Tips for TSA with a 15 month old???

[MegRuss626]

Hi everyone! We’re doing our first trip to Disney with our daughter in October!! I know protocol when getting myself through TSA but I have never traveled with a little one nor gone through TSA with someone with a little one. So for all you experienced parents out there, what are your tips??

 

[winstongator]

Are both parents going? You might have one go through, then let little walk through, then second parent goes through. I flew with a 3yo and 1yo once, but don’t remember tsa process. I do have one memory of that flight...

 

[MegRuss626]

Are both parents going? You might have one go through, then let little walk through, then second parent goes through. I flew with a 3yo and 1yo once, but don’t remember tsa process. I do have one memory of that flight...

Yes, my husband and I are both flying. And I feel like I don’t want to ask what that memory is....

 

[Hakunamatata]

The best tip is to follow the directions of the TSA agent. I knowbthe last flight I took (last week) there were modified security protocols in place. Didnt take anything out, just pkaced everything on the belt and took metals out of pocket and walked through.

Its a few minutes of yoir entire trip so keep that in mind.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Your child does not have to remove their shoes.

Allow extra time (about 10 minutes) if you are planning on bringing liquid snacks (like milk bottles or applesauce pouches or filled water bottles). You are allowed to bring liquids that are for your child, but they'll be subject to a more thorough look through.

You can choose not to walk through the body scanner. Some parents feel the low radiation levels are dangerous. Or you might choose to skip it if your little doesn't want to be put down.

With two parents, have one in charge of the luggage and one in charge of just the kid. It will make the process easier for both of you.

 

[Gillyanne]

The best tip is to follow the directions of the TSA agent.

I second this, I haven't flown with littles, and I don't fly very often, but I have seen that things can vary from Airport to airport, day to day. One may be take shoes off, laptops out, and you go in that new Xray thing, another may be leave everything in and breeze through a metal detector. So just keep an ear out when in line to the instructions of the TSA agent, and if in doubt with the little ask them! I know they get a bad rep, but I'm sure they'd rather you ask and get it right then hold up the line

 

[WWWD]

If you fly at least a couple times of year or hate waiting in long lines, you may want to look into TSA pre-check. It's $85 for 5 years and it really helps at airports like MCO. Your child doesn't need TSA pre-check until they are 12 years old. They can go in the pre-check line with an adult who does have it.

 

[WDWMPrincess]

I've flown around 10 times with a child under the age of 2 so far and never had a problem with the TSA. In my experience TSA personnel mostly just want to get on with their day same as everyone else. The main things you can do with a young child are allow extra time, if possible limit responsibility of the adult taking the child through security, prepare the child for security, and keep a positive, compliant attitude yourself. To me having extra time is especially important as it allows me to be less harried and worried during the process. Kids pick up on your attitude and tend to magnify it in their own behavior.

 

[correcaminos]

Are both parents going? You might have one go through, then let little walk through, then second parent goes through. I flew with a 3yo and 1yo once, but don’t remember tsa process. I do have one memory of that flight...

Don't count on this. TSA can split up parents and if there are 2 one might have to go through the other machine. Children only go through the detectors. In this case, until we finally got pre-check, I would stay with my son and my husband would go through the other machine. I would have my child go through the detector first so always in my line of sight and I went next. If I needed more checks, they would be aware of my child being with me. Now we're all pre-check so it still is similar. Kids first, me last. Husband goes after me as well.

My only other hint is to bring as little as you need, but be sure to bring what will keep your child happy during the flight. Print off TSA rules too if you are bringing food/drink with you. They aren't always aware of what is allowed with kids

 

[oliviosis]

If you fly at least a couple times of year or hate waiting in long lines, you may want to look into TSA pre-check. It's $85 for 5 years and it really helps at airports like MCO. Your child doesn't need TSA pre-check until they are 12 years old. They can go in the pre-check line with an adult who does have it.

Yeeeesss! This. We got this for the first trip we took with our boys. Our oldest has Down syndrome and I was worried about his patience for the process. MCO is brutal but with TSA Pre-Check, it's just so much less stressful. In general, I just love not having to worry about the longer TSA lines at any airport because of the precheck!

 

[Weather_Lady]

If you fly at least a couple times of year or hate waiting in long lines, you may want to look into TSA pre-check. It's $85 for 5 years and it really helps at airports like MCO. Your child doesn't need TSA pre-check until they are 12 years old. They can go in the pre-check line with an adult who does have it.

