Air Plane Ride from Mn to Ca

bottle or something for baby to chew on, so that the air pressure can be relieved. Use a backpack for your carry on. It will make it easier especially chasing your 18 month old. Relax and enjoy yourself. :-)

We've taken at least 6 trips with our kids starting from 6 mos old and they are now 5 and 2 1/2. We live in CA and have been to Illinois, New Jersey, and Hawaii with the kids which are not as long of flights but here are my tips:

Bring lots of snack for the 4 year old
Get some "surprises" to open on the plane, I go to the dollar store and get stuff
Bring books, coloring activities, and a favorite toy
Sit towards the back of the plane if possible where it's easier for them to be able to walk around
Bring a drink/bottle for the take off and landing, it helps with their ears
Bring extra clothes and a blanket
Gate check the stroller so you can use it all the way to the gate and it's available when you get off
If you're not taking a flight with your own TV like jetblue, bring a mini DVD player with a couple of movies or cartoons

The gogo bayz travel mate was a life saver for us. It turns any car seat into a stroller. They're about $75.00 each, but you can sell them on craigslist for $50.00 easily after the trip. My daughter loved riding around in her low rider stroller when we went to california.

http://www.amazon.com/Go-Go-Babyz-QRKIDZ-Kidz-Travelmate/...

We have flown a lot with our kids starting when they were very little. We just flew from Minnesota to Hawaii with an almost 4 year old and an almost 2 year old. You have gotten some great ideas. Here are a few things I have learned. Pack about twice the number of diapers and wipes that you think you will need. If you have a delayed or cancelled flight diapers are almost impossible to find in an airport. Have a change of clothes for everyone just in case a diaper explodes, baby spits up, or dad spills his drink all over you! Be sure to stop and buy some bottles of water and milk once you go through security. Airlines are pretty stingy with handing out water and they don't have milk on the planes. We take empty kids thermos bottles with us and fill them after we go through security. Then we carry the bottles in a Playtex Fridge-to-Go bag that stays cold for 6 hours. Take several snacks. Individual packages or small ziplock bags work best. Have some new toys or books. Stickers are great! Especially if you can get small books of the reusable stickers. Look for Dover Little Activity Books. They cost about $1.50. I usually buy them at ABC Toy Zone. For older kids a package of pipe cleaners are great! They kept our almost 4 year old busy for a couple of hours. A light blanket is also a must have. Don't take bubbles or real noisy toys. Anything that can't be contained in your seat could be a nuisance to those around you. A DVD player is a great idea, but some airlines now require you to use headphones.

All that said, you don't want to take too much. Be sure your diaper bag and anything you need for the kids will fit under the seat and easy to get too. You don't want to have to get into the overhead compartment every time you need something.

If you are taking your carseats on the plane, check with the airline to be sure they will fit. We have been on some flights where the seats would have been way too small for our carseats. We always check out carseats with our luggage (which is free) and have never had trouble until this last time. Our first stop in Hawaii was to buy a new carseat because a section of the foam padding had broken and was missing. If you check your seats I would suggest putting them in a large garbage bag. You can buy luggage bags for them, but in my experience the bags are expensive, not the best quality, and don't fit all carseats. We always take our stroller through security and check it at the gate. Be sure to ask for a stroller tag to put on it.

Have a great trip! It will probably go a lot smoother than you expect!

Are you buying them each their own seats? We always brought the kids car seats on the plane (FAA approved), installed them just as we would in our car, and had the kids sit in their seats just as we would a car ride. Worked soooo well. Kids thought they were on a car ride, so they don't expect to get out and walk around. They usually slept most of the time. If you are not getting them a seat, be prepared to be uncomfortable. Wear comfortable, cool layered clothing, bring lots of snacks, drinks, dvd player, books, etc.

For the 4 year old a portable DVD player is a life saver! I would also bring books or even card games if he likes those. We used the books for the times when electronics weren't allowed, other than that we let our 3 year old pretty much watch movies the whole time b/c our son (18 months at the time we flew from KC to Seattle) took up most of our energy! Do you have a seat for the younger one? If so then I'd highly recommend taking on the car seat. It is so much easier to strap them in and be done with it! There was no way I could have let my little guy walk the aisles or get out of that seat b/c it would have been hell to put him back in so we just dealt with a little bit of fuss at first and then he realized he was strapped in for good! It depends on your child I guess, but that works for us! As far as toys, I'd say anything that has buttons, sings or makes noise. The noise really isn't an issue for other passengers b/c the white noise covers up most of it, besides, i really do believe people would rather here toys than crying. My son also likes the wooden animal beads you string onto a big string (got that at Target), touchy books, play cell phones, electronic books, and balls, and play doh.

