant

Southwest Airlines Flying With Kids Information

All the Southwest Airlines flying with kids information in one place. Including:

virgin travel with infant

Virgin Australia Flying With Kids Information

All the Virgin Australia flying with kids information in one place. Including:

  • Virgin Australia pushchair/stroller policy

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Seats for children

virgin travel with infant

Here you'll find info about seats for children onboard, and how to bring pushchairs and car seats with you.

We only allow equipment that has been certified by international aviation regulators (the EASA and FAA) such as baby car seats, to be used onboard. Other types of comfort seating aids for children won't be allowed.  

To choose your seats, just head over to My booking  where you'll be able to view the seat map for your flight.

Babies up to the age of 2 are classed as infants , and  children refers to those aged 2-11. 

Please note:  if an infant turns two during your journey, please  contact us  to book, as a seat will need to be arranged for them.

Planning your seating

We'll always seat children within arm's reach of an accompanying adult, whether that's next to, across the aisle, in front or behind them. Each adult can accompany a maximum of two infants. You must be 12 or over to accompany a lap infant, and it's only  one baby per lap  please, or things get a bit too wriggly.

Flying in Economy?  If you've booked a seat for your baby (instead of travelling on your lap) they can sit in their car seat. They must be next to an accompanying adult or young adult age 12 or over. If you have two children in car seats, you’ll need to have them either side of you.

If you're travelling in Upper Class your baby won't be able to sit in their car seat because there are airbags fitted in the seatbelts.

The same applies for Premium seats on our A330 - 300 planes, apart from the front row. 

For all of our other aircraft it's safe for your child to travel in their car seat in Premium .  

Please make sure your car seat complies to the requirements below.

Booster seats

Booster seats are fine to use onboard, but they'll need to be stowed away in the overhead compartments for taxi, take-off and landing, and when the Fasten Seat Belt signs are on.

Pushchairs and car seats for the hold

You’re welcome to bring one fully collapsible pushchair and a car seat in addition to your free checked baggage allowance.

Pushchairs can be checked in or used up until the boarding gate, when they'll be put in the hold. Once we land we’ll have it ready outside the aircraft doors wherever possible. At some destinations, you may have to pick it up at the baggage hall due to local customs restrictions.

Alternatively, pushchairs that are a maximum of 23 x 36 x 56cm (that’s around 9 x 14 x 22 inches) when folded are permitted in the cabin with you as your hand baggage.

Please note pushchairs carried onboard are part of your hand baggage allowance, not an additional item. If your buggy does not fit in the baggage sizer at check in or at the boarding gate, the pushchair will be tagged by ground staff and checked in either at check in or the boarding gate. You must be able to place your foldable pushchair in the overhead bins unaided.

The Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES)

The CARES harness fits around the back of the seat and attaches to the aircraft seatbelt to provide restraint for the upper part of a child's body. It is suitable for children (both able bodied and disabled) between 2 and 4 years old, weighing between 22lb - 44lb (10-20kg), whose height is 40” (100cm) or less and who can sit upright in their own aircraft seat.

The CARES harness can be used in the Economy and Premium cabins but must be fitted within the last row of a cabin zone. It also cannot be used in any seats fitted with an airbag-seatbelt, including our Upper Class suites.

To buy a CARES harness, visit  www.kidsflysafe.com.

On this page:

virgin travel with infant

Infant car seat requirements

An infant is a child less than two years old. (Children aged 2 and over are not permitted to use an Infant car seat onboard)

If you would like to use your own car seat, it must:

  • Be designed to be secured by means of a normal aircraft single lap strap 
  • Have a separate 5-point restraining harness 
  • Not exceed the dimensions of the aircraft seat, and should fit into an area of 43cm x 43cm (17.ins x 17ins) 
  • Must be secured to its host seat at all times of the flight 
  • Must not require the use of a three-point harness to secure it to the aircraft seat.
  • Rear facing car seats are not allowed
  • If for any reason your car seat cannot be fully secured, it may have to be placed in the hold. In these circumstances, your infant will have to be secured to your lap whenever the seat belt sign comes on

The car seat must also display one of the following labels:

virgin travel with infant

EU approved labelling

Approved for use in motor vehicles according to the UN standard ECE R 44, -03” or later

‘Qualification Procedure for Child Restraint Systems for Use in Aircraft’ (TÜV Doc.: TÜV/958-01/2001)

virgin travel with infant

FAA approved labelling

Approved for use in motor vehicles and aircraft according to US FMVSS No 213 and manufactured to these standards on or after February 26, 1985 ‘This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety standards.

This Restraint is Certified for Use in Motor Vehicles and Aircraft.’

virgin travel with infant

Australia/New Zealand approved labelling

Australian Standard AS1754 New Zealand Standard NZS1354

Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS1754

virgin travel with infant

Canadian approved labelling

Standard CMVSS 213/213.1

Please note:

1. You may be asked to show the approval labelling to our ground staff and cabin crew, so please make sure you know where to find it.

2. You’ll need to show our cabin crew that you’ve fitted the seat securely and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

3. The seat must fit securely using a normal aircraft seatbelt, as unlike cars, we don’t have ISOFIX systems or seatbelts that are worn over the shoulder.

Premium and Upper Class

If you have a car seat, you may be aware that you can’t use them where airbags are fitted. As all of our Upper Class suites and the Premium seats on many of our aircraft have airbags you will be unable to use your own car seats.

Comfort aids and harnesses

The below devices are permitted to use for children onboard all Virgin Atlantic planes. Any other devices that are not present on this list aren't permitted onboard at any time. 

  • Child body support 
  • Travel chair 
  • Cares harness
  • Infant seat belts - these will be provided by the cabin crew onboard your flight 
  • Car seats - these must meet certain requirements. Please read more information below.
  • CoziGo Canopy to be placed over infant's bassinet
  • Trunki is a kids ride on travel suitcase with a child seat built in, this can be carried onboard as part of your hand luggage allowance, however this cannot be used as a sleeping aid.
  • JetKids ™ Bed box ™ by Stokke ® turns an economy or premium seat into a bed, these are permitted to be used in flight, provided the seatbelt is always fastened when in use.**
  • Plane Pal - inflatable cushion for children to sleep, please note that only the Plane Pal brand is permitted**
  • Small inflatable neck pillows

*Please advise our Special Assistance team ahead of travel to ensure you have a suitable seat booked to use with your seating support. 

** Can't be used if the child is in an aisle seat (middle and window seats are fine). Must be stowed away for taxi, takeoff and landing, and during turbulence. Can be carried instead of a cabin bag. 

With the exception of the devices permitted to use onboard (as above), any other devices aren't permitted onboard at any time.

Examples of devices not permitted on board at any time:

  • Leg hammock for passengers to place their legs inside 
  • Inflatable foot rest that attaches to the seat in front 
  • Large soft or inflatable head pillow
  • Privacy band that attaches to the headrest 
  • knee defender

Cots / bassinets onboard

All cots/bassinets should be requested in advance. You will need to speak to our contact centre to request a cot/bassinet.

• If you already have a booking, please log in to My Booking where you can speak to an advisor via web messaging.

• If you have not yet made your booking, please Contact us  and let the advisor know you would like to request a cot/bassinet.

Our Preflight teams will endeavour to ensure that as many requests as possible can be accommodated, however each of our aircraft carry a limited number of cots/bassinets onboard. Available bassinets will be allocated in the order we receive the requests for each flight. Your seat number will be allocated ahead of Online Check In opening.

Please refer to the tables below for more information regarding our cots/bassinets onboard our aircraft:

Economy and Premium sky cots

Upper class sky cots.

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Virgin Atlantic: Family flying airline review

Family Flying Airline Review Virgin Atlantic

Our Globetrotters are reviewing 30 of the world’s leading international airlines for their family-friendliness.  Our reviews cover the airline’s policies and service offerings that the average family will deal with when flying standard economy class. For more details on the  Globetrotters reviews and ratings referenced, please see the   lead article .

Virgin Atlantic (not to be confused with Virgin Australia) operates predominantly transatlantic routes from the UK, but they also have African and Asian long-haul destinations. A fun and vibrant airline in keeping with the “ Virgin ” brand, let’s see how the airline stacks up for your average family travellers.

virgin travel with infant

Base: United Kingdom

Alliances: with individual airlines, skytrax rating 2018 : 29, jacdec safety rating 2019: 8.

Join Our Globetrotters online community to receive our top 21 tips flr flying long-haul with kids

Pregnant flyers on Virgin Atlantic

For uncomplicated pregnancies, you can fly without issue up to the 28th week.  Between 28 weeks and 36 weeks for a single pregnancy, you will need to travel with a letter from your doctor. Beyond 36 weeks you can only fly under mitigating circumstances.

For a multiples pregnancy, a doctors certificate is required from the 28th week to the 32nd week and no flying is permitted after the 32nd-week.

Related Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Flying Pregnant

Newborns on virgin atlantic.

The only restriction is that the baby must be healthy and at least 48 hours old.

