Travelling with a baby on British Airways: everything you need to know before you fly

Last updated: July 2026

The first time you fly with a baby, every question feels enormous. Where will they sleep? Can you actually take a pushchair through security? What happens if you need a nappy change mid-flight? I remember googling all of this before our first long-haul trip with R, so I’ve pulled together everything I know about flying with a baby on British Airways, from booking through to landing. If this is your first flight with a baby full stop rather than specifically with BA, my complete guide to flying with a baby for the first time is worth reading alongside this one, along with my ten steps to planning a baby-friendly holiday before you even get as far as booking.

On that first flight I was far more worried than I needed to be. Once we were settled on the plane we found a rhythm pretty quickly: a feed, a nap, a short walk up and down the aisle, repeat. And as R has got older, his energy levels have changed but the recipe for success hasn’t: decent snacks, new toys, and where possible timing around a nap (or if your baby will absolutely not nap on you, then the best timing will be to avoid naptime at all costs!).

British Airways is one of the most popular choices for UK families flying short and long haul, largely because of the sheer number of direct routes out of London. We live close to Heathrow and have been members of BA’s loyalty programme for years, making good use of their upgrade vouchers to fly business, so they naturally are our airline of choice.

What age can babies fly with British Airways?

British Airways allows babies to travel from 48 hours old, though the airline recommends medical clearance for anything under seven days. Technically possible does not mean sensible for most of us though, and plenty of families wait until feeding is more established and they’ve got some kind of routine before attempting a flight

There isn’t a right answer here. If you want a proper steer on timing, I’ve written a whole post on the best age to travel with a baby and why some stages are easier than others. R’s first flight was at 4 months old, but we’d done a couple of UK trips before then.

Booking a British Airways flight with a baby

Your baby needs to be added as an infant passenger when you book. Under twos have two options:

British Airways lap infant

Most babies under two fly on an adult’s lap. You’ll get an infant ticket, a loop-style infant seatbelt for take-off, landing and turbulence, and your baby shares your seat space for the whole flight. It’s what most families do for a first flight, and it’s what we did too. You typically won’t detach your baby from you unless you’re standing up with them. R has napped on me in his seatbelt more times than I can count!

Buying a seat for an infant on British Airways

You can buy a separate seat for your baby, and it’s worth considering for multiple reasons. Firstly if your toddler is bigger and more mobile, you may want the space, and secondly if you want to use an approved car seat onboard you’ll need a window seat for it. We suggest double-checking with British Airways that your specific car seat is approved for the aircraft before you fly, but in all honesty the guidance is fairly simple – you need one that meets the safety regulation listed here. This needs to be a rear facing car seat – they will face the back of the seat they are attached to.

Does British Airways provide bassinets for babies?

This is usually the first question parents ask once the flight is booked. British Airways offers bassinets, sometimes called carrycots, on selected long-haul aircraft, and they let your baby lie flat rather than sleeping on you for the whole journey. However these lie flat options are strictly for babies up to 6 months old or 8kg, and once they are over that you get the car seat style chair pictured below.

British Airways’ infant chair is made of leather which can be a bit sweaty on a warm night flight, but it’s perfectly adequate and R has slept comfortably in it many times. The hardest part is getting them off the sleep in it – we usually pair it with a CoziGo and put R in a low tog sleeping bag to signal bedtime. I noticed on our recent trip to Charleston that he was getting a little big for it at 17 months, but he is on the taller side.

A few things to know before you get too excited:

• The bassinets are limited, so it’s first come first served among requests – although we’ve done 6 long-haul flights to the US and never not got one
• You need to book the bulkhead seats next to the baby icon – you can only do this if you have an infant on your booking (they are reserved for parents). To improve your odds book as early as soon as your infant is added to the booking
• The traditional carrycot suits babies under 6 months and up to 8kg (17.5lb)
• The reclining infant seat is for babies up to 2 years and 12.5kg (27.5lb)

Choosing the best seats with a baby

There’s no single best seat. It depends on your baby, your flight length, and what you personally find easiest.

