flying with toddler

carolyn02 · March 2013

Hey all. My apologies if this question has been asked a million times.. We're flying in May for the first time since DD was born. She'll be 2.5 at that time. What are your experiences with bringing a car seat aboard the plane? Think it's necessary? I've looked at the airline's policy and due to her age/size, it doesn't look like it's required. Thanks!

blue33 · March 2013

We use a stroller converter for our carseat by Go Go Babyz, so that we can have t at our destination location, but we always gate check the carseat and stroller attachment. My son always falls asleep on flights, and he wants to be held, so it is much easier to hold him in my lap or allow him to rest on me while being strapped in his own seat during the flight. The seating is soo cramped, I don't think a carseat would be comfortable. Good Luck. Hope you all have fun!

mkanderson85 · March 2013

We never brought a carseat. She had her own ticket and sat in her seat. She did wonderfully.

rach10782 · March 2013

We bring his carseat when we fly back to NY (we are now in CA) or to Hawaii. For some reason he will nap in his carseat but not if he's lying on us.

Fashiongal1973 · March 2013

Are you going to need a seat for transportation when you arrive at your destination? That would be the first question.

We flew with ours recently and it was great. He slept in the seat, there was plenty of room for DH and I, you install the seat in the window seat. We considered renting a seat with our rental car. I am so happy we didn't. The rental car was filthy and I can only imagine what a car seat would have looked like.

momtoRaegan041008 · March 2013

We have never needed to rent a car where we were going so we didn't take a carseat with us. Honestly, I know it is expensive to rent a carseat, however I think it would be a pain to drag it all the way through the airport along with a stroller. You don't need a carseat though for them to fly.

brettsmama · March 2013

I have flown with DS multiple times and always brought his car seat since we would need it at our destination too. I prefer not to gate check the car seat so that it doesn't get handled roughly.
The first few times we used our large convertible, not a fun experience. The second time I bought a Costco convertible from Walmart, super easy. We had to use it forward facing in the plane for it to fit, even though he faces rear in cars. I paid about 10 dollars for a special strap that secured the car seat to my carry on bag and DS could actually sit in the car seat as I wheeled it through the airport.
Personally I think DS was much happier traveling in his car seat, it's familiar, comfortable, kept him confined and he napped.

alake · March 2013

Car seat. I fly often and by myself with three kids. I booster Summer 7 at destinations but she is still harnessed in our main vehicles. Leah always rides in a seat at five and a half and so does Eryn at six months. (I don't do lap child, it is extremely dangerous) My parents and I flew with the three girls to Ireland, and I honestly considered bringing Summer a harnessed car seat. I thought that she would be more comfortable on the plane, but she did ok in her seat with out her seat.

carolyn02 · March 2013

No, we re going on a cruise, so a carseat isn't needed. My parents are driving and meeting us at the airport, so we d be able to keep the seat in their car while we re gone. Our carseat is a huge britax and I'm not confident it would even fit. I honestly think dd would be super fussy if we kept her strapped in a carseat during the flight dc to Orlando.. so not super long.

janneann1127 · March 2013

We never bring it. He would be cranky strapped into that thing for too long, so no. He liked being able to stand up & check things out.

Betts12 · March 2013

My son is so wiggly and active that if he weren't strapped into the car seat he wouldn't get the message that he's supposed to sit down. Having a car seat is, therefore, a necessity for us.

We bought a Cosco seat from Walmart and love it. I travel with him mostly alone and just flip the car seat upside down to rest it on top of our Maclaren stroller handles.

AmericanInOz · March 2013

Carseats are never required on a plane
We don't bring it unless I know she'll sleep the whole time like after our 14 hour intl flight. Won't ever do it again while she's awake cause it puts her at the perfect distance to kick the seat on front of her, ALL bad!!! We bring our cares harness instead :

Mrs.Slick · March 2013

If it was needed at the destination, I'd bring it on board. If not, I'd leave it behind. Especially when on longer flights you tend to bring more so I'd hate to have more to lug around. However, I'd consider boxing it up in protective styrofoam or something of the sort before I'd consider gate checking. I've seen what they do to that stuff.

We flew home with LO from Russia. 36 hours of travel with 21 of those being on planes. Traveling with toddlers isn't fun.

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