There are many reasons though that you should delay flying after a birth, however, we talk more about flying with newborns here .

Flying on Virgin Atlantic with Infants (under 2 years)

Infants can be booked on an infants ticket, sitting on a parents lap until 2 years of age.  An adult can travel with a maximum of two infants – though one must be in an approved car seat with their own child’s ticket.

You are allowed a pushchair and a car seat in addition to your usual baggage allowance (infants and children)

If you need to bring bottles on with you, here is the UK guidance for onboard liquids.  Staff are permitted to help warm baby bottles.

Related Reading: Guide to lightweight strollers (that can come on the plane with you!) 

Infant cots on board virgin atlantic.

Dimensions vary by route as follows:

Economy / Premium Economy Boeing 747-400 Aircraft

  • 35cm x 21cm x 74cm. Max weight 9kg, max length 74cm

Economy / Premium Economy Boeing 797-9 & Airbus A330 Aircraft

  • 28.6cm x 72.7cm.  Max weight 11kg, max length 76cm

Upper-Class Cot 787-9 and Airbus A330 Aircraft

  • 35cm x 24cm x76cm. Max weight 11kg, max length 75cm

Note there are no in-flight cots in the Upper-Class cabin on B747-400 aircraft operating to or from Gatwick or Manchester.

Related reading: Our complete guide to aeroplane baby bassinets

Children on virgin atlantic (2-11 years), kids meals on virgin atlantic.

Children’s meals are NOT automatically booked, you will need to reserve these at least 24 hours in advance.  They can only be ordered for children who have their own seat, not lap infants.

They also offer pureed and bottled food for infants.  There’s no in-between option so you may want to bring your own food for your older lap infants or share an adult plate (NB top tip is to order a kids meal to your adult seat – these are always served first.  When the normal meal service comes around just ask for an extra adult tray for you.)

Use of sleep devices and infant seats on Virgin Atlantic

Only a designated list of safety harnesses and infant seat belts (such as the CARES harness ) may be used as an additional aide on Virgin Atlantic planes.

You cannot use the likes of a Bed Box or Plane Pal as they are not on their expressed list of devices. 

Learn more about which airlines do and don’t allow sleep device products on board here.

Onboard entertainment for kids

Wifi is available at a charge from most of their fleet. Electronics can also be used on board in safe flight mode and all aircraft now have USB sockets in economy class.

What extras do you get in Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy?

Considering an upgrade? Virgin Atlantics Premium Economy allows you extra baggage and more leg room with a comfier seat.  You also get a nicer amenities kit and proper table cloth service.

Worth it with kids?  The extra room to move is always appreciated and little extra service touches, well worth considering on those longer flights if price permits.

Complete Guide to Flying with Kids | Our Globetrotters

Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic

Upper Class is Virgin’s terminology for business class.  If you are flying from Heathrow, you get your own private entrance to the airport and direct lounge access followed by direct lounge boarding.  In other airports, the service may not be as luxurious but certainly, any extras are a huge plus when flying with kids.

Related Reading: How to fly business class with kids

Unaccompanied minors on virgin atlantic.

Children between 5 and 11 years are classified as unaccompanied minors if travelling alone and must pay the price of an adult ticket.  No under 5’s allowed.

Children 12 to 18 may choose whether to use this service.

You cannot book the unaccompanied minor services online, this must be done with their reservations team and the journey must not involve connecting flights with anyone other than Virgin Atlantic.

If you are travelling in Upper Class and children in a different cabin, you can visit them, but they cannot visit you during the flight. They are considered unaccompanied if under 12 and in a different cabin.

Note under 18’s travelling to the UAE unaccompanied will need parental consent.  

Baggage Allowances on Virgin Atlantic

Baggage allowances vary according to whether you are Economy, Premium Economy or Upper Class.

Economy and Premium Economy allow all seat holders one piece of hand luggage up to 10kg on all flights.  Upper Class can have up to 2 pieces not exceeding 16kgs combines.

Additionally, infants on laps can have a baby bag not exceeding 6kg on board, and a checked item of 23kgs (plus pushchair and car seat).

For checked luggage allowance on Virgin Atlantic:

  • Economy Classic and Economy Delight tickets include one checked bag of 23 kgs.
  • Economy Premium includes 2 checked items up to 23kgs.
  • Upper Class is allowed up to 3 pieces each weighing 32kgs.

Economy Light bookings don’t include any checked baggage but this can be additionally purchased.

Virgin Atlantic Frequent Flyer Programs

The Virgin Atlantic rewards program is called Flying Club .  Points can be earned and spent with partners airlines (more below), partner hotels & transport, attached to credit cards, Tesco Clubcard, Virgin Trains as well as earned on Virgin Atlantic flights.

Children can be separately registered and airline miles can be transferred to family members, but at cost.  Only top-tier Virgin Gold members can pool points in a household account.

Whilst not a member of one of the large alliance programs, they do have codeshare partnerships with Air China , Air New Zealand , Delta , Flybe, Jet Airways, Singapore Airlines , Virgin Australia and AeroMexico.   Booking with these partner airlines though cannot be done online.

Globetrotters View of Virgin Atlantic

Our personal experience of Virgin Atlantic was pre-kids and with one lap infant LGW to ORL. We never had an issue with the service we received, nor anything that predominantly stuck out.  Flight crews are friendly and hospitable.

It would be good to see better points pooling for families – our main criticism of most frequent flyer programs!

So let’s hear it, what has been your experience flying with Virgin Atlantic?  Did they go that extra step out of the way for you? Is there any travelling or booking advice you could give to other families?

See how to submit your own airline review here – or click over and see our full series

  • Review of Virgin Australia – Sydney to LA
  • Review of British Airways Transatlantic

Virgin Atlantic Family Flying Airline Review

Disclaimer: The information provided on this page should be used as a guide only.  It has been gathered from public sources and correct at the time of going to print (February 2019). Please consult the airline’s own website before booking any family travel with this airline. This review is not an endorsement of Virgin Atlantics services and I am in no way affiliated with the airline. For further information on airline ratings used and airline alliances, please consult my introductory article here .

© Our Globetrotters

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2 thoughts on “ Virgin Atlantic: Family flying airline review ”

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What you should mention here is that if you have a lap infant who is no longer eating puree foods then Virgin Atlantic will not provide a kids meal for them, only baby meals for a lap infant. Even their own information on the website says a baby meal is only suitable up to 12 months, but doesn’t mention you can’t get another meal for a child.

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Hi Daniel – yes we have made that remark in our review. Unfortunately, some airlines do not properly cater for the 12-24 month age group which feels a little unfair. The trick we started doing though was ordering a child’s meal to the adults ticketed seat, then when the trolley service comes around you can still grab an adults meal for yourself. Understandingly frustrating though if this is not made clear on their website and you’ve not flown with them before.

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virgin travel with infant

Virgin Australia flying with babies

What requirements apply when traveling with children on virgin australia flights.

Any child 23 months or younger is considered an infant and must be accompanied by a passenger 15 years of age and over, or the parent or legal guardian (13 years of age and over). Only one infant may be booked to travel on the lap of each adult or guardian. Infants must be nursed on an adult’s lap and restrained with an infant seatbelt whenever the seatbelt sign is illuminated. Infants can occupy a seat, but only in an approved child restraint system .

Any child over 2 years of age, who is not yet 12 is considered a child and must occupy a seat with their own ticket .

What options do I have when traveling with an infant?

On any Virgin Australia flight , passengers traveling with infants may choose between holding them on their lap and purchasing a separate seat for the infant :

  • On domestic flights, infants travel free if they do not occupy a seat . Passengers may purchase a seat for their infants for extra comfort, which will be charged at full price .
  • For trans-Tasman flights, infants are charged 10% of the full fare (excluding taxes, surcharges, and fees) if they do not occupy a seat. Purchasing a seat for an infant will be charged at full price .
  • For short-haul (except trans-Tasman) and long-haul International flights , infants under 2 years are charged 10% of the full fare (excluding surcharges, taxes, and fees) if they do not occupy a seat. Purchasing an extra seat for an infant will be charged at 75% of the full fare.

Are there children discounts offered by Virgin Australia?

For children, passengers over 2 years of age who are not yet 12 years of age, Virgin Australia may offer discounts depending on the itinerary :

  • Domestic and trans-Tasman flights – a child seat is charged at full price .
  • International short-haul flights (except trans-Tasman) – a child seat is charged at 75% of the full fare  (excluding taxes, fees, and surcharges) .

Infant on Lap

Passengers with a baby need 1 hour before departure of a domestic flight, and 2 hours for international travel when checking-in. Check-in team members may request proof of date of birth , like extracts or copies of birth certificates. Infants need the proper travel documents to travel, like adults.

Passengers traveling with an infant can take on  board an extra   carry-on bag containing articles for use in the cabin such as nappies or baby food.

On domestic and short-haul international flights, three special infant items can be carried as checked baggage, free of charge, even if the adult does not have a baggage allowance. Infant items include but are not restricted to pram/stroller, car seat, portable cot, and baby capsule . For all fares except the Economy Lite fare , you may check in a 23 kg bag as part of the special infant items allowance .

