12-hour international flight with a Baby and Toddler ✈️ What Actually Worked
LA to Taipei is nearly 12 hours. One two-and-a-half-year-old, one seven-month-old. It was hard, but I survived. Sharing what I prepared, what worked, and what I only figured out on the plane.
The first time I took my older daughter back to Taiwan, she had to be held for the entire twelve-hour flight. The moment you set her down, she cried. My husband and I barely closed our eyes the whole way there, and I was three months pregnant, dealing with nonstop morning sickness on top of it. I didn't think a trip could be that miserable. I was wrong.
The second time around, she was two and a half and had a seven-month-old sister in tow. I was not going to let that happen again. I prepared obsessively.
Before the Flight: Preparing My Toddler
A two-year-old doesn't really understand what a plane is. She doesn't know why she has to sit in a tiny, crowded space for hours, or when it's going to end. A big part of why she cried so much on that first trip, I think, was simply that she had no idea what was happening to her.
So this time, I made her a book. I used ChatGPT to write a short story with her as the main character. The plot walked through exactly what was going to happen: leaving for the airport, going through security, finding our seats, the plane taking off, a flight attendant bringing food, and finally arriving in Taiwan. I read it to her every night for a few weeks before we left.
I can't say for certain that it made the difference. But I'd rather she walk onto that plane knowing what to expect than have everything be a shock.
"My First Airplane Trip" — the book I made for my toddler
An 11-page picture book that walks a little one through the whole journey — airport, security, takeoff, the flight, landing. We read it every night for weeks before our trip, and it genuinely helped. It's yours, free. Print it or read it on a tablet.
What I Packed
- Busy book. Hands-on, no screen needed, keeps a toddler occupied in a way that tablets don't
- Inflatable airplane bed. Goes in the footwell and lets a toddler lie flat. My toddler slept well with it on the return flight. One important caveat: confirm with the airline at check-in that your specific seat configuration allows it. Not every row does
- Bandou headphones. Originally bought for my toddler. Ended up going to her baby sister (more on that below)
- Netflix downloads. Every Peppa Pig episode downloaded before we left. No relying on in-flight wifi
- Peppa World game. Backup for when she needed something interactive. Screen time rules are suspended at 35,000 feet
- Snacks and fruit. Something in her hands between meal services, which are always timed wrong for kids
Formula: Taiwan Doesn't Sell Ready-to-Use
If you're flying to Taiwan with a formula-fed baby, this matters: Taiwan doesn't sell ready-to-use liquid formula. What's available is powdered formula, which needs to be mixed with boiled, cooled water. Not practical when you're out all day with a baby.
We brought eight boxes: twelve 2oz bottles per box, ninety-six bottles total. I calculated how much she needed per day, added a buffer, and accepted that our luggage was going to be absurdly heavy. There was no other option.
If you're breastfeeding and bringing expressed milk, you can bring it through security. The rules allow it, but check your airline's policy on quantities and containers before you go.
Reserving the Bassinet
My younger daughter was seven months old, so well before the trip I called the airline to reserve a bassinet, the wall-mounted infant bed that attaches at the front of the cabin. A few things to know: you have to book a bulkhead seat to use one, there are weight and height restrictions, and availability is limited, so call early. The bassinet itself is free, but bulkhead seats are reserved seating, which means adding my toddler to the same row cost extra.
On the outbound flight, we barely used it. My younger daughter would wake up the moment I set her down, so I ended up holding her for most of the flight. The Bandou headphones I'd bought for my toddler migrated over to the baby. And my toddler, who was happily watching Peppa Pig on the tablet, decided she didn't want to wear headphones anyway. Kids.
What I Only Learned on the Return Flight
At some point during the trip, I noticed that my younger daughter struggled to fall asleep anywhere with ambient light. Too bright, and she'd stay awake no matter how tired she was. Get the room dark enough, and she'd be out within minutes.
On the return flight, I remembered that one of the Bandou's features is that it can function as a sleep mask. I put it over her eyes, played white noise, and set her in the bassinet. She slept for several hours. I slept for several hours. I cannot overstate how good that felt.
It was a completely accidental discovery. But if your baby won't settle on a flight no matter what you try, it's worth asking: is the cabin too bright? Try blocking the light first, add white noise, and see what happens before you assume they just won't sleep on planes.
"I bought the Bandou headphones for my older daughter. On the return flight, I used them as a blackout mask for the baby. She slept for hours. So did I."
— Kejo LiuWas It Better Than Last Time?
A lot better. My toddler cried much less. The airplane bed helped her sleep, and I think the preparation helped her feel less caught off guard by the whole experience. The flight still wasn't easy or comfortable. She slept in stretches, woke up, needed attention. But she wasn't inconsolable for hours, and compared to our first trip, that felt like a genuine victory.
My younger daughter was tougher on the way there than I expected. The return was significantly better once I figured out the light sensitivity. That's one of those things I'll check immediately on any future trip.
There's no such thing as a perfect long-haul flight with two kids under three. But the more prepared you are, the better you can improvise when things don't go the way you planned — and something always doesn't go the way you planned.
Credit card travel protection covers trip cancellation and interruption. It does not cover medical expenses while you're traveling. Those are two different things, and I learned the hard way: our daughters both needed medical care in Taiwan, and I paid nearly $2,000 out of pocket. I now use Faye Travel Insurance, which is straightforward to purchase and has solid coverage. Get the policy that includes emergency medical.
Planning a trip to Taiwan with kids?
I'm a Fora travel advisor specializing in Asia, grew up in Taiwan, and now live in LA. If you want help planning a trip that actually works for your family, first visit or tenth, I'd love to help.
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