This article about the Best Budget Inflatable Toddler Airplane Beds was written by toddler travel gear expert Celine Brewer and may contain affiliate links.
Of all the toddler travel gear I have used over the years, one of the most useful is an inflatable airplane bed for toddlers. I have used airplane travel beds on many overnight flights, and my kids fell asleep each and every time. I can tell you from experience that a well-rested toddler is a much better traveler than a cranky, overtired toddler. Some premium airplane beds can get quite expensive, but there are plenty of good quality budget inflatable airplane beds for toddlers on the market. Regardless of what you pay, I think they are worth every penny.
If you are flying with a toddler often, I think it’s worthwhile to splurge on one of the best toddler travel beds for planes, but I also understand there are many reasons why this might not be the right choice for your family. For that reason, I’ve put together this list of budget airplane travel beds for babies, toddlers and kids.
To come up with this list of the best inflatable travel footrests for the airplane, I’ve combed through all the data to determine which are the most popular with my Baby Can Travel audience. In addition, I’ve read through hundreds of reviews to find the best inflatable airplane travel beds for kids under $50.
My Top Picks for the Best Affordable Toddler Airplane Beds:
I know you don’t always have time to read, so here are my top picks for the best budget airplane beds to kids:
Best Overall:
Maliton Inflatable Travel Footrest – a lightweight and versatile travel option featuring adjustable height, compact packing, and a 6-month quality guarantee.
Best for Using at Different Heights:
Flypal Airplane Travel Bed – features a unique dual-chamber design for three height options, easy adjustment and stability.
What You’ll Find in This Article on the Best Budget Airplane Travel Beds for Toddlers:
Best Budget Inflatable Airplane Travel Beds for Toddlers
1. Maliton Inflatable Travel Footrest for Airplanes
My choice for the best overall budget airplane travel bed for kids, the Maliton inflatable footrest comes with either a basic travel cushion or a set of two travel cushions. The basic model has two chambers and two double cap valves, allowing it to (in theory) be used at 3 different heights.
The inflatable travel cushion weights only 0.8lbs and is 18" tall x 17" wide and 12" deep, so it's a good size. It packs down to 8.5"x6"x2". It comes with a carry bag.
If you have any quality issues, the company offers to service it up to six months after purchase, even if it is past Amazon's 30-day window.
2. HOMCA Inflatable Travel Airplane Bed for Toddlers
The HOMCA budget inflatable toddler airplane bed has been a popular and highly regarded model with my Baby Can Travel audience for quite some time.
Its dimensions are 18" x 16" x 10", so it's slightly smaller than the Maliton above. I like that the height is still 18 inches to make a flat surface when it's positioned next to the airplane seat. It packs down to about 6 inches by 4 inches and weighs less than one pound.
This one also has all the same great features, including a travel bag and two valves for easy inflation and deflation. You can also get an even better deal by purchasing the two pack.
3. Flypal Airplane Travel Bed for Kids
The FlyPal inflatable cushion for air travel has the most unique design with two separate chambers that enable you to use it at 3 different heights. The two pieces are connected by velcro strips.
The air valves are double capped with one large and one small. The large one is used to inflate or deflate it in the quickest way possible. The smaller one is used to add more air or to finish inflating the pillow in place.
4. Koala Kloud Inflatable Airplane Pillows for Kids
The Koala Kloud inflatable travel bed has a standard version and a premium version. The standard version has only one chamber and one valve, where the more expensive one has 2 chambers and two valves which allows you to use it with three different heights.
It comes with a drawstring carry bag and a dust cover to keep the base off the dirty airplane floor.
Packed down it's only 4" x 4" x 7", so it will easily fit in a carry on.
5. 1st Class Kid Inflatable Footrest Travel Pillow
One of the original budget inflatable travel beds for airplanes is the 1st Class Kid Pillow. It only has one valve and one chamber. One unique feature of the 1st Class Kid Pillow is that it allows the valve to be positioned at the top to make it easier to fill in place.
It's also one of the bigger airplane beds at 18" x 18" x 12".
6. Sunany Inflatable Foot Rest Pillow for Travel
The Sunany inflatable travel bed for airplanes is the same size as the Maliton above. It can also be used at 3 different heights. It comes with a drawstring carry bag and a dust cover.
Like many of the inflatable airplane beds for toddlers, it has a 2-in-1 double valve to make it faster for deflating.
7. BLABOK Inflatable Kids Airplane Bed
With 3 different heights and a travel bag, this inflatable toddler or kids airplane bed is a good budget option. It has a 2-in-1 double valve to make inflating and deflating easier.
How are the Budget Inflatable Airplane Beds Different Than the Premium Versions?
There are several differences between these more cost effective airplane travel beds for kids and a more expensive inflatable airplane bed for toddlers.
The biggest differences are quality and price. The price is higher, but so is the quality in the brand name inflatable toddler flight beds. With the more expensive models, you’ll see far less complaints about the inflatable cushion becoming deflated during the flight or getting delivered with a rip in it.