Infants with Reserved Seats

When infants travel in their own seat, an approved child restraint system (CRS) must be used on board . CRSs include car seats and harness-type restraints. The child restraint device must be certified for carriage in an aircraft (labeling/marking requirements) and meet the acceptance criteria :

  • Designed so that it can be secured with a fastened lap belt only.
  • Not exceeding a width of 44 cm (17 inches) .
  • Designed to restrain the child’s weight, which, unless otherwise specified on the label, is 9 kg or less for rear-facing restraints and 18 kg or less for forward-facing restraints.
  • In good condition, not showing any sign of damage.
  • With a single release harness that secures your child’s lap belt, and torso and shoulder straps.
  • With a solid back and seat.

Virgin Australia does not provide but permits the use of the CARES Child Restraint onboard for infants and children . This device must be used in accordance with operating instructions and must have the original label intact.

At check-in and onboard, a visual assessment of all devices will be conducted by Virgin Australia staff . All labels, supporting paperwork, and operating instructions must be clearly visible and available for inspection, at all times. If it is determined that a particular device does not meet the acceptance criteria, it must be transported as checked baggage. If accepted for carriage, car seats must also be:

  • Installed in the aircraft seat by the parent or guardian.
  • Allocated according to airline seating rules, not impeding passengers’ access to the aisle or exit routes.

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Tips & Tricks for International Travel with an Infant

  • September 2, 2023
  • Family Travel , Travel Tips + Planning , Travel with Baby

As Kaia passes the 7-month mark, she’s visited 10 countries, been on 15 flights (including 4 transatlantic), and stayed in nearly 20 hotels across the globe. She’s adjusted to time changes and had formula from a market purchased in the mountains of Oman. There’s no doubt that traveling with infants is different and requires flexibility, resourcefulness and a bit more pre-planning… not to mention more checked bags than you’re used to. Below, I’m sharing insight on international travel with an infant. I’m focusing largely on air travel with an infant, plus things to keep in mind, but also a few notes for prep for arriving and staying in a new country.

I should also note – in the vein of transparency – that international travel with an infant is not easy and does take a bit to adapt to. Many Instagram accounts paint a picture of glamorous travel with baby, easy moments sharing new cities with a little one, and tiny tots noshing on international cuisine like pros. That’s only part of the picture. Babies, like adults, have to adjust to time changes (more on that below) so that may mean a few difficult nights during the adjustment period. There are new realities to adapt to with dining time, some adults-only places you’ll have to tearfully pass on, and knowing baby’s needs (obviously) come before yours. There are lots of beautiful moments and memories to be made, but also the new realities of how travel has changed with a little one in tow. If you find the first few trips a bit difficult, just know you’re not alone! It gets easier with time as baby gets a bit older and as you get more used to your new travel companion.

In the Air with an Infant

First and foremost, I’m sharing details about air travel with an infant as this is probably where I get the most questions from first-time jet setters heading out with the baby. I get it and believe me, I get a bit of anxiety every time we’re heading to the airport with Kaia, but every trip does  get easier as you find your new rhythm. One thing to just keep in mind when planning is that it’s not  just  the flight to keep in mind — this isn’t to scare anyone, but just to remind and inform! For us, a 3-hour flight to London from Rome, for example, isn’t just a 3-hour flight to Rome. It’s a two-hour drive to the airport, 2+ hours at the airport, and then a 3-hour flight pending no delays (more on that below). The 3-hour flight ultimately ends up being a 7 – 8 hour journey, not counting landing, clearing immigration, etc. All that to say, when you’re mentally planning your day and air travel with your infant, you’ll want to keep the bigger picture in mind and pack accordingly. More details, tips and tricks below!

Booking Your Infant Seat – What’s Included

International travel with an infant

First and foremost, let’s talk about booking your infant’s seat. If you’re traveling internationally with an infant, you need a passport. That seems like a given, but I’ve seen the question asked. Your baby is a person with their own identity and you’ll want to be sure you have their passport prior to travel. There’s a lot of talk about lap infants traveling for ‘free’. To be accurate, infants don’t travel for free as they do have to pay for taxes and sometimes there’s a small infant fare. On international trips where we’ve flown Business Class (on points), we’ve had to pony up upwards of $300 – $400 for her despite the fact that she doesn’t have her own seat. Some smaller, budget carriers charge a fee for an infant (sometimes €25 or so on budget European carriers). A follow-up note to that: sometimes airlines don’t have an infant option when you’re booking. Or  perhaps you’re booking airfare for the future and your baby is still in utero at the moment. The best approach is to call and  add  the infant to your booking. They’ll assign the infant to the mother usually and this will appear on your booking. The infant receives their own ticket but will show as INF vs. showing a seat number.

All of that said, your infant is expected to sit on your lap and share a seat with you which means this approach does  not  guarantee that you’ll have a seat for your baby in any way. If luck is on your side and an adjacent seat is available then yay! You can ask the agent upon check-in or the attendants when boarding but it’s really a gamble. If you want your child to have a seat, you’ll have to book them a child’s fare. Now, your infant fare includes a carry-on for your child and gives you the ability to bring formula (more on this below); liquids that typically wouldn’t be allowed for a normal flyer. I’m sharing more insight on this below in terms of packing and prepping as this was one of my main concerns!

The Bassinet — The Inside Scoop

International travel with an infant

You’ve heard of the elusive bassinet. It’s like a unicorn add-on that every new mom is in awe of. These exist?! How did we never notice them before becoming pregnant or having a child?! It makes sense! We never needed them before and truth be told, they’re not available on every flight. Not to mention the fact that each bassinet is different. Here’s the inside scoop: bassinets are free and they’re first come, first served. Generally speaking, the agents I speak to over the phone when booking air cannot guarantee them.  If a flight has a bassinet, it’s set up at a bulkhead seat and you have to let your flight attendant know to allow it to be set up prior to take off. When you’re looking at a plane configuration online, you may notice a small drawing of an infant (in your previous pre-parent life you may have not noticed this or thought it was a bathroom symbol). These seats are designated bassinet seats. Again,  not all flights have them  and not all classes of service have them. I’ve been on flights where economy had bassinets but Business Class didn’t. Each bassinet is different but they’re generally very useful and allow you to be hands-free for a bit when your baby sleeps. On our earlier flights, when Kaia was 6 – 14 weeks old or so, we found these helpful as she slept frequently and was comfortable in the bassinet. Piece of advice: bring their favorite/go-to blanket from home! It gives them some comfort and allows them to cozy up faster.

Take Comfort – There’s White Noise on the Plane

It’s your first time traveling internationally with baby and you’re concerned about the long flight… I’m going to remind you of one fantastic truth:  there is so much white noise on planes.  You know the white noise machines moms swear by for helping baby fall asleep at night? The plane is basically a big white noise machine so babies are lulled easily by that! Add to that the fact that there’s a lot of ambient noise on a plane (more than you ever realized before) so if baby is whining, fussing or crying a bit, the likelihood is that you  notice it far more than anyone around you.

Take Off and Landing

virgin travel with infant

One of the big conversations with babies is around take-off and landing. Every parent traveling by air with a baby for the first time is aware of this and fearful of it. The common sentiment/approach is to allow the baby to nurse or to provide them a pacifier upon take-off and landing to help with their ears and any pressure. If they’re sleeping,  let them sleep.  I wouldn’t advise waking a sleeping baby to have them nurse or provide them a pacifier. Another added comfort: I had a very difficult time nursing due to some issues during my birth experience and Kaia never took to a pacifier. She’s now been on 15 flights including 6  – 8 that were 7+ hours. We have never had an issue with her ears. Even if she isn’t having a bottle, nursing, etc. she’s never shown signs of pain or fussiness. I share that to just note that not  all  babies have issues. There’s a constant fear that your baby will be in pain, screaming for the flight due to pressure, but that’s not necessarily true. Of course if you can preempt the issue by nursing or providing a pacifier then go for it!

Prepping Your In-Flight Baby Bag

International travel with an infant

If you’ve followed my adventures in the past, you know that we’re generally light packers. We travel for a month in a carry-on and think nothing of it.

That’s past tense now (insert crying face).