I would also bring lots of snacks! I had way too many but it was nice to have a variety and not worry about it!

Been there, done that.
To add to the tips given.
Don't over pack the stuff you need to carry on to the plane with you. You get one personal item and one extra bag (including a diaper bag). Since your husband is going, you would get 4 total. Now imagine yourself going through the airport with two kids, 4 bags, and 2 strollers. Make the bags easy to use and closable. When you get to the security line, you need to have your liquids in 3 oz. containers (except baby's bottle or baby food) and in a clear zip bag. The strollers, your bags, and your shoes will have to go through the machine. You will have to carry the kids through the metal detector....WITHOUT blankies or jackets. If you planned to wear baby, you will have to take him/her out.

I took a bobby pillow for baby when we went. I was also nursing her, but how nice it was to support her while I sat. If you are taking 18 month old's carseat, look into the contraptions that turn a carseat into a stroller and use that through the airport.

The plane ride itself will be fine. :) It is long enough that if you have to get up you can walk the babies around if you need to.

You will do fine. The hardest part is getting through airport security and as long as you pay attention to what they want you to do, it will be fine. You also have each other to help one another. I went alone. That's d0-able but not fun. :)

I just flew from GA to CA iwth a 6 month old and all of the responses here are GREAT!

I would also recommend bringing some antibacterialwipes and a smallblanket (receiving blanket maybe) with you to help fight against all of the germs. Right before I flew, I had seen a segment on eith GMA or the today show about germs on seats. The dirtiest, most germy seats across the entire country were those in the aiport lobby while you are waiting for your plane. And I felt that the test was very fair,testing seatson buses, in restaurants, trains, etc. The news reporter traveled cross country and tested every single seat she came into contact with. The seats from the airport lobbys came back so full of bacteria it was imposible for the scientists to even figure out what bacteria were growing because they were growing one on top of the other! I'm nota germaphobe, but that really got to me so I wiped the plastic seatswith the wipes and when I wanted my son to have some time to sit on the floor and play I used a receiving blanket.

Good luck on the flight . . . I hope that the kids sleep during your travels if you don't, that you have understanding neighbors!

Here is an answer I was given with some tips when I traveled with a 6 month old two years ago:
The only suggestion I have for toys and entertainment is to bring lots of books, teether toys (so he doesn't put everything on the plane in his mouth--yuck!) and possibly a hand puppet (for peekaboo, tickling, can you find baby's nose, etc.).
Bring 1 diaper per hour that your in the airport and in flight.
Have one parent board early with the luggage. The other parent can wait with baby till the end so you aren't sitting so long.
I would suggest bringing any favorite toys and books that are small. Pack lots of extra diapers. If you have a sling or carrier, it's nice to have - helps baby calm down or sleep even.
Extra shirt for mom.
Disposable bibs.
Bubbles to blow!
Fill formula keeper with cereal.
Bring bottles/liners/unopened formula can.
Wipes
2 Changes of clothes
Video player

-Portable DVD player - lifesaver!
-Wrap new toys in tissue paper, so it takes longer to open & enjoy - check the party favor section of Target, etc. or $1 section for inexpensive/disposable items!
-color wonder coloring is good, and not messy, coloring book w/crayons, stickers
-new snacks (maybe colored goldfish or pretzel goldfish)
-sometimes TSA lets you bring water through for the babies/toddlers, you just need to spend extra time for extra screening
-pack 1 bag for overhead with stuff that you hopefully won't need, but should bring anyway: extra diapers, extra clothing, extra snacks, extra diaper changing pads
-chlorox wipes for cleaning off tray tables, seats, etc.
-some airplanes do not even have changing tables, so be prepared to change baby in your lap!
*make sure kids drink water or nurse during takeoff/landing to help ears clear
-You can check your stroller at the gate - when you get to the gate, ask gate agent if you need a "gate check" ticket now or when you board, this could save you a few minutes during boarding
-ask flight attendants for an extra cup or straw for kids to play with, you never know what will make them happy!

Your trip will be great! It's just so stressful before you leave, since you have to pack so much stuff, and because you'll be dreading the whole thing, but it's usually goes much better than expected! :)

Amber had awesome tips. I would have posted the same things. Not sure what airline you are flying on but American Airplines just changed there stroller policy as of July 1. You can check a stroller at the gate but it must be under 20lbs and they will no longer check jogging strollers at the gate.

Have a great trip.

Also, I try to bring snacks on the plane that are peanut free. Lots of people with peanut alleriges these days.