Another car seat traveling question!

hokiebride05

So if you bring your own carseat vs rent do you check it Right away or take it to the gate and check it? I would be worried if we checked it that they would just throw it in with all the luggage and it would get damaged But also think it might be a real pain to carry it through the airport to the gate to gate check It. Suggestions?

shannm

Would this work or is your DS too big?

 

https://www.amazon.com/Britax-Seat-Travel-Cart-Black/dp/B005CNEQK0

smilejenn

We have a large black car seat bag that we use for air travel and check it through the entire way. We have enough to worry about carrying from gate to gate without also being concerned about the car seat. It's wonderful because we also stuff the bag full of extra clothes, diapers, wipes extra since car seat bags are checked for free

Brewtowngrl

smilejenn:

We have a large black car seat bag that we use for air travel. It's wonderful because we also stuff it full of extra clothes, diapers, wipes extra since car seat bags are checked for free

This is what we do too.  Add in DS1's stuffed animals to the mix that bag. less for us to put in our luggage that we had to pay for.  We checked it.  Much easier.  We also had to cart 2 kids and a double stroller that ended up in baggage claim anyway when we gate checked that.  I joked that if they were going to keep sending our stroller through to the baggage that they should at least meet us at the gate with a drink;)  

NicoleWI

We gate checked. It was a huge PITA, but I've heard not to regular-check b/c the seat can be damaged. I also heard a story from a friend whose luggage was lost...so they arrived w/ no car seat! We bought the cheap Cosco seats and used those for travel (and now for Grandma, baby sitters, etc).

The GoGo Kidz things look cool but we don't fly enough to make it worthwhile to get that.

golfbride11

We've traveled a few times with our Britax Marathon.  When DS was younger, we brought it on and he sat in it.  This past year he didn't use it on the plane but we needed it to get around on the other end so we checked it with the luggage.  All 4 times, they bagged it for us and put it with "oversized baggage."  On the other end, we got our bags, then went over to the oversized baggage claim and it was waiting with a lot of others - no damage at all.

 

DarcyLongfellow

I've done both, and it's a huge PITA to carry it through the airport.

I always gate check it now.  I'm not too worried about it getting damaged, but we did by the Cosco Scenera for traveling (and for DH's car) specifically because it was cheap and we would be okay with replacing it.

Angela814

Last time we traveled, DD1 was in a booster and DD2 in an infant seat. We checked the booster in a large bag with a couple life jackets and diapers and put the infant seat in the stroller through the airport.

Before DD2 was born, we carried DD1's seat through the airport. Generally DH strapped it to his carry on or we threw it on top of the stroller and carried DD1. We checked the seat at the gate then.

jlw2505

Check it with my lugage and use a special car seat bag.  Having it with me through the airport is not worth it.  I have never had an issue with my car seats when I check them.

penguingrrl

From a carseat safety standpoint checking (or gate checking)  a carseat is considered very unsafe. While a seat might not have visible damage that doesn't mean it hasn't undergone damage that would leave it prone to failure in a future accident. Carseat techs strongly recommend that you use the seat on board to protect the seat and to protect your child.