Babies take a shocking amount of stuff — and it’s very difficult to pare down when they’re very young depending on your personal situation. You will have the ability to bring a carry-on on board for your infant. Pack wisely and thoughtfully. Big things to consider:

  • Formula . If you’re like us and need to use formula or choose to use formula, bring enough (more details below).
  • Diapers, Wipes and Changing Pad.  Bring plenty of diapers – plenty! – just in case. I brought a dozen on our first transatlantic flight from London to Miami and a friend scolded me about being ill-prepared. He had been in a similar situation and dealt with flight delays, a baby with a bad tummy and a whole host of issues and a dozen was barely enough to make it out unscathed. Generally speaking, I think a dozen is fine. Do what’s best or you but be generous. Also bring a changing mat (we bring disposable ones AND a padded one), along with wipes. I prepare what I call a ‘nappy changing kit’ before travel. I take the changing pad (the non-disposable, nicer, cushioned pad), insert a disposable changing pad, put in two diapers, and a package of wipes and then fold it up so it’s ready to go. When I need to use the lavatory to change her, I pull the changing table down, the pack is ready to go and I unfold. I bring the second diaper to use as a pad for her head just in case!
  • Backup Outfits.  Always bring backup outfits for obvious reasons. If you don’t, Murphy’s Law dictates that you’ll deal with the world’s worst blowout and have no way to recover. Also, bring a backup outfit for yourself!
  • Toys and Entertainment:  Bring toys your baby loves to entertain them. For us, that’s Sophie (the ever-present giraffe), our Sea Tails crinkle book, a few rattles, a flexible mirror, and a couple of other toys just to mix it up in case.
  • A go-to blanket:  As i mentioned above, whether your baby is sleeping on you or in a bassinet, a blanket that their go-to is a piece of home and gives them some comfort in new settings.
  • Any medications, specifics for baby:  Whether it’s Tylenol or something your baby needs more critically, obviously be sure to pack meds for baby in the carry-on.

Formula Packing and Options

International travel with an infant

This was my biggest worry! How would I bring formula on board and what was my best approach for traveling with a formula-fed baby internationally? People have different takes on this, but this is what works for us: I have 5 – 6 bottles that we travel with. Generally speaking, at 7 months old, our baby eats about 150ml/5 oz. 5 times per day. I usually have 3 bottles  filled, one with a ready-to-eat portion, then 1 – 2 empty. We have trained Kaia from her early early days to not expect warm formula. My mom gawked at this like it was some form of child abuse, but honestly — babies don’t need  formula to be warm, and if they accept it lukewarm or even slightly chilled – gasp! – your life will be easier for it. The filled bottles that we carry with us go in a cooler bag with ice (you can take the ice through security since you have an infant) which keeps them safe for consumption. I usually take a bottle out (it’ll be  freezing  when you remove it) and allow it to warm with my body heat or request hot water from a flight attendant (or get hot water in the airport lounge depending on where we’re at). Kaia doesn’t require formula heated to a particular temperature so as long as it’s not absolutely freezing, she’s happy enough to have it. Also, in the spirit of being prepared for any circumstance, the worst-case scenario is running out of food for your baby. If you’re a mom that is not nursing, this means you rely on formula. In addition to our prepared formula, we bring two 500mL ready-to-drink formulas that are shelf-stable. We’ve opened them before on planes when needed. They do need to be kept cold after opening so your cooler bag will come in handy again. Note that flight crew often cannot put your items in their fridge per FAA regs but they CAN provide ice, which they’ve kindly done for us in the past. In addition, I bring powder formula in my carry-on just in case we get stuck somewhere and I need to prepare more. That’s a super safety precaution but always makes us feel safer in case things change unexpectedly.

With younger babies, the biggest concern is sanitizing bottles so bring extra, pre-sanitized bottles with you so you’re ready to go. We have travel-friendly microwavable sanitizer bags but these aren’t useful on the plane. If you’re in a major bind at some point, boiling water run through bottles usually is fine as bottles don’t need to be sanitized after every  use though they do need to be cleaned properly shortly after use. I also bring a bottle brush when I can remember!

Is Business Class Appropriate?

International travel with an infant

We searched for answers to this ourselves before flying Business Class with her on a series of international flights. Is it appropriate to book Business Class with a baby? There are so many threads and so many personal anecdotes here, but let me just say that if you can  book Business Class, do it. Our Business Class flights with baby were so  much better than economy. I’m a petite person (5’1″) so I usually have plenty of room in a spacious Business seat which means I can happily share with baby. With full lay flat beds, I’ve sat with her to play, to cuddle, and to sleep. We shared a seat while she snoozed so while there wasn’t a bassinet available, we had plenty of space to be comfortable. I’ve been side-eyed when walking into Business Class with baby, but really? As someone on a forum noted (astutely, I might add), someone’s worried about my baby making noise during the flight… what about the guy next to me snoring? And reality check: there are usually good headphones in Business Class so they can cancel noise out pretty easily. Also note my comment above about white noise.

What if your baby cries for half the flight?

If you travel often, the reality is that this will probably happen at some point. Kaia fussed for at least 30% of our flight from Cancun to San Francisco (teething plus recovering from tummy issues). It was shitty. I felt terrible for the other passengers. I felt stressed in that moment. I did all that I could to comfort her. You know what? The flight is over now. We made it. We survived. It wasn’t our greatest flight experience but it was in no way indicative of future flights either. On the following flight we took with her from SFO > Rome (12 hours) she was fantastic. Other passengers fawned over how wonderful she was and complimented us on having a chill child. So, that is to say, if that does  happen, a friend reminded me: you won’t see these people again. Do your best and that’s all you can do. Infants are infants. You can’t ‘control’ them and there’s no behavioral issue (it’s not like they’re a 4-year-old screaming and running amok). They’re babies — and guess what? We were all babies once. I need to remind myself of that same advice a lot, but I think the most important thing is to not have PTSD after a flight like that. One bad flight doesn’t mean that your future flights will be bad. Sometimes babies (and adults, for that matter) have bad days.

What To Bring For Baby

Kaia in Greece

Above I mentioned that we were such light packers once upon a time. With baby, things shifted quite dramatically, though admittedly, I do feel that the first six months of traveling with her were the most difficult in terms of her needs. As babies become stronger and more capable, the infant needs become less stressful. When they’re tiny (our first international flight with Kaia was at 6 weeks old) they’re fragile. Their immune systems are fragile and their bodies are delicate so you’re naturally more concerned about having their comforts -and yours – with you.

If you’re traveling to a country in the developed world, remember that babies exist EVERYWHERE. So, diapers, for example, are not something you need to pack en masse. We bring enough to get us through flights and a few days but usually stop at a pharmacy or similar to buy more in the destination. Formula can be trickier so I do try to pack enough to get us through a trip. We use Aptamil which has been universally pretty easy to procure. Travel anecdote: we were running out of formula while in Jabal al-Akhdar during our two weeks in Oman . As you can imagine, a mom is pretty quickly in a panic realizing she didn’t pack enough food for baby and that she’s also in the middle of a mountain town in Oman with about three restaurants, a gas station, and a minimart. Lo and behold, the minimart had Aptamil.  I quickly procured two containers, counted my blessings, and vowed not to risk that again. When Kaia was tiny (before she could sit on her own) we also traveled with her Baby Bjorn baby bouncer to give her a place to sit and play without having to always lay on her back. We no longer need that given she can sit independently. Blankets are a piece of home – bring baby’s favorite to put on the bottom of the crib and to put over baby as well. We travel with our portable baby monitor by Nanit (a must for us), along with a portable router for our Nanit, and a white noise machine. Depending on the destination, we may also bring things like swim diapers, floatation devices for infants, etc.

On the Ground with an Infant

HOTEL INSIDER: A Stay at Belmond Maroma, Mexico

You’ve made it to your destination – yay! There’s major comfort when the final 30-minute countdown is on and you’re more or less clear. You made it!

Be Prepared for International Arrival – TSA, Global Entry, etc.

Reminder to frequent fliers new to traveling internationally with an infant: just because you’ve been jet setting for years with Global Entry doesn’t mean that this is transmitted to your baby. I have found that TSA Pre-Check actually was assumed by the baby when traveling, but Global Entry is not. If you’re flying into a major US hub there’s often an option for an interview upon arrival but you must submit the application prior.  If you’ve submitted your app, you can go to a window where your infant will be ‘interviewed’ (formality, obviously) and then can finalize their own process.

Airport Arrival – Special Family Lines

Piggybacking on the above, one of the benefits of international travel with an infant is that you often have access to special family lines and stroller-friendly pathways. I used to feel bad zipping past lines of people, but they’re just as happy to get a baby moved through to avoid noisy infants and crying while waiting for passport control. Babies obviously still need to go through passport control (see above somewhat obvious – but apparently not-so-obvious – point that babies also need passports to travel internationally).

Hotel Bookings with an Infant

International travel with infant

As a frequent traveler and as a hotelier, I can tell you that no request is too weird and where possible, hotels will do their best to honor your requests and needs. My common requests:

  • A crib: Some people travel with a Pack n’ Play. I prefer to take as little as we can (which is still too much) so we request a crib when on the move. Kaia has slept in 20+ different cribs so is very flexible but my must  is taking a blanket that is familiar so there’s a sense of continuity for her.
  • A Kettle:  We use formula so a kettle is important for preparing baby food (water must be boiled as formula isn’t sterile).  Some rooms are equipped with a kettle but many are not and can be delivered upon request.
  • Microwave or Sterilizer:  If you’re traveling with a young infant and using bottles, you’re likely still sanitizing as well. I’m not strict about a ton, but I was very strict about sanitizing to avoid any tummy issues. You have three options here depending on what you have access to: 1) Sterilizer bags + microwave, 2) a sterilizer, or 3) pieces boiled in a kettle. With the first option, you’ll need a microwave to be accessible (though you can sometimes as hotel staff to microwave for you). The bags allow you to put in about 60mL of water, plus bottles, caps and nipples and microwave for 1.5 – 4 minutes (depending on microwave strength) to sterilize. With option 2, the hotel kindly provides a bottle sterilizer that gets plugged in and requires no microwave or special equipment from you (we do this at Borgo but it’s not a common amenity). With option 3, if you’re in a bind, you can boil some parts in the kettle to sterilize. It’s the less safe/secure/proper approach but in a bind, it’s the best solution. Bring your bottle brush if you can.

