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Buy diapers, wipes, formula and food when you get to your destination, bring only what you need for the trip.

Gate check your carseat if you have someone to help you get it from your car to the plane. If you're traveling by yourself (just you and the munchkin) bring singles and get a SkyCap to help. They can cut to the front of the line and help with all your luggage and such. I also like curb checking luggage. There's rarely a line and it goes quick.

Bring proof of age for the child. Some airlines are sticklers for proof of age if the child is under 2.

Have the child wear easy on/easy off shoes (or none at all) for security.

My wife and I have averaged about 8-12 flights a year with our two girls, starting when our oldest was 4 months old, so we've accumulated a lot of experience. (Our kids are now 3.5 and 1.5 years old). I think that all of Kristin's tips are good ones, and I wanted to add a couple of my own.

- Next, look at this forum: http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/categories.cfm?catid=37

It's from the Lonely Planet web site and it has tons of good ideas from people who regularly travel internationally with their kids.

- Have lots of wipes ready so you can clean the things that will inevitably fascinate your child. My daughters love to buckle the seat belts, put up the window shades, play with the tray tables, etc. We let them do it, but we also try to wipe the cooties off everything before our kids get too involved.

- Have little snacks at the ready for take-off and landing. Having your child chew and swallow during these times can greatly reduce ear pain and the likelihood of getting an ear infection. We use Cheerios and raisins, but use anything that works for your child.

- Before you fly, request the bulkhead seats on the plane. They're typically reserved for people with infants and toddlers, and it's easier to contain your child in that space. It's also easier to keep your child from spending 3 hours kicking the back of the chair ahead of her. One caution: car seats usually fit in bulkhead seats, but not always. Check with the airline or try www.seatguru.com.

- This sounds odd, but we've found that if we use vaseline instead of our kids' usual skin lotion on the morning they fly and after their bath that night, they don't get as dry and itchy as they otherwise would. In my experience, flying really dries out kids, much more than adults, so they need to drink a lot and have a more potent moisturizer than usual.

- As for toys - we've had great luck with stickers. We end up covered with stickers, but they're endlessly fascinating to our kids. One tip - don't bust out the toys until your kid asks for them. Our girls are sometimes so fascinated by the plane that we don't need any toys for a half hour or so. Also, search for toys on the lonely planet site I linked to above and you'll see tons of suggestions for nice compact toys.

- Take at least 1 extra outfit for the kid in your carry-on bag. It's also helpful to have a small supply of new ziplocs for anything that comes up. Also, my wife and I have started to take an extra shirt for us in our carry-on. We usually take a long-sleeve t-shirt that either of us could wear in a pinch.

- Last, we always take a car seat onto the plane, despite the enormous hassle, because it's an effective restraint for our younger daughter who loves to roam. I think the restraint system that Kristin linked to looks good, but about 1/3 of the time, the flight attendants are perplexed by the car seat. We used to travel with a combo stroller/car seat and gave it up because it was too unusual and we got tired of spending 15 minutes trying to convince the flight attendants and the pilot that it was FAA approved (which it was).

- Really last - you can't forget to take care of yourself, so have have snacks, etc., for yourself.

Good luck and enjoy the trip.

If you do not take a car seat how do you travel via car when you get to your destination? Also, I have searched for an inflatable bath tub and could not find one anywhere! Anyone have a link or store/brand suggestion?

Also, where do you change a baby on the plane?

We traveled overseas with our 2-year old and we took our car seat. We bought a gogo kidz travelmate, and we didn't need a stroller in the airports (there were 3 layovers, went to asia). We strolled with the carseat right to the seat, and plopped the carseat and kid right on her seat, belted it up, and done. I don't know how much you will need your stroller at your destination, but this gogokidz thing is wonderful for airports. You don't need to take it off of the carseat before you belt it with the plane seat belt.

http://www.gogobabyz.com/products/gogo_kids.html

oh. in the plane bathrooms, there's a fold-down tray thingie for changing your baby.

just check your car seat with your luggage. it does't usually count as extra luggage, and then you don't have to carry it all the way through the airport. they usually rap it in plastic, and you pick it up at a separate desk by the baggage claim.

We have traveled on several flights with our twins - now 15 mos. old, and in fact, we just returned from a two week trip to the UK this week (definitely the hardest trip we've taken since the flight is so long and jet lag complicates things). Here's my tips:

Car seats - we've not taken ours (since we have to take two) but rented them from the car rental companies and not had any problems. In fact in the UK, we had Britax seats - the same as home. The rental company will not install them for you due to "liability", but they will help you get them in the rental vehicle. For us, it was worth the rental expense not to have to hassle with this given all the other bags, baby gear, etc. We only had to manage our suitcases, strollers, and babies at the airport.

