Baby Travel Essentials: What to Pack for Flying With a 5-to-7 Month Old

Last updated on December 29th, 2025 at 09:05 am

What To Pack: 6 Month Old Baby Packing List

Happy holiday season! Back in September, we took our first airplane trip with 5-month-old baby boy – and with another long-haul flight coming up, baby packing lists are very top of mind. I hope this list is helpful, especially if you are preparing for holiday travel with a baby.

Most of the items below have been tested on multiple road trips, and now finally in-flight too. This list focuses mostly on gear and essentials. Of course we also packed clothing, a few toys, and comfort items for baby. Note: When possible (e.g., staying with in-laws), we order diapers and formula ahead of time to the destination to save precious luggage space!

Baby Transportation

Mompush Velo Stroller

Full Mompush stroller review here
We’ve been really happy with this travel stroller. It’s IATA-compatible and fits in almost all overhead bins. The canopy is generous, the basket holds more than you’d think, and the ride is surprisingly smooth. And all at a fraction of the cost of the Bugaboo Butterfly or Joolz Aer.

Maxi-Cosi Romi Convertible Car Seat

Think of this as the flame-retardant-free upgrade to its sibling brand Cosco’s popular $60 travel seat. The detachable infant headrest makes it actually usable for younger babies. It’s super light, easy to install, and baby boy has been comfortable on 2-hour rides. We use this padded travel bag, which stays lightweight but protective for transporting as checked luggage.

Lightweight Baby Carrier

Not a must, but an apron-style, minimally padded carrier or ring sling saves major space in luggage. My favorites:

Baby Sleep

Guava Lotus Travel Crib

It’s expensive, but it’s sturdy, easy to pack, and easy to clean. Other brands have similar styles for under $200, but a few things make this one worth it for us:

Washability: The main mesh can be removed fully for washing.
Ease of Access: It rests directly on the floor (no weight limit) and the zip door lets us stick a shoulder/head inside to hang out/co-nap if necessary.
Comfort: The mattress folds in three sections, not two – no awkward center dip.
Portability: Carries on easily and also fits inside a large checked suitcase.
Versatility: We added the bassinet conversion kit for newborn stage. Afterward, the bassinet pieces barely take up space.

If you’re not in a rush, these often show up on Facebook Marketplace for 50%+ off!

Other Sleep Items We Love

Ultra-compact sun umbrella great for bright airports, parks, or over the travel crib before baby can sit up (with handle retracted).
Baby monitor mini tripod with our second Babysense camera attached to this one. The flexible legs are much more secure and useful than clip-on grips.
Easy Flip Night Light for nighttime feeds and changes.
Hatch Go Sound Machine includes the shusher sound (weirdly missing from the full-size Hatch) for those initial newborn weeks.
Ecolino sleep sack At home, we love the Woolino sleep sack, but it’s not as convenient for travel given the washing instructions. Instead, we bring this 100% cotton version, which is easier to wash and dry on the go.
Baby Sleep Mask beanie for the FOMO baby who is sometimes too curious to fall asleep

Baby Feeding

For primarily formula-fed babies not yet fully on solids.

Formula Container

We use this container. I prefer it over the small twisty ones because it fits more formula in less space. It sits in one of our personal-item backpacks and holds ~15 scoops (for us, that’s 5 × 6oz bottles at 5 months).

Bottle Cleaning Supplies

We use the Haakaa silicone sterilizer bag as a mini sink to soak bottle parts. Plus it still works as a microwave sterilizer. This travel bottle brush kit is our go-to at home and on trips.

Diaper Bag

We use this Everlane tote as both our daily and travel diaper bag. It fits all of the following (plus a few extras):

2 onesies, 2 pants, light jacket, 3 bibs
4 burp cloths, 1 muslin, a few pacifiers/teethers
4 × 8oz bottles pre-filled with formula powder
2 × 16oz Smartwater bottles (slim, easy to pack)
Ubbi changing pad, 30–40 wipes, 7 diapers, Ubbi mini trash bags
Travel Clorox wipes, Boogie hand wipes, sunscreen stick, saline drops

Baby Travel Toys

Last, but certainly not least – what kept baby entertained en route and at destination:

Crinkly sensory books like this one and this one
Stroller toy that we could hold and dangle in front of him
Spinner toy that can be attached to tray table or window
Tummy time pyramid that can also lay flat for table surfaces etc
Tear-resistant books also love that they are thin and space-saving

Last but not least, we’re looking forward to using this Winglet pillow. It can be used as a nursing/feeding pillow and extra security for holding a baby in your lap (with support, not meant to be hands-free!) with loops to attach toys etc.

Partnership Disclosure: This blog post was not sponsored by any of the brands listed above. As always, all opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, in which I earn a commission on purchases.