Luxury hotels will sometimes provide baby-friendly bath products, baby robes, baby amenities, etc. but I’ve found that true at very luxe properties like the Ritz in Dubai, the Ritz. in Muscat and the Belmond Maroma in Riviera Maya.

International Medical Needs

It’s every parent’s hope that their baby never gets sick and that they never need medical care internationally. We were 9 for 10 until we got to Mexico where Kaia got a virus (not bacterial/water-based). Babies touch everything and put their hands in their mouths constantly so it’s just a matter of time until they get a tummy bug. Obviously, make sure that you have medical insurance and that your baby is covered under your plan. If necessary, get travel insurance as well. Keep a scan of your baby’s vaccination records and of course know what medications they’re taking, if any, and bring extras if they’re on regular medications. In Kaia’s case, we had telemedicine included with our insurance. After speaking with a doctor over the phone, we were advised to find a pediatrician to look at her in person. If a pediatrician wasn’t available, we were to go to the ER to have her looked at. With infants, doctors are very conservative with their approach as babies can become easily dehydrated and affected since they’re so small. We found a local pediatrician, got in quickly, had her examined, and visited a pharmacy to collect prescribed medications. It’s frightening when babies get sick, especially when you’re away from home, but know that developed countries (and developing countries, for that matter) will likely have a nearby facility for medical care and babies exist around the world so there will more than likely be a pediatrician to assist. Our insurance includes airlift in case there is a major issue requiring us to seek medical care away from the country we’re visiting. It’s not a bad idea to travel with baby probiotics and infant Tylenol to help with stomach issues and for fever and pain regulation.

If we’ve learned anything since beginning our parenting journey it’s that it’s the most humbling learning experience, it’s an exercise in flexibility, resourcefulness, and selflessness that yields the most rewarding moments. When parents talk about the rewarding side of travel with baby, there’s no doubt that watching some of your little one’s firsts unfold overseas is one of the coolest and most rewarding things imaginable and it’s those little moments, hearing tiny laughs that make all the extra suitcases and missed rooftop bars somehow worth it. ✧

Have you begun your international travel with baby? Tips, tricks, or reassurances to add for other parents out there?

Shannon Kircher, The Wanderlust Effect

More about Shannon Kircher

Shannon Kircher is the founder and editor of The Wanderlust Effect. Founded in 2009, she has continued to document her international escapes as an expat in Europe and the Caribbean. Additionally, Shannon is the founder of Compass & Vine, a luxury boutique travel design firm, and is the Director of Marketing for the Frangipani Beach Resort. Shannon holds an MSc in Social Policy and Development from the London School of Economics and is a current candidate for WSET Level 3 in Wines & Spirits.

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Flying with children

It’s finally time to go on that family trip you’ve been looking forward to for months, you just need figure out how to keep the kids entertained through the flight… Well, lucky you’ve booked with Virgin Atlantic. We've loaded our aircraft with everything kids love. Boredom is banned. From TV shows (yes, including Peppa) to dinosaur pasta, in-flight cots to car seats, we’ve got you covered to make flying with little ones as smooth as possible.

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Flying with kids | Virgin Atlantic

Inflight entertainment.

With a huge range of children's films and TV shows on offer, your children will be busy enjoying themselves from pre take-off right up until you step off the plane. That's sure to take some of the strain out of family travel.

Once at the gate we'll hand out KiD backpacks, bursting with goodies to keep them busy while you board and settle in.

On all flights your kids can choose from movies, TV and games suitable for all ages. And if they've got their own seats, they'll have their own TVs too.

Parental lock functionality is available on all aircraft. Please ask a member of cabin crew at the start of your flight if you need any help setting it up.

Inflight entertainment

What's playing for kids this month?

We've got the latest movies and entertainment for kids that you'll love too!

We’ve created our kids’ menu with the fussiest child in mind and includes a variety of familiar dishes that are sure to tickle their tastebuds. The crew are also regularly on hand with drinks to keep you and your little ones refreshed.

  • Baby meals - specifically for little ones under 12 months, which include standard pureed or bottled foods (no solids).
  • Children’s meals - We make sure to treat your little ones for good behaviour and offer them ice cream, jam sandwiches, fresh fruit and dinosaur pasta to add some fun to in-flight mealtimes. Specifically for our younger passengers aged 12 months to 12 years old which are nutritious, easy to eat and nut friendly. This means that while they don't contain nuts, they're not prepared in a nut free facility so may contain nut traces.

Kids meals aren't vegetarian. If your young one is a veggie they should go for the standard vegetarian option rather than a kids meal.

Children's meals aren't booked automatically, and need to be ordered online at least 48 hours before you fly . You can order a kids’ meal through My booking as soon as you book your tickets, or you can call us on 0344 874 7747. Please note meals can’t be booked for unseated infants.

Seats for children

Planning your seating

We need to make sure that each child in a car seat is supervised by a guardian aged at least 14 who is sitting right next to them. If you’ve got two children in car seats, you’ll need to have them either side of you.

If you need special support seating for disabled children, take a look at our information on support seating.

If you're travelling in Economy, you can bring your own car seat as long as it meets the standards below and you've booked a seat for it.

These products can't be used onboard:

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Bringing your own car seat , 1 of 1

If you would like to use your own car seat, it must:

  • Be designed to be secured by means of a normal aircraft single lap strap
  • Have a separate 5-point restraining harness
  • Not exceed the dimensions of the aircraft seat, and should fit into an area of 43cm x 43cm (17.ins x 17ins)
  • Must be secured to its host seat at all times of the flight
  • If for any reason your car seat cannot be fully secured, it may have to be placed in the hold. In these circumstances, your infant will have to be secured to your lap whenever the seat belt sign comes on

The car seat must also display one of the following labels:

EU approved labelling

Approved for use in motor vehicles according to the UN standard ECE R 44, -03” or later

‘Qualification Procedure for Child Restraint Systems for Use in Aircraft’ (TÜV Doc.: TÜV/958-01/2001)

Australia/New Zealand approved labelling

Australian Standard AS1754 New Zealand Standard NZS1354

Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS1754

FAA approved labelling

Approved for use in motor vehicles and aircraft according to US FMVSS No 213 and manufactured to these standards on or after February 26, 1985 ‘This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety standards.

This Restraint is Certified for Use in Motor Vehicles and Aircraft.’

Canadian approved labelling

Standard CMVSS 213/213.1

Please note:

1. You may be asked to show the approval labelling to our ground staff and cabin crew, so please make sure you know where to find it.

2. You’ll need to show our cabin crew that you’ve fitted the seat securely and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

3. The seat must fit securely using a normal aircraft seatbelt, as unlike cars, we don’t have ISOFIX systems or seatbelts that are worn over the shoulder.

Premium and Upper Class

If you have a car seat, you may be aware that you can’t use them where airbags are fitted. As all of our Upper Class suites and the Premium seats on many of our aircraft have airbags you will be unable to use your own car seats.

Flying with babies

Flying with a baby doesn’t need to be stressful, even if it’s just you and your little one.

Our baby-friendly cabin crew will be on hand to help throughout your flight. We offer specially designed in-flight cots, we’ll warm milk for you, and some of our toilets include changing facilities to help you along the way.

International flights

Your baby must be healthy and at least 48 hours old to travel on Virgin Atlantic international routes.

  • Cow’s milk, formula and water (to make formula up) are all allowed on the aircraft.
  • They must be in baby bottles or cartons, not bottles from the supermarket or flasks etc.
  • They can be over 100ml, but only up to a reasonable amount that’s necessary for the flight.

Whenever you need milk warming up, just let the cabin crew know and they’ll be happy to do it. They’ll always do it properly too – by warming it in hot water then leaving it to cool.

If you are travelling with an infant that does not have an assigned seat a meal will need to be requested in advance by contacting us on 0344 874 7747 .

In-flight cots

To make our flights comfortable for your baby (and peaceful for you), we offer in-flight cots free of charge. For your baby's safety, we don't allow them to be placed on the cabin floor. The cabin crew will install the cot for you after take-off and advise you if your baby will need to be removed from the cot and secured on your lap should there be any turbulence.

Sky cots must be requested in advance by calling 0344 874 7747 . There is a limited number of sky cots offered on a first come first served basis.

The cots have slightly different dimensions depending on your aircraft. To check your baby will fit comfortably in the cot that’s on your flight, see the dimensions below.

