Flying with a baby from Singapore: airline rules and each step to landing

Flying with a baby from Singapore is easier when you sort the airline rules before you reach Changi. Singapore Airlines takes babies from 7 days old and Scoot from 8 days. A baby under 2 can fly on your lap with an infant seat belt. At Changi, breast milk and baby food can go over 100ml when your baby flies with you.

How to fly with a baby, step by step

1. Book your baby's ticket in the same booking as yours, as Singapore Airlines requires. Scoot charges an infant fee for every baby, with or without a seat.
2. Choose a bassinet seat when you book. Singapore Airlines gives them out first come, first served, for babies up to 14kg. Scoot has none, so your baby flies on your lap or in a seat you buy.
3. Sit at the window or in the middle with a lap baby. The AAP says aisle seats can be risky for babies. Our travel after giving birth guide sets out which seat suits whom.
4. Pack milk and food that need no heating or chilling. Scoot's crew can't do either. On Singapore Airlines, order a baby meal at least 32 hours before you fly.
5. Decide whether the stroller goes in with your bags or to the gate. Changi lends free strollers at its information counters, first come, first served.
6. Clear immigration in a Special Assistance Lane. Changi says these wider lanes are for people with young children. Up to four of you can go through together.
7. Change a nappy in a baby care room, then head to the gate early. The AAP suggests a fresh nappy just before boarding, and Singapore Airlines notes that Changi screens bags at the gate.
8. Use the Care@Changi Priority Lane at security. Take out the breast milk and baby food. Changi lets them through over 100ml when your baby flies with you.
9. Hold your baby on your lap or in a car seat for take-off, landing and turbulence, as the AAP advises. Feeding or a pacifier as the plane climbs and descends can ease ear discomfort, the AAP says.
10. Submit the SG Arrival Card within 3 days before you land back in Singapore. ICA asks everyone arriving by air to do it, Singapore citizens included, and it's free.

Singapore Airlines and Scoot: what each airline's page says

These are the baby rules on each airline's own page. They aren't a ranking. Other airlines set their own rules, so ask yours the same questions before you book.

The AAP suggests asking any airline before you book whether it has bassinets, and whether checking baby gear at the gate costs more. On Singapore Airlines, a stroller that won't fit in the cabin is gate-tagged and handed back at the aerobridge. Apply for your baby's passport before you book; our baby passport guide has the steps.

Milk, formula and food through Changi

Changi's liquid rule is containers of 100ml or less, in one 1-litre resealable bag per passenger. Baby food and breast milk are exempt when your baby travels with you, though staff may run extra checks. If your baby isn't flying with you, the 100ml limit applies to the milk too.

Powdered formula isn't a liquid. On flights to the US, Changi lists baby formula as an exception to the powder limit when you travel with an infant. The AAP suggests packing formula, breast milk and water for mixing separately, then telling security staff about them.

For feeding on board, see our breastfeeding on the go guide. For everything else in the bag, use the baby travel packing list. Our Changi Airport with kids guide lists the baby care rooms and play areas by terminal.

On the plane: sleep, nappies and layers

If your baby sleeps on your lap, the AAP asks you to stay awake. Check often that they can breathe easily, with their face uncovered. For naps and jet lag on a longer trip, see our baby sleep while travelling guide.

Leave sleep medicines out of the plan. The AAP says not to give your baby diphenhydramine for a flight without asking your doctor. Some children get more alert on it, not sleepier.

For nappy changes, Singapore Airlines says certain lavatories on every aircraft have a changing table. The AAP suggests asking whether your plane has one, and packing plenty of changing supplies for delays.

Dress your baby in layers. The AAP notes that cabin temperature can change, especially while you wait on the runway. Travelling with an older child as well? Our flying with a toddler guide picks up from here.

Landing and getting home

Before your flight home, submit the SG Arrival Card with its health declaration on ICA's site or the MyICA app. You can send it up to 3 days before you land, and the day you arrive counts as one of them. ICA's exemption for Singapore residents covers only Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints. A family flying into Changi submits it too.

At the immigration counter, ICA says you then only need to show your passports. A stroller gate-tagged on Singapore Airlines waits at the aerobridge. One checked in at the counter comes out on the baggage belt. Changi's Care@Changi Priority Lanes are at its taxi stands too.

When to see a doctor

• Your baby is under 3 months and has a fever. NUH defines this as above 37.5 degrees C from the armpit or 38.0 degrees C from the ear. It says to bring your baby to the nearest hospital. Check a reading with our fever checker.
• Your baby had an ear infection or ear surgery in the 2 weeks before the trip. The AAP says to ask their doctor whether it's OK to fly. Our ear infection guide covers the signs.
• Your baby is only days or weeks old. The AAP says flying is generally safe from 7 days, but suggests waiting until 2 to 3 months. Crowded airports raise a newborn's risk of catching something.
• Your baby has a medical condition or needs medicines abroad. KKH suggests seeing a doctor about 4 to 6 weeks before you leave and getting a doctor's letter. Our travel vaccinations guide covers the jabs.
• Your baby gets a fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, a rash or jaundice after the trip. KKH's Children's Travel Clinic sees these at Clinic M, Children's Tower Level 1.

If your baby gets sick in the days before you fly, our travelling with a sick child guide helps you decide whether to go.

In Singapore, start with your GP or a polyclinic. For urgent care, go to a Children's Emergency at KKH or NUH. In an emergency, call 995, as KKH advises. Abroad, MFA's travel page for each country lists the local emergency numbers, such as 999 in Malaysia, and the nearest Singapore embassy. MFA's Duty Office answers 24 hours on +65 6379 8800. You can also call your travel policy's assistance line. Pack the basics from our baby medicine and first aid kit.

Frequently asked questions

When can babies fly from Singapore?

Singapore Airlines accepts babies from 7 days old, or from 48 hours with medical clearance, and Scoot from 8 days. The AAP says 7 days is generally safe, but suggests waiting until 2 to 3 months if you can. Our travel after giving birth guide covers when you're ready to fly too.

Is flying with a newborn safe?

The AAP says it's generally safe from 7 days old. It suggests delaying a few weeks where you can, to protect your baby from colds and flu. NUH calls a fever in a baby under 3 months a medical emergency, so see a doctor before any flight.

Does a baby on a plane need their own seat?

Not under 2. Singapore Airlines and Scoot both let a baby under 2 fly on your lap with an infant seat belt. Both need a seat once a child turns 2. The AAP says your baby is safest in their own ticketed seat. Singapore Airlines allows an approved car seat or harness for a child under 3 with a seat of their own.

Can I bring breast milk or formula through Changi?

Yes. Changi exempts breast milk and baby food from the 100ml rule when your baby flies with you. Staff may run extra checks. For powdered formula, Changi lists it as an exception to the powder limit on flights to the US.

How do I stop my baby's ears hurting on a plane?

Feed your baby, or offer a pacifier, during take-off and landing. The AAP says sucking then can ease the discomfort from changing air pressure. If your baby had an ear infection or ear surgery in the 2 weeks before, ask their doctor before you fly.

Does my baby need an SG Arrival Card when flying with an infant into Singapore?

Yes. ICA asks all travellers arriving by air to submit the SG Arrival Card with a health declaration, Singapore citizens included. It's free on ICA's site or the MyICA app, within 3 days before you land.