Questions about travel

GreenEyesinNC · September 2009

Hi everyone! So we are planning our first airplane trip with Jacob to NJ and feel really dumb.... how do we travel with him? He will be 5 months and still in his infant carseat. Do we 1 - Bring our big boy convertible carseat and check it in as we enter the plane (he'll be sitting on our lap)? If so, how do we lug the carseat around the airport? or 2 - Just carry him all throughout the airport and have our parents have a carseat when they pick us up in NJ? or 3 - Bring our snap and go and infant carseat and check both in as we enter the plane.

What did you guys do? I feel so clueless on this!

MrsHughesNC · September 2009

I haven't flown with Holly yet (we will be in November), but from what everyone else seems to say, I'd suggest not bringing a car seat, since he will be riding in your lap. I'd either carry him through the airport in a Bjorn or something, or use a lightweight umbrella stroller. If it's a reasonable request (and they'd be able to use it again, etc), I'd see if your parents could have a carseat installed in their car for when they pick you up. If that's not feasible, I would think it would be easier to check a convertible seat than an infant seat + base, but I guess either is possible!

Good luck!

SpeedGlenn · September 2009

If you're not buying a seat for him, you can gate check your carseat. We were lucky enough when Ben was that little to have a family member that let us borrow a carseat for him so we didn't have to lug it. Keep in mind with a stroller, that you have to be able to collapse it and send it through the xray. Which is kind of a pain if you can avoid it. I agree with Hughes, carry him on in a bjorn or in his infant carrier (if he's not too heavy!) and then put a trash bag in your diaper bag, wrap the carseat in it and gate check it.

There's also a chance they could have an empty seat on the plane and you can just put the car seat in there.

Good luck!

mrs.peggyhill · September 2009

Go with #3. Check them at the Gate so that they are waiting for you as you get off the plane.

akspriss · September 2009

Unless your parents are able to get a carseat on their end and have it already installed...I'd say you should use the snap n go and infant seat and gate check them. I just flew alone with DS and used the infant seat and his stroller that it snaps into. the infant seat is smaller then the convertible and you can travel through the airport with it easier. But hind site i wish I had put DS in a carrier on me cuz that would have been easier to get through security with him. Good luck!!! Both flights I was on they offered a seat but i just held him in my lap and it worked fine too.

MrsSavannah · September 2009

I'm planning to take her convertible carseat and gate check it. I'm torn on whether to bring a stroller or not though. DH doesn't think we need it, but I think it would be nice to have - especially in the airport. If no stroller then DH will wear her in the Ergo I guess.

mrsmikey · September 2009

We flew with Eli at about that age, and we checked the carseat, and took the stroller through the airport and gate checked it. You need to call your airline and find out if there is a limit to what you can gate check. We were only allowed to gate check one item, so it made more sense to us to gate check the stroller since we'd need it through the airport. We checked the carseat with our luggage, and just bought one of those travel bags for it. They do not charge you to check a carseat or stroller, and it doesn't count towards the number of bags you check.

AKH307 · September 2009

Just an FYI - something that most people don't know. A lot of hospitals (esp those with children's hospitals) have car seats that parents/grandparents can rent for cases when they travel and don't/can't bring a car seat with them. check into it...it might be cheaper than checking a seat at the gate anyway!

flamencogal · September 2009

When DS was around that age we always took the carseat w/ snap n go stroller. We then gate checked all of it and our airline let us since the carseat was part of the stroller. We just took a base along with us although I think you don't technically need the base?

mrsmikey · September 2009

Rental car agencies also rent carseats, but I would NOT rent a carseat from anyone. It doesn't cost anything to check a carseat or stroller, so I would definitely take one with me. And you don't have to have the base to use an infant seat, it's just for convenience.

unc00ref · September 2009

mrs.peggyhill:
Go with #3. Check them at the Gate so that they are waiting for you as you get off the plane.

Absolutely. I traveled with Caroline when she was 4 months. Gate checking the infant car seat and stroller was wonderful!

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