Flying with Milk for a Toddler: Everything You Need to Know
Tantrums and toddlerhood go hand in hand, but toddler parents try to minimize the tantrums as much as possible when traveling. This means being prepared for your travel days, even if that means flying with milk for a toddler if that’s what they need.
Bring your toddler’s favorite milk, juice, special yellow water bottle, cherished unicorn cup, or whatever else helps keep them content. Yes, you are allowed to bring milk and other liquids through airport security and on the plane for a toddler.
Let’s review the relevant TSA rules, guidelines, toddler traveling tips for bringing milk or other liquids on board, and some toddler travel bottle recommendations.
Jump to: TSA Rules, FAQs, Guidelines, Tips, Best travel Cups
NOTE: This post is written based on TSA rules and guidelines which are in effect for U.S.-based travel and not necessarily applicable when traveling in or through other countries. Different countries may have different rules.
My Toddlers and their Cups on a Plane
I traveled with all three of my children as toddlers, at the stage when they needed milk to sleep or for comfort, or maybe wanted some juice or water. Over the hundreds of flights and several years, we brought their sippy cups, straw cups, and water bottles on flights all around the world.
I tried different approaches, taking milk from home, buying it at the airport, using disposable cartons, and reusable bottles, planning ahead, and just winging it. Whether you’re preparing for your child’s first flight, taking a red-eye, or gearing up for a long-haul flight with a toddler, learn from my trials to make traveling with milk for your toddler smoother.
TSA’s Liquids Rule: Toddler Edition
TSA is a bit notorious for strictly enforcing the liquids rule, often making you toss brand-new completely sealed water bottles and other important, perhaps even expensive, liquids that don’t fit the size restriction.
Fortunately, however, TSA has special rules and exceptions when toddlers are traveling. Toddlers are not bound to the same 3-1-1 liquid rules that adults are. They are allowed to bring liquids over 3.4 oz (100ml).
Toddler milk, breast milk, formula, other toddler drinks, and toddler food (including pouches) are considered medically necessary liquids. Therefore they are allowed.
When traveling with a toddler, you can bring more than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) of milk or liquids for your toddler, and their cup or food does not need to fit in a quart-sized clear plastic bag.
Every country and security agent may enforce rules differently; ultimately, it’s up to them what they allow and don’t. But, generally speaking, toddlers get a pass on the liquids rule.
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FAQs About Toddler Drinks and Bottles on Flights
Can I bring milk for my toddler on the plane?
Yes, you can bring milk on a flight for your toddler. You are allowed to bring milk in a reusable personal cup, a single-use plastic bottle, a baby bottle, or a carton – already opened or sealed.
Can you take cow’s milk on a plane?
Yes, you are allowed to take cow’s milk on a plane for your toddler. You can bring cow’s milk from home or purchase it at the airport. You can also bring other milk alternative drinks. If you have the milk with you before security, it will need to go through extra testing before you can take it through the airport.
As an adult traveling without a toddler, no, you cannot take cow’s milk through security on a plane (unless you purchased it after passing through security).
Can I bring milk powder on a plane?
Yes, you can bring powdered milk on a plane for your toddler in any quantity. You can take powdered toddler formula or powdered whole milk for your child.
As an adult, with no young child, you can bring a small amount of milk powder, like protein powder, or other drink powders, but it has to abide by the standard liquid quantity rules (no more than 3.4 oz or 100ml).
Can you bring breast milk on a plane?
Yes, you are allowed to bring breast milk on a plane for your toddler or baby. You can put breast milk in a checked bag, or bring it on board. You do not need to have a baby flying with you to travel on a plane with breast milk. The breast milk can be in either liquid or frozen form. It’s okay for your toddler to drink breast milk in a bottle or cup, or nurse, on the plane.
Can I bring juice on a flight for my toddler?
Yes, you can take juice on a plane for your toddler. You can pack their favorite juice from home, and bring it through security (with additional testing). Or, you can purchase a juice post-security and bring it on the flight.