Please note there are no in-flight cots in the Upper Class cabin on B747-400 aircraft operating to or from Gatwick or Manchester.

Economy and Premium sky cots

Upper class sky cots.

Pushchairs and car seats

When travelling with children or infants, you’re welcome to bring one fully collapsible pushchair and a car seat, in addition to your free checked baggage allowance. Please note that pushchairs will fly in the aircraft’s hold. Car seats can be used on board (in Economy only) if they meet the necessary requirements. These can be found in the above section seats for children.

Pushchairs may be checked in or used up until the boarding gate. On landing, whenever possible we’ll have your pushchair ready and waiting at the aircraft doors. However, you may have to reclaim it at the baggage hall, due to local customs restrictions at some destinations.

Children flying alone

Can children fly alone , 1 of 3.

If your child is travelling without you, don’t worry, we’ll make sure their flight goes smoothly.

We’re happy to accept unaccompanied children on flights from the ages of 5 to 18 – and it goes without saying we’ll make sure they're OK throughout their journey. Just let us know they’ll be unaccompanied and follow the process below.

Before you book your travel it is worth noting:

Children aged between 5 and 11 are always classed as unaccompanied minors when travelling alone and must use the unaccompanied minors service as detailed below.

Children aged between 12 and 18 may choose to use the unaccompanied minors service, if they wish. However, ordinarily we assume they will not require it.

  • The parent/guardian of the unaccompanied minor must stay at the airport until the child's flight has departed
  • Children under 5 must always travel with someone aged 18 or over – we can't fly them on their own*
  • We also regard children aged 5 to 18 as unaccompanied minors if their parents or guardians are travelling on the same flight, but in a different cabin. This is because our crew will be responsible for them in the event of an emergency or the seatbelt signs are switched on, as you won't be able to attend to them
  • If you're travelling in Upper Class separately from your children they aren't permitted to visit you, but you are of course free to come and check on them

*Except when a child is travelling with their own parent or legal guardian who is less than 18 years.

Organising a flight for an unaccompanied child , 2 of 3

  • Make sure you let us know the child will be travelling alone when you book, by calling our reservations team on 0344 209 7777 (open 24 hrs a day), or through a travel agent. You can't book online
  • If the child has any special needs or medical conditions, again please be sure to let us know at the time you book
  • We'll send you a Declaration of Indemnity form for you to complete and sign. One part of the form needs to be returned to the UK Support centre
  • Keep hold of the remainder of the form to present at check in on the day of departure. If the form is not completed and signed we won’t be able to accept the child for lone travel
  • Please check whether your child needs any visas or documentation for their destination, and organise these if necessary
  • After check in, a member of our ground staff will take your child to the aircraft, where our cabin crew will then look after them
  • Once landed, another member of Virgin Atlantic staff will take them through immigration and customs and hand them over to the adult noted on the Declaration of Indemnity form. This adult will have to show formal identification before we end our care of your child.

We won't be able to accept your child if:

  • They are not brought to check in by a parent or guardian.
  • They arrived from a connecting flight, other than one operated by Virgin Atlantic.
  • They are travelling on another connecting flight, other than one operated by Virgin Atlantic.
  • They are not going to be collected from Virgin Atlantic directly by a parent or guardian upon arrival.
  • The transit time between flights is over four hours, if the flight includes a stop-over or if there are inter-airport connections by road or rail such as between Gatwick or Heathrow.

Extra things to be aware of:

  • Children travelling alone in Upper Class cannot use shared lounges, Clubhouses or the limo service.
  • The Unaccompanied Minor service is charged as an adult fare.

Unaccompanied minors travelling into, out of or via South Africa , 3 of 3

Since 1 June 2016, the South African immigration department have changed the requirements for children under 18 years of age travelling into, out of or transitting through South Africa, with or without a parent or guardian. Please make sure you have all the correct paperwork:

South African requirements for children travelling alone

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Traveling with a Baby or Toddler to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Are you planning a trip with your small children to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands? Read my guide for traveling with a baby or toddler to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands including tips for flying with small children, packing and more!

Are you planning a trip with your small children to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands? Read my guide for traveling with a baby or toddler to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands including tips for flying with small children, packing and more!

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands is my favorite place for a vacation. It combines the perfect amount of relaxation, adventure, luxury, delectable food and beautiful beaches. After bringing my little one along on my third trip to St. John, I’m sharing my tips for traveling with a baby or toddler. St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands is the perfect place to travel with kids. With family friendly accommodations, dining, and activities, it offers unique experiences for everyone. Continue reading below for my full guide to traveling with a baby or toddler to St. John U.S. Virgin Islands.

Check out my full guide to planning a trip to St John .

(1) Rent a villa on St. John

One thing I learned since traveling with a baby and now a walking toddler is that having extra space is a worthwhile luxury. My family loves renting a villa on St. John because we have all of the necessities of home, plenty of space to relax and gorgeous views. It’s also very cost effective to rent a villa, especially if you are traveling with a large group. On all of our three visits to St. John, we booked with Destination St. John . The properties are beautiful and clean and the service is excellent. On our most recent visit, we rented Blue Papaya Villa . It’s my favorite home on St. John so far. The view is gorgeous, the rooms are spacious and the location is perfect. Each bedroom is it’s own mini oasis. One of the bedrooms has two extra beds for kids so it’s perfect for a young family. There are many villa rental options available on the island so you won’t have any trouble finding a property to fit your needs.

While many villas on St. John are family friendly, a few do not allow children. Check with your villa rental company to confirm.

virgin travel with infant

(2) Pack light. Rent or buy when you get there.

Traveling with kids is a lot easier when you drive because you can bring many of your larger necessities from home. Traveling by plane is more limiting and you always need to plan ahead. Even for a small island, St. John has everything you need. I recommend packing the things that you can’t live without. If that means bringing your favorite diapers or reef-safe sunscreen from home, then do it (I did). But don’t bring more than you need. Read my list of island essentials below.

Island Baby is a baby rental company on the island of St. John. They have everything from cribs and highchairs to toys and beach shades. They will deliver and pick up from your villa so it’s no hassle and no stress. We love them! We rented a full size crib, highchair, toys and beach shade. Both of the local grocery stores carry other baby and toddler basics such as diapers, diaper cream, formula and food. We always travel with our own car seat, but Island Baby has them too.

Are you planning a trip with your small children to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands? Read my guide for traveling with a baby or toddler to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands including tips for flying with small children, packing and more!

We rented this Shade Shack  from Island Baby and loved it so much we bought one when we returned home to use on our frequent beach adventures. It’s easy to carry and clean so it’s really no hassle. Although St. John has a lot of shade on many of the beaches, it gave the baby extra sun protection and the perfect place to nap.

Are you planning a trip with your small children to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands? Read my guide for traveling with a baby or toddler to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands including tips for flying with small children, packing and more!

(3) Family Friendly Dining

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands offers many options for casual family friendly dining. All of the restaurants we visited have standard highchairs available. When in doubt, just call the restaurant and ask. Our little one loved La Tapa, Banana Deck and many more. Early dinners work best when traveling with little ones. Read my full guide for Where to Eat on St. John for all of my dining recommendations.

Are you planning a trip with your small children to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands? Read my guide for traveling with a baby or toddler to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands including tips for flying with small children, packing and more!

(4) Don’t over plan

I’m a natural overplanner. One of the things I love about St. John is that you don’t have to plan a lengthy itinerary. Especially if you travel during the off season, you rarely need restaurant reservations and can find plenty of available activities at the last minute. With over two dozen beaches on the island, there is an option for any day of the week. Our trips are much more enjoyable when we just go with the flow of our little one. Our little one either napped on the beach under the ShadeShack or napped in our villa so we were able to keep with her usual nap routine.

Are you planning a trip with your small children to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands? Read my guide for traveling with a baby or toddler to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands including tips for flying with small children, packing and more!

(5) St. John Island Essentials for Baby and Toddler

  • Sunscreen – make sure you use one that is reef safe!
  • Hat – iPlay SPF 50 Hat  is our favorite.
  • Long sleeve swimsuit or rash guard – a must! You can find a bunch on Amazon. We love this one !
  • Portable Sunshade or Beach Tent – We rented the ShadeShack and then purchased it when we returned home because we loved it so much.
  • Car seat – Renting a jeep is a necessity on St. John if you plan to explore the island so having a car seat is also a necessity. Because of the travel, we always pack our own carseat. We have an inexpensive but lightweight quality carseat that we bring with us when we travel.
  • Beach toys – You can either rent these from Island Baby or purchase them from one of the local beach shops. Many of the villas will have toys you can use too, but it’s hit or miss.
  • Crib  – Rent from Island Baby .
  • Diapers, Formula, Food – All of these items can be purchased at any of the larger St. John grocery stores or bring as many as you will need for your visit.
  • Snacks – We packed a few favorites and then purchased more on the island.

Are you planning a trip with your small children to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands? Read my guide for traveling with a baby or toddler to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands including tips for flying with small children, packing and more!

