Travelling with 18 Month Toddler

It is tough to fly with an 18mos old, although I know each child is different. My younger son will be 2 tomorrow, and we've taken 4 trips in the past year. Definitely the 2 that were most challenging were right around 18mos. I completely agree with Katie S. about getting a seat for your daughter. Kids are too curious, mobile and squirmy to hold in your lap for that long at that age. If you can get her a seat, definitely bring her carseat (check on the back if it's FAA-approved, and you won't have to call the airline to see if it will fit). It made all the difference having my son in his carseat - it's familiar, he's comfortable and secure. We tried to entertain him with a DVD player or ipod with videos, but he was either too bothered by the headphones or just wanted to press all of the buttons. Maybe you'll be lucky to be on a plane with the video screens on the seat in front of you.

As for snacks, my son prefers carbs, so Cheerios, goldfish, graham crackers, etc. Have some treats, too, for when she gets really fussy. Bring new toys that will keep her interested a little longer. Try an etch-a-sketch or magna-doodle and avoid noisy toys that will bother other passengers.

Best of luck to you!

If it is financially possible to get her her own seat, I think that is a tremendous help. I flew to London and back with my then 13 month-old and she had a seat on the way there, but not the way home. It was so much easier when she had her own car seat to sleep, eat and play in. She did not enjoy having to stay on my lap for the whole trip and it was much harder. If you can't buy her a seat and if the flight is not very full, ask the check-in desk if you can be seated next to an open seat or two. If they don't sell the seat, you can take her car seat on and use the seat next to you. This is how I got a seat for my daughter one way. If they do sell the seat, you can gate-check the car seat instead.
The thing I did that was most helpful was to pack a backpack just for her with all sorts of little toys (even McDonald's type) that she had never seen before. I would give her one to play with at a time and when she got bored of it, I would give her a new one. I also took a few walks around the plane with her. I'm sure you can find one or two people on each walk that would talk and play a little with her.
As far as DVDs, my daughter loved the Little Einsteins at 18 months (and still does a year later). The Wonder Pets is another good one. Both of these shows have lots of music/singing, so if she likes the nursery rhymes you show her, she will probably like these too.
Best of luck to you and bon voyage!

Ask for a bulk head seat so you will have more room and she can get down and stand in front of you if she needs to stretch. I am not sure if she is in to them yet, but Dora was always one of my little ones favorite DVDs. Many airports still have restrictions on liquids, so just bring her sippy empty and fill it at the fountain after you get through security. Bring whatever snacks she likes, crackers, fruit snacks, whatever. When I moved from London to Anchorage with a 2 and 3 year old, I thought it would be awful, but it was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be! Try not to stress :)

My kid loves to watch Dora. THat kept her occupied for an 8 hour car ride both ways...and still does. I would maybe think about prepping your baby for santa...show pictures and try to get your baby to say santa and then get some Christmas CD's. I would also buy a traveling set of Connect 4. your baby will probably love putting all those black and red circles in the slot.
Food. I introduced my 18 month old to Fruit snacks and yogurt covered rasins...she also likes the popcorn puffs (butter flavored). WIth the fruit snacks see if she can point out the characters on the fruit snacks
Something I havent tried but I am going to soon is fruit roll ups.
I would also ask to have a seat that has a wall in front of it...that way you will have a little more room and she can play on the floor without bothering any of the other passengers.
If she does get upset, please try not to worry about it. It happends to everyone...especially on a long flight like that. May want to offer the 2 or 3 rows around you a free drink on your tab...thats what I did when my baby got owly on a flight....most declined but it made me feel better to offer an "im sorry" effort.
Good luck