10 tips for breezing through airport security with kids

Consider security before leaving for the airport. Prepare your carry-on bags for inspection by understanding what to remove. Put your liquids, aerosols, and gels (LAGs) in a one-litre transparent bag.

Start at home

Dress the entire family in readily detachable outer layers and limit metal buckles and buttons. Use slippers whenever feasible. Jewelry should be limited and secured. Remove non-visible piercings too.

Dress for success

Ask to use a family/special needs lane if you aren't immediately sent there. That lane usually offers more room for strollers and wheelchairs, plus you get to bypass a lot of the wait, which is great!

Find the family lane

Since security guards want to avoid holding your kid (due to liability), they urge your youngster to go through the metal detector alone. Try the glue game for toddlers. I frequently have my youngster "glue" his hand to me as I organize.

Walk this way

Liquids, aerosols, and gels above 100 ml or 350 ml for powdered formulae may be carried on flights with children under 24 months old. This means you may bring juice or milk from home and save airport fees.

LAG Exemptions

Toys may be packed for your children; however, you should be sure that they do not resemble weapons. No replicas of firearms, swords, or explosives at all. It is not too difficult to understand this one.

Keep it safe

When you are traveling alone with a child, you need to give it a little bit more attention and preparation. Officers are not allowed to handle infants, as was described before, and you will come to wish that you had ten arms.

Flying alone with a baby

People are flying more now than ever before. It can make the security experience just that much more stressful. New officers have had to be hired to keep up with the traffic.

Pack the patience

In Canada, you can download the CATSA (Canadian Air Transport Security Authority) app for current airport wait times, dos and don'ts, and straightforward advice on getting through security.

Check wait times and book your spot

It is very uncommon for me to hear that individuals choose not to go on vacation because they are anxious about traveling with their children. If you are reading this in order to be ready for a flight, then you are doing a great thing.

Feel the fear and fly anyway