Diaper bag essentials: I pack overnight diapers only since it keeps the baby drier longer and holds more volume. I change them into these right before we board the plane and put on a thick layer of diaper cream. Definitely pack an extra outfit for them and at least one extra top for yourself (I've been pee'd on and covered in food more than once and used my top every time). Take a few more diapers than you think you will need since you don't want to run out. If you use bottles, take more than you think you will need since you won't have a way to clean or sterilize them. I pack a microwave sterilizer bag (same as you use for breast pumping things) for pacifiers, nipples, etc after I get there. Keep your child well hydrated since they do seem to need more fluids on the flight. Put your diaper cream, hand sanitizer, any medicines or liquids in a quart size ziplock bag so it's ready to pull out at security. Once you're through security, buy water/juice/milk since you can't expect to get any of these the minute you board or anytime quickly during your flight. We also pack snacks and food from home (Cheerios, diced chicken, bananas, biscuits, fruit) in an insulated bag plus some granola bars for ourselves (our hands are never free to eat a meal with the two of them). That way, we can feed our kids whenever we want with something we know they will eat and is healthy and nutritious. Put in a bib or two and burb pad as well for "meals" and general mess. I've found it keeps them cleaner if I just leave a bib on them for the flight. Pack their "lovey" and pacifier since they will give your little one comfort along the way.

You don't need to bring many toys on the flight since the airplane is one giant toy to them since they will fiddle with everything. We haven't had success yet with stickers since they're too young, but I expect them to be part of our "arsenal" in the futire. We tried a portable DVD player, and all they wanted to do was play with the buttons and not watch anything on the screen, so we won't bother with this again. In fact, just put a few small things inside a tupperware container with a top and let the baby shake away!

If you're bringing your child on your lap and not purchasing a seat, make SURE the airline prints a boarding pass for the baby as well. We had to go all the way back to the counter and get one after being turned away at security at Gatwick- and then wait again. That wasn't one bit fun.

You can gate check your stroller where the jetway connects to the airplane. Make sure you get a tag for the stroller. They will unload the stroller at the same place upon your arrival, so wait there for it to arrive. There's no need to deplane quickly since this can sometimes take a little while. While everyone else is unloading, you can do a quick diaper change (either on the floor or the seats) using a diaper pad beneath.

The bulkhead seats are KEY if you can get them since there is significantly more floor space in front of you. We spent the majority of our flight time back to the US playing on the floor, and one of the twins slept for a few hours there as well.

I also take some of their CDs they listen to at home and pop them into the rental car upon our arrival. They love music and hearing something familiar seems to help all of us!

If you're leaving the US, buy medical travel insurance that will cover all of you and includes medivac, repatriation, etc. Your US coverage doesn't mean a thing once you leave the USA.

Depending on your destination, you can rent a tremendous amount of baby gear that will help you enjoy your stay. I've done this in Seattle and Portland and for a reasonable sum rented toys (walkers, books, etc), cribs, double jogging stroller, high chairs, etc, etc. I went to Craigslist for the city we were visiting and queried if anyone knew of a rental company for baby gear. I have yet to be disappointed with the quality and service,provided by the companies that were recommended. All the gear was ready, in perfect condition and waiting for us and picked up after our departure - seamless and terrific.

Keep your sense of humor and realize that everything takes longer with a baby. Print out your boarding passes the day before, and allow enough time to use curbside check-in (the US only) and avoid long lines. Those skycaps are worth their weight in gold! We do this while the other parent parks the car and then wait to go through security together. Take lots of photos and enjoy a change of scenery. You will have a wonderful time!

I've had a much different experience with carseat rentals domestically than Debra had in the UK. Here they use the cheapest seats they can get, to the point that they're almost unusable. I've rented two now, from two different companies, and I'll bring my own for all future trips.

this may be a silly question, but if you don't bring a carseat, how do you get to the airport initially?

I travel with my 4 year old and 10 month old by myself often. I check their car seats with the luggage, and use my Baby Bjorn on the plane with my youngest. With my older daughter I go to the dollar store or hit Target's dollar depot and buy some cheap new toys, that she doesn't get until we're in the air. They're new to her and I'm not heartbroken if they get lost. The most important thing that I do is durning take off and landing I make my 10 month old drink form her bottle or sippy cup. It helps stop her ears from hurting. I pack at least three ready to go bottles/sippy cups, pre-packaged snack items, and break in case of emergency lollipops in my diaper bag and make sure I put them in an easy ascessible place. Also I pack what I need for the flight and buy the rest when I get there. Good Luck.