(6) Tips for traveling on a plane with a baby

Here are my top three tips for traveling by plane with a baby:

  • Travel during nap and bed times – A few parents told me this tip but I was skeptical. It’s true! Our little one slept on every flight except the one that wasn’t during nap time.
  • Bring items to keep them busy – We love sticky notes, small empty boxes, snacks and small toys that won’t roll around.
  • Pack efficiently – This follows my previous recommendation of not overpacking. Only take what you need on the plane. I carry a backpack with the essentials, diapers, wipes, snacks, small toys and a change of clothes. It makes going through security and traveling through the airport with a little one much easier.

Are you planning a trip with your small children to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands? Read my guide for traveling with a baby or toddler to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands including tips for flying with small children, packing and more!

Don’t miss my other St. John Travel Guides:

Unique Experiences on St. John

5 Unique Experiences in St John, USVI including watching sunsets, Jeep tours, enjoying dinner with a private Caribbean chef and more!

St. John, USVI: Where to Eat

Where to eat in St John, USVI featuring Ocean 362, Zozo’s, Caneel Beach Bar and Grill, Terrace Restaurant and more!

Best Free Activities in St. John

The Best Free Activities in St John, USVI including the best beaches, snorkeling, hiking, and more!

What are your tips for traveling with a baby or toddler to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands or any other destination? 

I researched, planned and paid for all of our travel to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. The brands and businesses featured in this post are ones that I love and want to share with you. If you have any additional questions about visiting St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, send me an email at ashley[at]spoonfulofflavor.com! This post contains affiliate links.

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2 comments on “Traveling with a Baby or Toddler to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands”

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Hello! Thanks for these tips – I know  the post is a couple of years old, but it’s still great information. I have a question: how did you get from the airport to the ferry? I’ve been traveling to St. John for years, but will be going with my 9 month old for the first time, and I’m having a hard time imagining how to do that part with him in tow. We’ve always taken the big van taxis to Redhook, but I’ve never seen someone with an infant do that. Did you hire your own car? Thanks for your help!!

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Yes, we have always hired our own car service and bring our own car seat. There are a lot of options available when you arrive at the airport. We always reserve Rachel Brown’s car service, but I don’t have her contact info right now. But if you send me an email, I’ll find it for you 🙂

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We asked, you answered: Parent-approved tips on traveling with kids under 2

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Becky Harlan

Photograph of a baby sitting next to an open carryon suitcase filled with clothing and other travel items, all against a light pink backdrop.

Last month, Life Kit asked parents to share their go-to advice for traveling with babies and toddlers under age 2 as part of an episode we did on the subject. Over 200 folks responded with tips they wish they'd known before taking a big trip with a little one.

Reading through these responses, it became clear there's no magic hack that works for every kid. Some parents swore by sticking to their kid's sleep schedule on a trip, others said their vacation was smoother when they let the usual routine go. Some sang the praises of the overnight flight (so their child would sleep on the plane), others said their child has never slept more than 10 minutes on a plane no matter the timing.

I flew to Japan with my baby. Here's the travel advice that helped me survive the trip

I flew to Japan with my baby. Here's the travel advice that helped me survive the trip

A few pieces of advice held true throughout. A hungry kid is an unpleasant kid, and children are messy. So packing lots of snacks, extra diapers and a change of clothes ranked high on the list of must-dos. Almost 40 of over 200 responses suggested packing extra outfits in your carry-on for your kid and for you. (If your charge spits up, throws up, blows out or spills it will also get on you!)

So here's a non-exhaustive, impossible-to-be-comprehensive, but-hopefully-still-helpful round-up of your top advice for traveling with little kids. These responses have been edited for length and clarity.

What to pack

A stroller that can be stored in the overhead bin. It's a game changer to not have to check clunky strollers at the gate or check-in counters. —Amy P.

A change of clothes for yourself. If the baby spits up or has a blowout, there's a high likelihood that the mess will end up on you too, especially if you're holding them. Also, be sure to bring a bag to put messy clothes in. Reusable waterproof bags are great and they keep the smell in! —Jenna Yount

Extra diapers. You think you will be fine but if something comes up it's not a good situation to be in. —Jeanna Limtiaco

Overnight diapers. Fewer diaper changes in transit makes everyone happier. —Samantha Warren

Snacks. Remember, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration allows for any size baby food [and baby or toddler beverage], so pack those pouches! —Clara W.

Meds you and your kids might need in flight. That includes chewable Tylenol, Imodium, Dramamine, Zofran, ginger chews, Band-Aids and alcohol wipes. —Paige Ellis

A dark-colored bath towel. It's a blanket, it's for tidying up, it's a tablecloth, it's a sun cover, it shields bottoms from hot slides, it dries off swings. It's a multi-tasking powerhouse. —Judith Heise

Consider what may make sense to buy, rent or borrow upon arrival. You don't need to stuff everything into your suitcase. Buy some of your diapers and snacks at your destination. See if you can borrow or rent large, bulky items like car seats or travel cribs from Facebook Marketplace or your hotel or Airbnb. —Jocelyn Newman

How to get through the flight

Get to your gate an hour before boarding. It gives you time to feed your child, change their diapers, have a cup of coffee and fill your water bottle. It can also help your kid let out their energy before they have to sit on the plane. —Shelly C.

Check the airport for family friendly spaces. Use nursing spaces or pods and family restrooms to reset as needed. Check lounges for nursing and play rooms. —Sara Conger

Take an early morning flight. Those are least likely to get delayed, which is important when traveling with kids. —Carina Ochoa

Parenthood Is A Shock To The System. These Tips Can Help You With The Transition

Parenthood Is A Shock To The System. These Tips Can Help You With The Transition

Board with your partner separately. If you're traveling with two caregivers, have one go on the plane first with all the stuff and do the gate-checking of the stroller while the other hangs back with the kids until the last minute. It gives kids more time to run around! —Andrea De Francesca

Get a plane seat for your kid. Even though many airlines allow kids under 2 to fly for free as a lap baby, if you can afford to get them their own seat, it is worth it. It is recommended for safety to have them in a car seat, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, and the extra space for them to move around is nice. —Nicole Shelledy

Be ready for motion sickness. We were not prepared for how easily some little ones get motion sickness on an airplane. Have throw-up bags handy at all times. —Tiff Bankhurst

Prevent ear discomfort. Sucking during take off and landing may help relieve ear discomfort. My babies have flown with me from 4 weeks onward and never had a problem as long as they had a bottle or sippy cup or straw to suck on. —Shelly Ransom

Don't plan on them sleeping on the plane. It's great if they do, but if it doesn't happen, you'll be frustrated. —Colleen Mayerhoff

Don't worry too much about your kid "bothering" other people. The vast majority of people don't care, and many have been in the same situation you've been in and feel nothing but empathy for you. As for those who do care, they are not guaranteed a child-free existence in public. Kids are part of society too, and they are also allowed to take up space. —Jenna Yount

Make friends with the flight crew. They're going to help, they've got more experience than you, and they also want the flight to be pleasant. —April Graham

Save the screens for the flight. If you're using a screen, wait until you're on the plane. While you're waiting in the terminal, let them move as much as possible. Find an empty gate and play Simon Says, see who can jump in one place the longest, do animal charades. Let them go wild. —Paige Ellis

Download age-appropriate shows for your child on an iPad. (But know that if your kid is under age 2 they'll mostly just want to push the buttons.) —Chantel Dockstader

Travel hacks

Find a lodging close to a grocery store and a park. It makes it easy to buy last-minute things and burn off their energy easily at a park. —Gillian Molina

Dress your young kids in bright, matching shirts. I once traveled alone when my kids were 2, 4 and 6. We all wore matching yellow shirts so people could see we were together. —Emily Hernandez

If you want to let your little one crawl around , bring a pair of socks that you can put over their hands. Then you don't have to worry about dirty hands afterward. —Shannon Geraghty

Hire a photographer. You'll have photos with everyone in them, maybe get to see some scenic parts of the city you hadn't seen before. Dress up, wear matching outfits, be extra! They're only little once. —Tina Doyle

Helpful mindsets

It's not a vacation. It's a trip. You're just parenting in a new place. Set your expectations accordingly. —Laura Henriquez

The airport/train/bus/car is not the time to enforce the normal at-home rules. Do you want Doritos at 7 a.m. at the airport? OK. Do you want to watch 20 episodes of Blippi on the plane? No problem. There are no rules when traveling. This also makes traveling fun for kids because they get to do something different. —Meg Houston

Build in extra time to do things. It will decrease the chances of you and your child getting into stressful situations. —Cori DeLano

You're not going to get as much done as you think with a kiddo in tow. Think about things like nap schedule, traveling with a stroller, meltdowns, diaper changes. On my most "successful" trip with my kiddo, we planned one big activity a day and left the rest of the day open with some general ideas and left room for flexibility. —Whitney Winters

They might not remember, but you will. —Nina Hartman

The digital story was edited by Malaka Gharib. The visual editor is Beck Harlan. We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at [email protected].

