We did it! We flew with a toddler. We survived, we would do it again, and I have a lot of thoughts.
The occasion was Memorial Day weekend with family on Long Island. My sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and their two kids live out there, and after one too many "we should really do that trip" conversations, we finally booked it. Jamie was under two, which meant we had a limited window to fly him for free as a lap infant. So we used it.
The destination was rainy and cold the entire weekend, which is not what you expect from Long Island in May. We did a lot of indoor things, including ending up at the Bridgehampton Children's Museum, where I made direct eye contact with Andy Cohen in the foam block area. Worth the flight alone, honestly.
Here is everything I know now that I wish I had known before we left.
The Airport: Concord-Padgett Regional (CHA)
If you have not flown out of Concord-Padgett yet, it is worth knowing about. The commercial terminal is at 7435 Zephyr Place NW in Concord, about 30 minutes from Uptown Charlotte and maybe 40-45 from south Charlotte depending on where you are. It is small, fast, and easy. One security checkpoint, two gates, one big room. That is the whole thing.
Food situation: Do not count on the airport to feed you. There are vending machines with snacks and some sort of grab-and-go sandwich situation, but I would not plan your pre-flight meal around it. We stopped at the Chick-fil-A near Concord Mills on the way, which I recommend. It is outside the mall, easy in and out, and right on the way. Jamie did not eat much because it was too early for dinner, so we brought his chicken nuggets onto the plane. That was a very good decision.
The terminal itself: Clean, functional, nothing fancy. There is a water bottle filling station after security, which I appreciated. The airport is known for running cold regardless of season, so throw an extra layer in your bag. There are outlets available, though they can be scarce when the place fills up. TVs are on in the waiting area, which kept Jamie occupied while waited. We did a last minute diaper change and got him into pajamas before boarding.
Parking: The parking deck is right next to the terminal, which is convenient. Here is the thing nobody told me: there are two levels, upper and lower, and there are no ramps connecting them. You pull in and you are committed to that level for the duration of your trip. The upper level is significantly better because the terminal entrance is on the upper level. If you park on the lower, you have to take an elevator up, and only one elevator was working when we were there. Not a crisis, but not ideal with a stroller and a toddler and all the things.
We parked lower because we did not know, and we figured out the elevator situation quickly. One silver lining: all those storms while we were gone meant our car was at least sheltered. But if you have a choice, park upper.
Cost is $14 per day after the first free hour. We parked Thursday night through Monday night, so five days, which came out to $70. More than I expected, but still less than the stress of CLT.
Boarding: Avelo does pre-boarding for families with lap infants and children under two. Use it. David went up early with Jamie's personal item bag and the stroller, got everything settled, and then I waited back with Jamie so he could walk around the airport instead of sitting on the plane for an extra 15 minutes. We were basically the last people to board. It worked perfectly.
One thing to know: Concord does not have jetways. You walk outside and up a ramp to board the plane. In good weather it is totally fine. In bad weather I imagine it is less fun. Budget for that possibility.
The Airline: Avelo
Avelo is a budget carrier operating out of smaller secondary airports, which is the whole point. Fares to Islip start around $49 one-way, and the no-frills structure means the base price gets you your seat and one personal item. Everything else costs extra: carry-on bags ($44), checked bags ($45), seat selection. We checked two bags and did not pay for a carry-on, which kept costs reasonable.
The lap infant seat block strategy: Jamie was under two, so we flew him as a lap infant rather than buying him a third ticket. What we did was "Stretch +" seats which means the middle seat is blocked and we had the full row to ourselves without paying for a third full ticket. Jamie could technically sit in the middle seat, and we were not sharing the row with a stranger. Highly recommend this approach while it is still possible. I will probably buy him his own seat next time just because I think he would actually sit in it strapped into his car seat, but the row block worked well for this trip.