• Bulkhead. Usually where the bassinets go, with extra legroom and space around your feet. The trade-off is your hand luggage has to go overhead for take-off and landing, and tray tables and armrests are often fixed into the seat. Even if you’re not planning to use the bassinet or infant chair, the extra space is incredibly valuable! On the way to Miami when R was 11 months we sat on the floor for some of the trip and played with toys.

• Aisle. Good if you’ll need to walk your baby up and down or make frequent trips to the loo. It can also provide a distraction if your little one likes to people/watch, but you’ll get more passing traffic brushing past you though.
• Window. A bit more privacy, something to lean against, and generally calmer for feeding.

British Airways baby luggage allowance

Packing for a baby can feel like packing for an expedition. The good news is British Airways lets families travelling with infants bring essential baby equipment on top of the usual allowance, which takes some of the pressure off.

Your exact allowance depends on ticket type, route and destination, so always check your own booking, but families can usually bring a changing bag, pushchair, car seat and travel cot without it eating into standard baggage. I try and keep the table here up to date with the infant luggage of the main UK airlines. Work out what you actually need to bring versus what you could hire once you land. For longer trips especially, hiring the bulky stuff can be a genuine weight off. I’ve written about when it’s worth hiring baby equipment on holiday if you want to weigh it up properly.

What to pack in your hand luggage

Your hand luggage is your survival kit. The biggest mistake I hear parents make is packing everything they own and then not being able to find the one thing they actually need in a hurry. Keep one bag under the seat in front with everything easily reachable (and we take a reusable shopping bag to keep toys in):

• Nappies, plus extras for delays
• Wipes and a changing mat
• Spare baby clothes, and a spare top for you (trust me on this one). My guide to the best kids travel clothing brands covers some recommendations
• Muslins and a dummy or comforter if they use one
• Bottles and formula, or breast milk supplies
• Snacks if they’re on solids
• A couple of favourite toys, plus one new one saved for the flight
• Any medication your baby might need

We packed far too many toys for our first flight with R. Even now, at 18 months, the inflight food menu and safety card get plenty of attention. A handful of favourite toys are a must and we always bring something new (to R, it’s often a second hand hand me down!).

It’s worth thinking about what bag you want to pack your hand luggage in. We rotate between a big hold-all and our BedBox, which is great when R has his own seat as it provides a footrest. See how it works here.

For a fuller breakdown by age and stage, see my baby travel packing list and the age-by-age guide to travel toys.

Taking a pushchair on British Airways

For most families the pushchair is the most important piece of kit for the whole trip, and British Airways lets you take one when you’re travelling with an infant. Check out the dimensions of the most popular travel prams vs UK airline dimensions here. Depending on the airport you might be able to use it right up to the aircraft door, check it at bag drop, or gate check it before boarding. Policies vary by airport so it’s worth checking ahead.

I’d prioritise something lightweight, easy to fold one-handed, with a decent sun canopy and a basket big enough for your essentials. We’ve tested a fair few and my full breakdown of the best travel prams for families covers the ones worth the money and the downsides of each based on real parent reviews.

Can you take a car seat on British Airways?

Yes, families can bring car seats along with their infant. Taking your own means you know it’s fitted correctly and your baby is already used to it, but car seats are bulky and can be a real pain through airports and on transfers.

If you’re weighing up which one to buy or rent, I’ve put together a full guide to the best travel car seats, and when it makes sense to rent one.

Milk, formula and baby food through security and onboard

Feeding is usually the biggest worry before a first flight. From UK airports, baby milk and food are treated differently to standard liquids, so you can take breast milk, formula, sterilised water and baby food through security, although staff may need to screen it separately. Give yourself extra time at security for this.

During take-off and landing, the change in cabin pressure can be uncomfortable for little ears, and swallowing helps. Breastfeeding, a bottle, a dummy or a drink for older babies can all help. Don’t stress if your baby won’t feed at exactly the right moment – the main reason R has had most of his meltdowns at takeoff is because he’s overdue a nap, rather than anything else! We’ve been pretty lucky in that he tends to fall asleep as we’re rolling over the tarmac or during takeover – I think it’s the motion that does it!