Listen to Life Kit on Apple Podcasts and Spotify , and sign up for our newsletter .

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International travel documents for children

See what documents a child needs to travel to or from the U.S. alone or with a parent or relative.

Children traveling to the U.S.

All children, including infants, must have their own travel documents such as a passport or document from a Trusted Traveler Program to enter the U.S. If you travel or are going to travel with a child, consider taking the following documents:

  • If the child is traveling with only one of their custodial parents, they must have a letter of consent, preferably in English and notarized, from the other parent or signed by both parents. The letter should say "I acknowledge that my son/daughter is traveling outside the country with [the name of the adult] with my permission."
  • If one parent has sole custody of the child, a copy of the custody document can take the place of the other parent's letter.
  • Parents who frequently cross the border by land with a minor must always carry a letter of permission from the other parent.

U.S. citizen children traveling abroad

Ports of entry in many countries have security measures to prevent international child abduction . If you are traveling alone with your child, you may be required to present documentation proving you are the parent or legal guardian. You may also need a letter of permission from the other parent for your child to travel. 

If your child travels alone, depending on the country, they may be required to present a notarized letter from both parents or their legal guardian. If a minor is traveling abroad and is not accompanied by both parents or a legal guardian, contact the embassy or consulate of the country you will be visiting and ask about entry and exit requirements for that country.

LAST UPDATED: December 6, 2023

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COMMENTS

  1. Flying with children

    Liquid exceptions for infants and children including food and medication. The following liquids are allowed in amounts greater than 100ml. Please bear in mind that you still shouldn't bring excessive amounts: Baby food and formula milk, when the infant for whom the food or milk is intended for is present.

  2. Guide to flying Virgin Australia with infants and children [2022

    Virgin Australia allows infants to fly in the laps of adult passengers at no extra charge on domestic flights. For short international flights such as to New Zealand, Bali or Fiji, infants cradled in a parent's lap are charged 10% of the full adult fare. However, infants requiring their own seat are charged the full adult fare on domestic and ...

  3. PDF Virgin Australia

    We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us.

  4. You're in safe hands

    Bring a fully collapsible pushchair and car seat or booster seat in addition to your free checked baggage allowance. In most airports, your pushchair can be used right through to the gate and your car seat or booster seat can be used onboard. At check in, hand us anything you won't need during the flight, and we'll store it safely in the hold.

  5. Virgin Atlantic Bassinet: All You Need To Know • Flying With A Baby

    The baby bassinets on Virgin are suitable for babies weighing up to 11kg (24.25lbs) Full details of dimensions are below. Economy and Premium sky cots. Boeing 787-9, Airbus A330 and Airbus A350. Dimensions. 28.6cm wide x 72.7cm long (11.25" wide x 28.6" long) Maximum weight of baby. 11kg (24.25lb)

  6. Flying with children and babies

    Dimensions of baby cots: Premium Economy and Economy classes on the A340-300 and B747-400 aircraft: Maximum weight of baby: 9kg (19.8lb) Maximum height of baby: 740mm (29") Dimensions: 35cm wide x 21cm deep x 74cm long (13.8" wide x 8.3" deep x 29" long) Premium Economy and Economy classes on the A340-600 and A330 aircraft:

  7. Virgin Australia: Infant Policy

    If one adult is traveling with more than one infant under two years of age, a seat will have to be purchased for the second infant. ... Bassinets and baby car seats cannot be taken aboard Virgin Australia flights. Infant restraint belts are available on all aircraft and must be worn by infants on take-off, landing, during turbulence and ...

  8. Virgin Australia Flying With Kids Information • Flying With A Baby

    All the Virgin Australia flying with kids information in one place. Including: flying with a baby or toddler or older child, kids' baggage allowance, car seat policy, other child restraint device policies, stroller policy, bassinet policy, sleep devices and child ride-ons/ leg rests permitted, Baby and child meals, in flight entertainment for children & more.

  9. Flying With a Baby

    A passport for international flights. All U.S. citizens, including newborns, need their own passports to fly internationally. To obtain one for your baby, you'll need to use the DS-11 form and apply together in person, so plan ahead. For domestic flights, babies and children under 18 don't need a passport or an ID. Her birth certificate.

  10. Virgin Australia Pregnancy, Infant and Children Travel Policy

    Virgin Australia is Australia's second-largest airline and directly serves 29 cities in Australia with hubs at Brisbane Airport, Sydney Airport and Melbourne Airport.Here's a summary of Virgin Australia's pregnancy, infant and children travel policies. *This is for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most up to date airline policies.

  11. Virgin Atlantic Airways Pregnancy, Infant and Children Travel Policy

    Virgin Atlantic Airways operates between the United Kingdom and North America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia from its bases at London Gatwick Airport and London Heathrow Airport. Here's a summary of Virgin Atlantic's pregnancy, infant and children travel policies. *This is for informational purposes only.

  12. Virgin Australia becomes first Aussie airline to give infants dedicated

    Virgin Australia has become the first Australian airline to allow its littlest travellers a dedicated checked baggage allowance when flying on domestic, international short haul and international l ... Infant baggage allowance is the newest announcement in a suite of initiatives introduced by Virgin Australia to make travelling easier for ...

  13. Need to Know: Flying Virgin Atlantic with a Baby or Toddler

    Infant bassinets (AKA skycots) are available, but bassinet sizes vary by cabin class. Economy sky cots fit babies up to 20 lbs. or 29″ L, while Upper Class sky cots fit babies up to 25 lbs. and 30″ L. You must call Virgin Atlantic in advance to reserve your airplane bassinet or skycot: +1 888 747 7474 or 0344 874 7747.

  14. Virgin Atlantic Flying With Kids Information • Family Travel Tips

    All the Virgin Atlantic flying with kids information in one place. Including: kids' baggage allowance, car seat policy, other child restraint device policies, stroller policy, bassinet policy, sleep devices and child ride-ons/ leg rests permitted, Baby and child meals, in flight entertainment for children & more.

  15. Seats for children

    The Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES) The CARES harness fits around the back of the seat and attaches to the aircraft seatbelt to provide restraint for the upper part of a child's body. It is suitable for children (both able bodied and disabled) between 2 and 4 years old, weighing between 22lb - 44lb (10-20kg), whose height is 40 ...

  16. Virgin Atlantic: Family flying airline review • Our Globetrotters

    Flying on Virgin Atlantic with Infants (under 2 years) Infants can be booked on an infants ticket, sitting on a parents lap until 2 years of age. An adult can travel with a maximum of two infants - though one must be in an approved car seat with their own child's ticket.

  17. Virgin Australia flying with babies

    Virgin Australia flying with babies What requirements apply when traveling with children on Virgin Australia flights? Any child 23 months or younger is considered an infant and must be accompanied by a passenger 15 years of age and over, or the parent or legal guardian (13 years of age and over). Only one infant may be booked to travel on the lap of each adult or guardian.

  18. Tips & Tricks for International Travel with an Infant

    Every parent traveling by air with a baby for the first time is aware of this and fearful of it. The common sentiment/approach is to allow the baby to nurse or to provide them a pacifier upon take-off and landing to help with their ears and any pressure. If they're sleeping, let them sleep.

  19. Infant Award Travel: Which Airline Is Best?

    United MileagePlus infant award cost Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is another great program for infant award travel. When traveling on Virgin Atlantic flights, you'll pay the following for adding an infant to an award ticket one-way: In economy, you'll pay 1,000 points, plus taxes & fees

  20. 31 Must-Know Tips for Flying with an Infant (By a Mom)

    Table of Contents. Tips for Flying With An Infant. #1: Know the Rules for Flying with a Lap Child. #2: But Consider Buying Your Baby a Seat. #3: You Can Only Have One Lap Baby Per Adult. #4: Baby Airplane Tickets May Be Cheaper Than Adult Tickets. #5: Babies Flying Internationally Do Cost. #6: Don't Apologize.

  21. Flying with children and babies

    Your baby must be healthy and at least 48 hours old to travel on Virgin Atlantic international routes. Baby milk. Cow's milk, formula and water (to make formula up) are all allowed on the aircraft. They must be in baby bottles or cartons, not bottles from the supermarket or flasks etc.

  22. Traveling with a Baby or Toddler to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

    While many villas on St. John are family friendly, a few do not allow children. Check with your villa rental company to confirm. (2) Pack light. Rent or buy when you get there. Traveling with kids is a lot easier when you drive because you can bring many of your larger necessities from home.

  23. 29 parent-approved tips on traveling with babies and toddlers : NPR

    29 parent-approved tips on traveling with babies and toddlers NPR listeners share their best advice ... Even though many airlines allow kids under 2 to fly for free as a lap baby, if you can ...

  24. International travel documents for children

    Children traveling to the U.S. All children, including infants, must have their own travel documents such as a passport or document from a Trusted Traveler Program to enter the U.S. If you travel or are going to travel with a child, consider taking the following documents: If the child is traveling with only one of their custodial parents, they ...