If you are using an inflatable cushion as an airplane bed for a baby, you really don’t want it to be deflating. I’ve used my original Fly Tot inflatable airplane cushion several times a year for over 4 years and have never had an issue with it deflating.
Another key difference is that the ones in my list of budget blow up cushions for planes don’t come with a pump. Where the premium toddler travel beds for planes all come with a pump.
The shape of the premium inflatable airplane travel beds is also a big difference. Rather than just a cube, they are more mushroom shaped. The top is wider allowing it to have a better fit between your toddlers seat and the seat in front of them. It also give more options to fit it by flipping it upside down for flights with very limited leg space.
These budget inflatable airplane footrest are much less expensive, typically around $20, and will also take up less room in your carry-on luggage.
One final difference is the companies that you are buying your airplane bed for toddlers from. There are companies like Flyaway Designs who are working to get their Flyaway kids airplane bed approved by the airlines and that’s why you’ll see it approved by over 50 airlines.
You can buy the Flyaway Kids Bed directly from their website.
What to Look for in a Budget Inflatable Airplane Travel Bed for Toddlers and Kids?
When looking to purchase one of these inflatable cushions for travel, check the dimensions of it. I would recommend getting one that is 18 inches tall by 18 inches wide and 12 inches deep. You’ll only need to inflate it to the point that it fills the space, but it will be far less useful if it’s too small for the space.
Aside from complaints about the inflatable airplane footrest being delivered with a hole or leaking after only a couple of uses, the biggest complaint is getting it to fit properly as a child airplane seat extender. There are several complaints about not being able to fit in the space once it’s inflated or that it moves around too much.
In the first instance, it likely has too much air in it to get it down onto the floor between the two seats. In the second, there’s not enough air in the toddler airplane bed.
The solution is to fill it most of the way, put it in place then perform some crazy yoga moves to get your head down to the valves to fill it the rest of the way.
In my experience, you’ll get a better fit if you fill it in place. A pump will make this so much easier.
If you have two or more kids, it can be more cost effective to get a two-pack of inflatable airplane cushions.
Can You Use an Inflatable Seat Cushion on the Plane?
Let’s just get this out of the way…. Some airlines have banned these types of products, even the premium versions. Check to make sure that isn’t the case for your airline. I read countless reviews from people that were surprised that they weren’t able to use them.
I can’t stress this enough – check with your airline before buying. Besides the airlines that have outright banned the use of an inflatable flight cushion for toddlers, other airlines only allow specific brands like the Flyaway Kids Bed. To make matters more confusing, some airlines leave it up to the discretion of the flight crew.
As an example, we were able to successfully use our inflatable airplane beds on a Korean Air flight to Seoul, but on the flight home a different flight crew asked us to deflate them. This is a risk you take, but purchasing a budget airplane bed mitigates the risk somewhat.
A few airlines which do not allow use of these toddler travel beds for planes include: Emirates, Korean Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, Asiana, Virgin Atlantic, Air France, Air Malta, Egypt Air and Qantas.
Tips for Successful use of an Airplane Bed for Kids
Based on my years of using inflatable airplane beds for my kids, here is some advice I have for you:
- Make sure you test it before you go. Inflatables are prone to leaks, especially in lower priced ones.
- Your baby or toddler needs to have their own reserved seat in order to use an airplane bed for babies. Unless you get lucky and snag a spare seat.
- Be aware that they can only use it in certain seats, which are window seats and the middle seat on larger airplanes with a middle block of seats. They can never be used on a seat which would block another passengers ability to reach the aisle.
- Make sure your child is still able to be buckled while in the seat.
- Installing the inflatable airplane bed for kids should not affect any of the other passengers. Install it within the confines of your seat, not in the aisle.
- Don’t try to blow up the toddler airplane travel bed during take off and be prepared to take it down before landing, even if you need to wake your child.
- Watch out for misleading images that show two kids laying side by side. Airlines do not allow that. Your kid should be wearing their seat belt and they will make you wake your child to buckle them if there is turbulence. The seat belt works better if you have their head near the back of their seat. Another advantage of this sleeping position is that their legs are on the pillow in case it deflates.
Final Tips on Using an Airplane Travel Bed for Kids
These inflatable airplane beds for toddlers can be used from baby to kids around 7 years old, depending on the height of your child.
Inflatable toddler airplane beds have been more than worth it for my family, however your child won’t automatically go to sleep just because you have one.
Read all my tips for getting a toddler to sleep on the plane.
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This post was written & edited by:
Celine Brewer is the owner of Baby Can Travel. Not only does she have years of experience traveling with babies & toddlers, but she's helped millions of new parents travel with their babies and toddlers for over a decade. In addition to writing on her baby travel blog, she has shared her expertise on traveling with a baby or toddler by contributing to articles about traveling with a baby with the Washington Post, USA Today, the Lonely Planet magazine and Pregnancy & Newborn magazine.
Celine also writes about family travel on the site FamilyCanTravel.com, which she co-owns with her husband. Being from the Canadian Rockies, she shares her passion about her home and travel to Banff National Park and area on their site TravelBanffCanada.com.