I'm going to tell you something nobody told me before I boarded a flight to Los Angeles with my 3-month-old daughter.
The gate agent looked at me like I had lost my mind. The couple next to me shuffled slightly further away. And then? She slept for six hours in the bassinet. We walked the aisle once over Greenland. We landed, she was fine, and I sat in the arrivals hall of LAX and cried a little — not because it was terrible, but because it wasn't.
"The fear of flying with a baby is almost always worse than the flight itself. Almost always."
That trip changed everything about how I think about travelling with a young child. It's why I built Jet Babies — because I had spent days Googling and never found the specific, honest, practical answer I was looking for. So here it is.
When to fly — and what age is "too young"?
Most airlines allow babies from 2 weeks old. Paediatricians generally consider 3 months reasonable for long-haul. But here's what nobody tells you: young babies are often easier to fly with than 18-month-old toddlers. A 3-month-old sleeps most of the time, can use a bassinet, and doesn't yet know what a screen is. A walking toddler has opinions about everything.
Neither is better. But if you're waiting until it feels easy, you may wait forever.
The sleep plan: adjusting to LA time
London to LA is an 8-hour time difference heading west. Your baby's body thinks bedtime is 3am LA time when it's 7pm. The approach that actually works:
- Start 4 days before you fly. Move bedtime 30 minutes later each day — gradually shifting towards West Coast time.
- On the flight. Keep your baby awake for the first few hours, then encourage sleep from the halfway point when it's nighttime at your destination.
- On arrival. Get outside in the LA sunshine immediately. Aim for local bedtime on night one even if it feels impossible.
The Jet Babies app builds a personalised day-by-day sleep plan for your exact route and your baby's bedtime — free in seconds. Try it free →
Booking the bassinet: everything you need to know
The bassinet (sky cot) is non-negotiable with a young baby on a flight this long. It attaches to the bulkhead wall and gives your baby a flat sleeping surface.
- Request it at the time of booking — not at check-in. They go fast.
- Call the airline to confirm 24 hours before departure. Systems lose requests.
- Weight limits vary (typically 11–14kg) — check your specific flight and aircraft.
- BA, Virgin and American all offer bassinets on their LAX routes from Heathrow.
What to pack for an 11-hour flight with a baby
The non-negotiables for your carry-on on a flight this long:
- At least 3x the nappies you think you'll need — cabin pressure affects digestion
- Two complete outfit changes for your baby, one for you
- Your baby's sleep sack or familiar comforter — never in the hold
- White noise app downloaded offline
- Saline nasal drops — cabin air is extremely dry and affects small noses
- Formula sachets or expressed milk — allowed through UK security in reasonable quantities
Get your personalised packing list
Enter your route and baby's age — Jet Babies builds a tailored packing list for your exact flight length, climate and child's stage. Free, instant, no sign-up needed.
✈ Build my packing listNavigating Heathrow with a baby
- Arrive 3 hours before departure — everything takes longer with a baby and a pram.
- Use the family security lanes — they exist in T2, T3 and T5 but are often unsignposted. Ask staff directly.
- Gate check your pram — take it to the gate and collect it on the airbridge on arrival. Don't let them put it in the hold.
- T5 family area near Gate A — do the full nappy change, feed and pyjamas before boarding, not on the plane.
LA with a baby: what actually works
Los Angeles is a surprisingly excellent destination with a baby — particularly Santa Monica, Venice or Beverly Hills where stroller-friendly pavements and family cafes are everywhere.
- Santa Monica Pier and beach — flat, strollerable, genuinely beautiful. The pier has baby-friendly food options nearby.
- The Getty Centre — free parking, gorgeous gardens, excellent baby changing facilities and lift access throughout.
- Griffith Park — the vintage carousel is perfect for 1-year-olds. Large open spaces for a roaming toddler.
- Whole Foods (any location) — for formula, baby food pouches and everything you forgot to pack.
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, Beverly Hills — world-class paediatric emergency department, open 24 hours.