Kellybeegee--We've traveled with the car seat and without. Without it, we book a car service to the airport and ask them to provide a seat. Generally they have them available in my experience. Or we take the airtrain depending on where we're flying to/from and then we don't need the seat. Then relatives picking us up at the other end have a seat when we get there.

When exactly does one request the bulkhead seats? If a trip is booked online, is this still an option? We've never had any luck making this request, so I'm curious about what I'm doing wrong - whom I ask, when I ask, or how I ask.

***Inflatable Bath By Munchkin***
Target, BRU etc.... fits in the suitcase, quacks when inflated!

...If you nurse- do it on take off. My first plane experience with my 5 mo. old would have gone much smoother if I had done this. Poor baby- embarassed mama.

this may be a silly question, but if you don't bring a carseat, how do you get to the airport initially?

Mass transit, but this only works well in a handful of big cities.

The nice thing is that most airlines allow those traveling with small children to board first.

I suggest to bring (SUGAR_FREE!!!!) lollipops. It helped to keep my son's ears from popping (and also distracted him for a few).

And I know that your child is only 13 months old, but the portable dvd players do help. Good luck!

Last year, when we were traveling with our 13 month old daughter, we were stopped by a family desperate for a specific type of formula their baby needed. Their flight had been delayed and they had run out and the baby needed to eat. I took that as a warning and from then on, in all our travels, I've brought along the small can of formula they sell "just in case." When I traveled with my 5 month old son a few months ago, it was supposed to be a quick five hour trip and turned into an 18 hour fiasco. I am SO glad I had the small can of formula with extra bottles for this travel day!

We just came home from a trip, and although we were allowed to check in our stroller at the gate, we were told that SFO does not allow passengers to pick up their strollers at the gate upon arrival, but rather have to go to luggage claim. This may be just for the international terminal, but you might want to call and check - your hands will already be full with all the stuff you're carrying on with you, and you might want to prepare differently if you know you're going to have to carry your kid through the airport as well.

be warned that there are no special lines for those of us carrying strollers and car seats as well as children -- you're expected to get your shoes off and move along like everyone else -- wear slip off shoes and nothing metal (no underwires!) to make it a little easier

flight attendants want to help! if you need something ask -- even an extra cup of apple juice can save you if you're sitting on the runway

last time we buckled my son (16 mos) into his car seat on the plane, which he liked because it was familiar and comfy. he napped well as a result.

we bought a cute picture book about flying and read it often before the trip so that he'd have some understanding of what was going on

if you have layovers or aren't familiar with your airport, check out airport web site for maps, lists of amenities, etc. so you know where bathrooms and service counters are

plan as well as you can for delays when packing the carry-on gear, then relax and try to enjoy the trip -- traveling with my son made everything fun again because it was all new and exciting to him, and the more relaxed and confident you are the more comfortable he'll be in the new surroundings

I have found the Sit-n-stroll carseat/stroller all in one to be worth its weight in gold. Unlike PatJ, I have never had to explain/defend it. I can't imagine not having a carseat while traveling--that's how she sleeps and I get to (gasp) read a magazine! If she is still asleep when the plane lands, no prob--just carry her out in her seat, pop out the wheels, and off we go. We have made many tight connections while others are waiting for their gate-checked strollers. Also, when delayed at the airport, slide the handles down and voila, push toy! We've used it from about 11 months and still going at 25 months. Not good for rear-facing carseat, but fine forward-facing.

I second the need for a clean shirt (and I also bring leggings) for you--I got vomited on 6 times from LA to NY and had to wrap myself in a blanket to avoid sitting in vomit soaked jeans for the whole flight.

Also--a cup of ice is a great exotic toy!

Hey Liz - I wondered the same thing about how to get the bulkhead (and the bassinet) and finally found out on our last trip. If you book online, call the airline as soon as you can and request it. With KLM they wouldn't give it to me over the phone but put a note on our reservation. We were able to get the seat once we arrived at the airport.

Haus - we've found that all the airports we've used DO have special lines for families. Often they are with the disabled passengers but many times it had a special "family" symbol.

KLM were great with kids and always stopped to see if we needed anything. Lufthansa pre-checked us in and had given all the families with infants an extra seat and Delta agents in the airport were super helpful.