Flight drink service often offers apple juice and orange juice, at least. You can get juice for your toddler on board, but you would have to wait for the drink cart to go this route. And they are commonly only served in open cups, no tops.
Can I take toddler pouches on a flight?
Yes, you can bring toddler or baby food pouches on a flight. You can board your flight with toddler snacks, pouches, meals from home, meals from the airport, and other foods for your toddler to consume.
Can you bring an empty water bottle on a plane?
Yes, anyone can take an empty water bottle on a flight. You can bring your own personal reusable water bottle, keep it empty through security checks, and later fill it up post-security or fill it up on the plane.
If traveling with a toddler, you can also bring their empty water bottle to use later on your trip. Sometimes I do this to avoid the extra security screening and fill the bottle up later. However, you can bring their bottle already filled up with water, and take it through security. TSA will pull it to the side for extra screening, but you are allowed to take cups and bottles of water through for a toddler.
Guidelines on bringing milk, juice, and other liquids for your toddler through airport security
- You are allowed to bring milk for your toddler, as well as, juice, or any other liquids to drink.
- You may take powdered milk and powdered formula through security for a toddler.
- You can bring toddler pouches, toddler plane snacks, and other food on board.
- You can take milk in containers, bottles, or cups greater than 3.4 oz (100ml).
- You are allowed to bring water through security and on your flight for your toddler.
- There is no defined limit on how much milk you can bring on board for your toddler.
- The security agent will need to test the liquids’ containers. If it’s a reusable bottle, they will likely ask you to open the top. They may use a swab or wave a special wand around the cup, but should not put anything inside to touch or mix with the liquids.
- On our most recent flight, an agent told us the toddler exception to the liquids rule applies up to 3 years old. This is the first time I’ve heard this and do not see this noted on the TSA site, so I can’t confirm the accuracy.
- Your experience may vary depending on which airport and TSA agent you encounter. Hopefully, as long as you’re not bringing giant jugs to feed an entire village, they will allow you through.
- Print a copy of the relevant rules to whichever liquids or other toddler items you want to travel with to show the TSA agent in case they push back. Or save it on your phone.
- Ask for a supervisor if you are having trouble taking the liquids through security that you know you should be allowed to bring.
10 Tips for Flying with Milk for a Toddler
1. Choose your cups carefully
Bring your toddler’s favorite cup if they’re stuck on a certain one…better to avoid the battle and give them extra comfort while traveling. If they do not have such strong preferences, however, then prioritize packing the cups with the fewest parts for easier cleaning on the go.
2. Bring plastic bags
Pack large sealable plastic bags (e.g., Ziploc) to keep your toddler’s unused cups clean, and to pack away dirty or leaking items.
3. Purchase individual milk cartons
Toddler parents sometimes find it easier to travel with individual milk cartons, or individual containers of non-dairy milk, for their toddlers. These are shelf-stable so you don’t need to worry about keeping them cold, and once you throw them out then you free up more space in your bag.
4. Try an insulated bottle
Consider using a thermos or insulated double-walled bottle to keep your toddler’s milk or other drinks cool longer. Don’t miss our list of 15 of the best toddler travel cups below, keep reading!
5. Budget more time and separate the liquids
Give yourself an extra 10 minutes more than usual to get through the security checkpoint when traveling with toddler milk. Allow time to separate these special items, and for TSA to do extra testing.
Pull any liquids out of your bag so they’re visible in the security bins, know that the bin with the liquids will get pulled to the side for extra screening.
To improve your security efficiency one step further, put the liquids in a completely separate bin from your other gear. If you keep it separate from your other bags, then once your bags, purses, coats, and strollers clear, you can compile everything else, and load back up as you’re waiting for the liquids to be cleared.
6. Consider buying at the airport
If your toddler’s milk needs are minimal, and they are not picky about what milk they drink, you can wait, pack less, and buy the milk at the airport after security. This way you don’t need to deal with the hassle of special cups, keeping things cold, and extra testing at security. However, going this route, depending on where you are, milk may not be available or milk options will be limited.