Excellent suggestion! ...or, if the OP lives in the northern U.S., they might also look into NEXUS (trusted traveler program between U.S. and Canada). It is cheaper than TSA PreCheck ($50 per adult for 5 years, kids have to get it too but it's free for them), but offers all of the same benefits at U.S. airports as TSA PreCheck, plus easier crossings into Canada. The only inconvenience is having to attend a personal interview at one of several border stations.

Our family of four all got NEXUS cards this past year, and had the pleasure of bypassing the mile-long MCO security lines and heading through the TSA PreCheck line, with a less-than-5-minute wait and no need to remove shoes or 3-1-1 bags, etc. It was awesome!

The DHS has an informative page on their website, outlining the different trusted traveler programs and their pros and cons, to see which one is right for you: https://www.dhs.gov/trusted-traveler-programs

 

[boilerpicc]

Make sure you bring your child's birth certificate. You shouldn't need it for TSA, but I have had to show it to airlines sometimes to prove that the child was under 2.

If your child can walk, you can send your child through the metal detector and then walk through right after. If your child can't walk, then you can carry them through the metal detector. If you travel with a stroller, the stroller will have to go through the metal detector. I highly recommend traveling with a stroller or a baby carrier. You can gate check the stroller as you get on the airplane.

 

[WDWDreamer4]

Also remember if you have a stroller that isn't small enough to be folded and put through the xray machine it will get an additional check . We always took an umbrella stroller so it could be folded and put through the machine.

Kids shoes don't have to come off.
Easiest if when you get into the security line your child isn't carrying anything. that way there isn't a melt down when they have to put something into the tub to go through the machine.
Have fun! It is a very small portion of your time on your trip just give yourself a little extra time.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Also remember if you have a stroller that isn't small enough to be folded and put through the xray machine it will get an additional check . We always took an umbrella stroller so it could be folded and put through the machine.

Kids shoes don't have to come off.
Easiest if when you get into the security line your child isn't carrying anything. that way there isn't a melt down when they have to put something into the tub to go through the machine.
Have fun! It is a very small portion of your time on your trip just give yourself a little extra time.

Speaking of this..... If your kid is old enough to understand the concept, talk about x rays in advance. My daughter was really nervous about putting her stuff on the tray and having it leave her. We told her how it was going to work, then also had her wave good bye to it, and she was so excited to see it on the other side. Bonus point, the TSA agent on the x-ray machine even let her watch some bags go through. There might even be a youtube video for this.

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

We have TSA Precheck so I'm not sure if this is true for the standard lines, but my husband didn't even need to take off his wearable carrier (with my daughter in it) to go through the metal detector. It was ridiculously easy (TSA Precheck is so worth it in my opinion).

 

[Swissmiss]

We have TSA Precheck so I'm not sure if this is true for the standard lines, but my husband didn't even need to take off his wearable carrier (with my daughter in it) to go through the metal detector. It was ridiculously easy (TSA Precheck is so worth it in my opinion).

He was very lucky. I did (a decade ago) when I was traveling alone with a 4 month old. I thought the carrier would be easier than a stroller in the airport. Unfortunately not only did I need to take it off, but I then had to figure out how to put it back on while holding my 4 month old because "sorry ma'am we're forbidden from helping you".

 

[meggo819]

My daughter is also 15 months and when we flew last month, we had TSA pre-check. I was actually allowed to leave her in her carrier on my front. So I still had my hands free to help my husband put stuff through the scanners. And she just went thru the metal detector while I was still wearing her.

 

[MegRuss626]

Hi everyone! I survived TSA with a 15 month old with only one minor issue. At MCO, after going through the detectors, we were waiting for them to inspect my ziploc bag with an unopened bottle of water and a gogo squeeze pouch. It was a little chaotic so I had my husband take my daughter over near the “monorail” so she didn’t have to stand there. When the agent finally got around to inspecting our things, our exchange went as follows:

He didn’t ask any questions and not in the politest tone “you do know you cannot bring water through TSA”
Me “I read you can when traveling with a baby”
H “except I don’t see a baby anywhere with you” (again, not the nicest)
M “I’m traveling with my husband and one year old daughter. I sent them over by the benches since it was chaotic over here”
H “and when was she born” (uh, really)
M “the end of June last year. Do you need me to call him to bring her back over here”
H “yes you need to”
I proceed to call my husband to which the guy says before he answered “nevermind...it’ll be fine”.

I still asked my husband to bring her over while he was inspecting our stroller. It was kind of a crappy unnecessary situation but what can ya do? I figured I’d share my advice now that I’ve done it....do not send your significant other away with your child until all things are inspected.

Thanks again to everyone for your help on this thread!