Nappy changing on a British Airways flight

Changing a baby on a plane sounds far more daunting before you’ve done it than it actually is. Most long-haul aircraft have toilets with a fold-down changing table. It’s very tight in there so keep your changing bag easily accessible, take only what you need into the toilet with you, pack more nappies than you think you’ll use, and bring a spare outfit. I find it usually works best just taking a nappy and wipes with me.

Helping your baby sleep on the flight

Most parents board hoping their baby will sleep for most of the journey. Sometimes they do and sometimes they just won’t.

My ethos is to make sure R is well fed and comfortable, dressed them in soft layers, and using whatever settling tricks work at home where you can. Even at 18 months R will still fall asleep lying facing my chest when he’s tired, and we still bring a bottle of milk along just in case we need to signal nap time (although rarely use it).

If you’re flying long haul and sleep doesn’t go to plan, don’t worry too much. Our flight to Charleston was a night flight, with a dimmer cabin, and R still woke up after 2 hours and wanted to play. You can work on resetting once you land, and my guide to beating infant jet lag covers exactly how.

Tips for surviving long haul with a baby on British Airways

These are the things that made a difference for us on long-haul flights with R.

• Think about flight timing carefully. A night flight sounds ideal because you’re hoping for sleep, but some babies actually cope better during the day when there’s more to distract them. Think about your baby’s usual pattern, how they cope when overtired, and what time you’ll land. For us, a night flight is usually far better – R has never been one to sit still and so having a flight over most of his wake window can be a little exhausting trying to keep entertainment levels high.
• Prepare for the airport, not just the flight. Security queues, long walks and a break in routine all start before you’ve even boarded. A good pram and organised hand luggage make this part far easier. We also try and tire R out before boarding the plane, usually walking around the boarding area. Some airports have soft play areas – here’s my guide to what UK airports offer and which I rate top.

• Pack strategically. Keep anything you might need during the flight within reach rather than in the overhead locker. You don’t want to be standing in the aisle digging through a suitcase with a baby on your hip.
• Plan for the days after landing too. Jet lag doesn’t end when the flight does. Natural daylight, gradually adjusted naps, familiar bedtime routines and a bit of flexibility for the first few days all help minimise jet lag.

For a broader run-through of getting the whole trip right, not just the flight, my ten steps to planning a baby-friendly holiday is a good next stop, and my complete guide to flying with a baby for the first time covers everything that applies beyond BA specifically too.

Where can you fly with British Airways as a family?

Part of the reason BA is so popular with families is the sheer number of destinations that work well for a first long-haul trip, and plenty of good European options if you’re not ready for long haul yet.

USA and Canada

British Airways has strong connections across the USA and into Canada, and whether you’re planning your first long-haul trip with a baby or a road trip with toddlers in tow, there’s plenty of inspiration in my US guides. Boston is a brilliant first stateside destination with a baby, with walkable neighbourhoods, parks, and easy day trips. If you fancy exploring further, the Boston to Vermont road trip and a stop in Montreal make for a properly varied New England and Canada itinerary. If you’re hiring a car once you land, my family road trip ideas has routes that work particularly well with babies and toddlers.

For a beach resort, Myrtle Beach (which we visited on our Charleston to Washington DC road trip) is fun, and Cape Cod is a premium beach destination with white sand and plenty of familiar UK town names.

Further south, the Florida Keys remain one of the easiest long-haul destinations for British families with young children, thanks to warm weather, easy driving and plenty of family-friendly accommodation.

Europe

British Airways covers plenty of family-friendly European routes too, from Tenerife for reliable winter sun to the Greek islands, Croatia and city breaks like Seville and Barcelona. If you’d rather skip the flight altogether for somewhere closer, the Eurostar is a genuinely easy alternative for short trips into France and beyond.

Flying British Airways with a baby: FAQs

The anticipation before your first flight is almost always worse than the flight itself. Yes, you’ll pack more than you used to. Yes, there’ll be a moment somewhere over the Atlantic where you wonder why you booked this. But once you land, you’ll have started something that gets easier every single time you do it.

Allie, Jack & R x

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