So, you've decided to take the plunge and fly with your toddler. First off, I salute your bravery! My best advice? Don't do it! But let's be real—that's hardly practical so to help you make a decision when flying regionally or short haul in Australia I took my newly turned 3 year old on a 2.5 hour flight with QantasLink and Virgin Australia.

Quick Disclaimer: We pride ourselves on honest reviews at Airline Ratings. For this trip, I took the easier of my two children (thank goodness!), and we were not guests of either airline.

Short on Time? If you're a busy parent, skip the rest and check out our video on Instagram (give us a follow while you’re there!). But if you have a few spare minutes, here’s the scoop:

Seating: Location, Location, Location!

As a Qantas Frequent Flyer, I scored seats near the front of the plane, which meant a swift exit when we landed—huge when you’ve got a restless kid. With Virgin, I wasn’t so lucky. Unless I coughed up $25 each, we were stuck in row 27, adding an extra 30 minutes of plane time. If it fits your budget, paying to pick seats closer to the front is worth it.

The Qantas Link seats were a vinyl/leather look and when we had a liquid spillage very easy to clean.

The Virgin Australia Seats on the A320 were fabric and very scratchy. If you have a child with sensory issues you need to bring a jumper or blanket for them to sit on as it could be a casue of stress. The seats on the Virgin Boeing 737 aircraft ( the vast majority of their fleet) are similar to that of Qantas so just check the aircraft type.

Blankets/Pillows/In-flight Entertainment (IFE)

Both airlines only have blankets/pillows in the case of an emergency on regional routes but both cabins were a perfect temperature and each seat had its own air vent so there was no need for these. Domestic Qantas flights however do have these available on request. Virgin do not carry blankets and pillows for outside emergency use on any flight. 

When it comes to in-flight entertainment, trust me—bring your own. The availability and quality of IFE can vary greatly depending on the aircraft. Our Qantas A319 had no IFE or streaming options, while our Virgin A320 did, but it wasn’t working. On domestic flights between major cities, you're almost guaranteed to find seat-back screens (Qantas) or streaming options to your own device (Virgin and Qantas) with a decent selection of kids' programs.

Meals, Drinks & Bottles: Be Ready to Improvise

Both Qantas and Virgin offer free water so you never have to worry about being caught short here. Qantas offer a full beverage selection including tea, coffee, soft drinks and juices whereas Virgin only offer tea and coffee complimentary.  On Qantas regional flights, there’s no meal choice, and Mr. Fussy Eater wasn’t impressed with the bacon and egg focaccia provided. For picky eaters, pack a lunchbox or snacks just in case. On city pairs and flights between major centres Qantas do offer kids meals and a gift bag. Head to the Qantas site to pre request your kids meals - they’re not automatically allocated.

Virgin doesn’t offer complimentary meals or snacks but has a solid buy-on-board menu, which I found more convenient for catering to a fussy child. Side note: They consistently run out of cheese and crackers - a child’s delight, so don’t count on this being available and Virgin if you’re reading this - please put more on your flights!

As for milk bottles—yes, my 3-year-old still loves them. (Pick your battles, right?) Qantas doesn’t carry milk cartons, so we made do with mini milks meant for tea and coffee. Virgin, however, does have milk cartons, so we were able to get a proper bottle of milk. Both airlines offer bottle-warming facilities and hot water for formula prep.

Remember airport screening has come a long way so limits on liquids rarely apply anymore especially when it comes to water and milk for children. Bring as much as you need!

Extra Equipment Allowance

For children under two years old, both Qantas and Virgin Australia offer allowances for essential baby items.

Virgin Australia: Adults traveling with infants can bring an additional 7kg carry-on bag free of charge for essential baby products. You can also check in up to three special infant items for free, including:

• Pram/stroller; Portable cot; Car seat; Baby capsule

Additionally, you can check in one 23kg bag for free, except if you’ve booked an Economy Lite fare, in which case this checked bag is excluded from the allowance.

If you’re traveling with a child (over two years old), you may also check in two of the following three items for free: Pram/stroller; Portable cot; Car seat

Qantas: The airline has a similar policy to Virgin but does not include a checked bag as part of the allowance. When traveling with an infant, you can check in the following three items

• Collapsible stroller or push-chair; Collapsible cot or bassinet; Car seat or baby capsule

Summary

When deciding who to fly with, factors like price and flight times are key, but the real decision often comes down to your specific needs and the value each airline offers at the time.

If you’re traveling with an infant, Virgin Australia stands out with its extra 23kg checked baggage allowance on most fare types. This can be a game-changer when you need to pack all those baby essentials. For this reason alone, Virgin is my top choice when flying with an infant.

As my kids get older, I find myself leaning towards Qantas. Their kids' meal and gift pack add a touch of excitement to the journey, and the complimentary beverage selection doesn’t hurt either! While these perks aren't available on regional flights, the extra chocolates they hand out certainly kept my 3-year-old happy. Plus, Qantas typically allows you to pick your seats for free 24 hours before the flight, which can be a real advantage.