Tips to Rock the TSA with (and without) Kids

By: Erika Fehrenbach Prell

Getting through security might be the most stressful part of the airport experience, especially if you have children in tow.  With a little planning, though, it can be smooth sailing. My husband, Adam, and I fly with our children quite a bit. Lucy has even been on a plane already when she was only five months old.  Personally, I am not the road trip kind of traveler; I prefer flying to my destination.

By now, Adam and I can really rock the TSA line; our kids barely even slow us down.  In fact, having the kids with us may make us faster; we have a secret little competition with the other passengers to see if we can get through faster with our kids than those without kids.  And even though the other passengers don’t really know the game is being played, we still often win.

The key to getting through security quickly, efficiently, and as painlessly as possible starts with organization and having a plan of action.  This plan starts at home with packing and what you wear to the airport, continues with your approach to and progression through security, and concludes with getting everything back together after going through security.  With a little foresight, this should not take you long or cause unnecessary stress. Here are my top tips to rock the TSA line!

Tips for Packing your Carry-on (starting from the bottom of the bag to the top):

1. The bottom of the bag is for any items that you are unlikely to need in transit and that will not need to come out at security, such as a sweatshirt or light jacket, sunglasses, car keys, or hats.
   
2. The side pocket or middle of the bag is for non-electronic entertainment such as books and magazines. I prefer to put these in the interior side pocket of my bag for easy access in-flight.
   
3. Electronics such as iPods, earbuds, headphones, and cell phones do not typically need to be removed at security.  Keep them in the middle or close to the top just in case and for easy access later.
   
4. The last items in the carry-on are the items that will need to be removed at security.
   
5. Liquids need to be removed from the carry-on.  Remember, you get a 1-quart bag for your liquids.  Each individual item can be 3.4 ounces (or 100 mL).  
   
6. Electronics larger than a cell phone such as tablets, ipads, and laptops need to be removed.  If these do not fit right on top in the bag, put them on the outer part of the carry-on or in the separate media compartment for easy access.
   

Additional Tips:

1. Pack an extra pair of underwear and possibly an outfit appropriate for your destination in your carry-on. This is helpful in case your checked luggage is lost.
   
2. Pack irreplaceable items in your carry-on such as souvenirs and jewelry.  
   
3. Any medications should be in a carry-on and NOT in your checked luggage.
   
4. Roll your clothes to prevent wrinkling and to save space.  Put shoes and clothes in the deepest layer, with liquids and electronics closest to the top.
   

Tips for Traveling with Kids:

1. Put any special blankets or stuffed animals in the carry-on.  Your life will be torture if these are lost.
2. Kids 12 years old and younger do not need to remove shoes, jackets, or hats when going through security.
3. Breast milk, formula, and juice do not need to follow the 3.4 ounce rule.  
4. You may travel with breast milk even if you are not with your baby.  Freezer packs to keep breast milk cold are allowed.
5. The liquids may be subject to testing or additional inspection.  Require them to change their gloves prior to opening the liquids.  You can request special screening so that these are not opened, however, be prepared to have yourself and your bags thoroughly searched and allow for additional time.
6. You may take jars of baby foods through security.  Again, these are not subject to the liquid ounce rule but may require testing.
7. Small children may be carried through the metal detector.  You can use a baby sling or wearable carrier as well. Babies cannot go through in a stroller or infant car seat.
8. If you have a child with anxiety, alert a TSA officer to determine an appropriate plan such as carrying your child through the metal detector.
9. Car seats and strollers should go through the x-ray device.  Many strollers, however, are too large (pretty much anything larger than an umbrella stroller will be too big).  These will need to be manually screened. If you know your stroller is too big, save yourself time and ask a TSA officer to screen it while the rest of your party goes through security. Most infant seats will fit, however, toddler seats may not. Most booster seats should fit.
10. Kids three years old and older can help carry their own items if you have a backpack or kid-sized suitcase on wheels.
11. Strollers and car seats can be checked with luggage or at the gate for free by most major airlines.  You may want to consider a bag to protect them in transit. Check the warranty on your gear; some brands require you to use a travel bag in the event the item is damaged during transit in order to get a replacement.

Final Tips:

1. Your clothing and shoes are the game changer.  Do not wear clothing with metallic thread or details; it will show up like a bomb and require you getting pretty cozy with a TSA officer.  Trust me on this one. Easy-to-remove shoes, like flip flops or slip-off shoes, are the best. If it grosses you out to be barefoot, wear socks. 
2. While in line for security, loosen tie shoes, take off your jacket (put it in your carry-on, if possible), double check that removable items are on top.  Have your ID and boarding pass in hand. If you have a baby in a stroller, leave them there.
3. Remove everything from your pockets into the security bins.
4. Remove jackets, hats, and belts from anyone over 12.  I prefer to put any unneeded items like jackets, hats, and sunglasses, into the bottom of my carry-on prior to getting to security.
5. Make sure to remove any pedometer devices, like fit bits, that might be attached to your pocket or bra.  Again, it looks very suspicious on the body scan and may result in a body search.
6. Once at the security table, prepare your bins.  The first bin should be for shoes, belt, and pocket-contents, then the carry-on bag bin, followed by liquids and electronics bin.  If traveling with kids, the last items will be baby carrier and stroller.
7. If traveling with a baby, remove them from their stroller last so that your hands are free to get the bins ready for x-ray.  Send the baby carrier upside down, with the handle parallel with carrier. Fold up smaller strollers and send them through. Reminder, larger strollers and car seats require manual inspection.
8. Once through the scanner, grab all your items and slide them to the end of the conveyor belt.  Put easy clothing items, like slip-on shoes, on immediately. Slip liquids and electronics into the appropriate bag.  Grab everything else and head away from the table. There are usually benches where you can get all your stuff back in order and out of the way of other passengers. 
9. Once order has been established, stop your stopwatch and revel in your success.

​Happy traveling!