I’ve had the best luck finding milk at coffee shops or cafes and newsstand-type convenience shops.
7. Don’t wait for the plane’s drink cart
Don’t assume you can get milk for your toddler on the plane from the service cart. I tried this a couple of times and it did not work out. Planes are stocked extremely efficiently, with nothing extra. Typically they offer the tiny creamers for coffee use instead of regular milk.
8. Offer at take-off
Offer your toddler their drink while the plane takes off and descends to help equalize the pressure and minimize ear discomfort.
9. Watch out for the squirter
Please NOTE when you bring certain toddler straw cups or vacuum-insulated bottles on a flight, they can turn into an uncontrollable water squirter! As you ascend the pressure builds up, flip the cap, release the pressure, and the liquids may explode and squirt out hard and fast. I’ve been there, forgot, and accidentally squirted my neighbors in front of us, oops! Thankfully it was only water, I imagine milk or juice would be less forgiving.
To prevent this issue, unscrew the entire top first to release the pressure. Screw it back on, and then you can use the flip cap top function.
10. Test before your trip
Before bringing them on your trip, test out any new milk or milk alternatives with your toddler at home before traveling. Powdered milk may sound more efficient and easier to travel with, but what happens if your toddler rejects it?
15 Best Toddler Travel Cups for Milk
When you’re traveling with milk for your toddler, you want to prioritize high-quality reusable bottles or cups that will help keep the milk cool and fresh longer.
I would recommend choosing bottles that close, where the straw or spout is covered and protected to keep it clean. You’ll also want to bring items that will hold up to travel wear and tear and not easily break in transit.
Check out the below stainless steel straw bottles for toddlers that are all great options for traveling with milk.
- Iron Flask 10 oz Thermos – cute modern patterns
- Nuby 10 oz Spout-Style Stainless Bottle – light pastel colors
- Kerilyn Kids 12 oz Stainless Bottle – bright solid colors
- Thermos 12 oz Stainless Flask – solid, patterns, characters (Bluey, Baby Shark)
- JoyJolt Toddler 12 oz Bottles – adorable toddler patterns (dinos, animals, unicorns)
- Hydro Flask 12 oz Jr. Bottle – solid colors
- Ello Kids 12 oz Spout Bottle – contrasting solid colors
- CamelBak 12 oz Toddler Bottle – toddler patterns (bugs, trucks, unicorns, sharks)
- Simple Modern 14 oz Straw Bottle for Kids – kid patterns (Bluey, trucks, Cocomelon, Elmo, Peppa, Baby Shark, Paw Patrol)
- Bentgo Insulated 14 oz Bottle – kids patterns matching Bentgo lunchboxes
- Takeya 14 oz Stainless Steel Bottle – solid colors with silicone bottom sleeve
- Zak Insulated 14 oz Spout Bottle – kid patterns (dogs, dinosaurs, unicorns, Blippi, Bluey, Spidermand)
- Buzio Double Walled 14 oz Bottle – classic toddler patterns (dinosaurs, unicorns, trucks)
- ThermoFlask 2-Pack 14oz Double-Walled Bottles – solid colors
- Fimibuke 2-Pack Kids 18 oz Bottles – solid colors and kids patterns (sharks, space, dinos)
Concluding thoughts
Don’t stress about your toddler not having their naptime or nighttime milk, or special juice for your flight. You can travel with liquids through security and onboard when they’re for a toddler.
Per TSA rules, and the guidelines for toddlers, you can bring milk, cow’s milk, non-dairy milk, breastmilk, juice, water, powdered milk, pouches, and other toddler snacks on a plane.
Planing and preparing is key when traveling with toddlers. Bring travel toys to keep them distracted and the best insulated bottles to keep your child’s milk cool while traveling. Consider the extra time and security checks necessary when flying with milk for a toddler.
Keep your toddler content and comfortable on their next flight – bring the milk!