No snacks, no entertainment: Avelo does not offer in-flight food or drinks, and there is no Wi-Fi or seat-back entertainment. Download things to your phone before you leave. Bring snacks. Do not assume anything will be provided. This is not a complaint, just a fact to plan around.
The flights: Our outbound flight was an hour and 20 minutes. The return was an hour and 40. For this age, I would say two hours is probably the comfortable ceiling, and only if things are going well. I was checking my watch every ten minutes on both flights waiting for the moment Jamie decided to flip a switch. He did not. But the vigilance is real.
Baggage claim is one carousel. Straightforward.
Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP)
Islip is a proper step up in terms of amenities. There is a Dunkin', a Great American Bagel, a pub called Point Blue Pub & Provisions, and a Nathan's (though I overheard a woman at the gate report that two hot dogs, fries, and a drink ran $28, so airport prices are fully in effect). Free Wi-Fi is available for the first hour, then $4.99 for all-day access. There are power outlets at the gates and restaurants. Charging is not a scavenger hunt like it can be at Concord.
The thing I did not know going in: there is a Mothers' Room past the TSA checkpoint near the gates, which is a private nursing space and useful to know about if you are traveling with an infant.
TSA PreCheck is supposed to be available, but when we came through on the return trip, the PreCheck lane was closed. They handed us papers acknowledging we were PreCheck members, which I am pretty sure did nothing. Lines were longer on the return but we were early, so it was fine.
What Actually Worked on the Plane
The AirPods case. I am not joking. Jamie played with my AirPods case the entire outbound flight. "Open, close", "open, close", for an hour and twenty minutes. He ate his chicken nuggets. He looked out the window. We did not have to pull out a single toy. Sometimes the unpredictable thing is also the best thing.
Boarding last. Already mentioned, but worth repeating. Pre-board your stuff, wait with your kid, board last. The extra ten minutes of walking around the airport is worth more than any amount of organization you would gain by getting on early.
The Stokke JetKids Ride-On Luggage. Jamie had his own little suitcase that he could roll through the airport and also ride on. It stored his toys and counted as his personal item. It also converts into a pad that can lay flat, which we brought for the plane in case he needed to stretch out. He did not use it as a bed but it was good to have. It kept him occupied in the airport in a way that nothing else would have.
Gate-checking the stroller. We planned to put the stroller in the overhead bin to avoid checking it, but the bag agent said Avelo would charge it as a carry-on. So we gate-checked it instead. I wrapped it in a trash bag because I did not have a proper stroller bag, which worked fine. Next time I will actually get a stroller bag, but in a pinch the trash bag did the job. The stroller was waiting at the gate when we landed, which meant we could put Jamie in it immediately and walk to baggage claim instead of carrying him.
Split pre-boarding: David boarded early with the bags, I waited with Jamie. This one I will repeat every single time.
The Yoto Mini: We brought it and he wore the headphones for approximately two minutes before deciding they were not for him. He had never worn headphones before, so that tracks. For older toddlers who are used to headphones, I think this would be a really good plane distraction because it is self-contained. The carrying case holds the player, the headphones, and the cards. Much more packable than a Tonie Box with all the figurines. We will keep trying.
The One Thing I Would Do Differently
Buy him his own seat and bring the car seat. He is at the age where I think he would actually sit in it, and the car seat means he is contained, he knows the rules, and you are not doing the lap infant calculation on turbulence. That said, this trip the lap infant strategy worked well and saved us a meaningful amount of money, so I do not regret it for this flight. It just feels like we are close to the end of that era.
The Verdict
Concord-Padgett and Avelo are a great option for Charlotte families flying to the northeast. The airport is fast, the line moves quickly, and being 30 minutes from the house versus navigating Charlotte Douglas is a real difference when you are traveling with a toddler and a full pack of gear. Parking upper level, stop at Chick-fil-A on the way, bring your own snacks for the plane, and download everything to your phone before you leave the house.
We would do it again. We probably will.
