Flying with Children
It’s a lucky parent who hasn’t had to travel by plane with a young child. Some minimalist parents have it down, but the rest of us use up every last cubic inch of space we’re allotted, stuffing it with things we might possibly need like hair ties, mismatched infant socks, carabiners, and Ziploc bags that get thrown out eventually. Think back to your last trip on a plane alone when there was a small child—what was that child doing? Standing on the parent’s lap screaming? Waving at uncomfortable adults who waved once but then wanted to disengage from the outgoing child? Were you trying to eke out that last bit of nap before descent when that screech jolted you out of slumberland? Did that parent look happy or like she was going to cry herself?
Kids have that natural tendency to want to move and explore their environments when they’re in their parents’ arms. Parents naturally provide a safe place for a child . . . everywhere except in a moving vehicle, which is what an airplane is. Most of us who have traveled with children and carseats can attest that our kids have been better behaved in their carseats and have found their carseats to be safe pods for them. When was the last time *you* were comfortable in an airplane seat, after all? Kids in harnessed carseats are protected against turbulence and against runway incidents, such as aborted takeoffs and landings, and overshots. And think about it: coffee pots and Coke cans are required to be secured during flight. Don’t our kids deserve the same respect?
Can I take any harnessed carseat on the plane?
Maybe. It must have a sticker on it that says the carseat is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft. That part will be written in red ink so it’s easy to find. Your owner’s manual will also have this wording. Be prepared to show the sticker to a gate agent and/or flight attendant because they may ask to see it as you board the plane.
Can I use a booster seat on the plane?
Let’s get our terminology down first. A booster seat is a belt-positioning booster used by older kids. It’s used only with a lap/shoulder vehicle seat belt. Since a commercial airplane doesn’t have a lap/shoulder seat belt, no, you cannot use a booster seat on the plane. A harnessed seat isn’t called a booster seat. If your seat has a harness that also can be used as a booster later on, we call that a “combination seat.” Most combination seats are approved for use on airplanes only when used with the harness; that’s because you can install it with the plane’s seat belt. You can, however, take your booster seat on the plane with you as carry-on luggage for your child to use in the car when you get to your destination. If you have a backless booster, it fits perfectly under the seat in front or in the overhead bin. If you have a folding booster, it fits in the overhead bin. If you have a booster where the back comes off, you can pack the back in your suitcase and carry the bottom on with you.
What are my rights regarding carseat use onboard an airplane?
We have an article that explains what you need to know. Also, know where the certification sticker is on your carseat and bring a healthy dose of patience. Between oddly intimate security searches, our knees being jammed into the seats in front of us, and man spread by guys in the center seat, flying saps the last bit of patience of everyone. Flight attendants receive very little to no training on carseats on aircraft, so the best tactic is one of “you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” If there’s confusion, it’s OK to show them the carseat owner’s manual and smile. Remember that they can (and have in the past) remove ticketed passengers from flights.
How far should I push the rear-facing issue?
If you’ve been online at all, you’ve heard of travelers who have had problems rear-facing their kiddos: the flight attendant misinterpreted the flight attendant handbook, which requires carseats to be installed on forward-facing passenger seats, and they had to turn their 3 mo. old forward-facing. At some point you pick your battle with the flight attendant (with a smile–remember, he or she is just doing their job) and the likelihood that something catastrophic will happen is slim. Turning an 18 mo old forward-facing on a plane probably isn’t going to end the world. If you’re still unsure, I suppose you could whip this regulatory requirement out.
What are the best travel carseats?
Infants
For babies, use their rear-facing only infant seats. These seats are great for travel because they’re usually pretty lightweight in the first place and they’re made to be portable. Perfect! Here’s where the Average Parent will 
stop in their tracks: your infant seat is made to be used without the base. Say what?! Yep. Those hook-like protrusions on top of the carrier about where the child’s thighs are hold the lap-portion of the seat belt. You can use those belt guides to install your infant seat on the plane! And in cars! (Did I just knock you over with a feather?) OK, so it’s old news to some folks who have been around, but I come across a lot of parents who don’t know that little factoid. If you’re not up on your baseless installations, see Kecia’s recommended carseats for airplanes blog where she demonstrates how to do it. Impress your friends and stun your neighbors—share that news! And leave the heavy base at home while you travel.
Infants and Toddlers
If you prefer, or if your babe is bigger, you can use a rear-facing convertible on the plane too. I know you’re wondering how it’s going to fit because *your* knees don’t fit in between the plane’s rows, but it will. If you’re flying with a newborn, you’ll want to choose a row where you can have the carseat more reclined—buy the extra legroom row or pay for the A1-15 boarding passes so you can board first and get the best seats. Otherwise your rear-facer will be pretty upright AND the person in front won’t be able to recline. Too bad, so sad. In today’s flying environment, no one is comfortable. It’s a fact of life. You can offer to buy a snack or a drink if they look hostile to smooth feelings over.
When you fly, you want lightweight and narrow. Sure, you can drag a carseat on wheels through the airport, but you have to heft it over the plane seats to your row while guiding your kid and carrying your luggage. Anything over about 15 lbs. is going to feel gargantuan, especially if you have connections to make.
Cosco Scenera NEXT: 5-40 lbs. RF, 22-40 lbs. FF. It weighs just 7 lbs. (lighter than some infant seats!) and installs very easily both rear- and forward-facing. It’s a short seat so it will fit nicely RF on the plane and in small rental cars. It must be used RF until at least age 2 and even fits newborns well. The Cons? It’s a small seat, so kiddos will outgrow it quickly and some parents will see the age requirement of rear-facing until age 2 as a disadvantage (even though we see it as a bare bones minimum around here).
Combi Coccoro: 3-33 lbs. RF, 20-40 lbs. FF. The Coccoro is small and light at 11 lbs., which makes it ideal for travel. Because it’s short, like the Scenera NEXT, it will fit nicely rear-facing on an airplane seat. It’s a feature-rich convertible that acts somewhat like an infant seat because of its size and the way it installs. The downsides? It’s a small seat, so kids will outgrow it quickly and it can be complex to install in a vehicle. Plus the price tag is around $200 which is a lot for a travel seat that is hardly bigger than many infant seats.
Evenflo SureRide: 5-40 lbs. RF, 22-65 lbs. FF. It weighs only 9.7 lbs. and will fit newborns well too. The SureRide is also narrow and is a very tall seat; so tall, in fact, that this convertible is often recommended for preschoolers instead of a combination seat that converts to a booster. Because of its height, it won’t be able to be reclined all the way unless you’re flying in first class, but it’s still a great travel seat. Its Cons? It has only one recline angle for rear-facing, so in small rental vehicles, be ready to eat the dashboard.
Evenflo Tribute: 5-40 lbs. RF, 20-40 lbs. FF. This is another seat that’s pretty short, like the Scenera NEXT, and it’s lightweight at 9.2 lbs. The downsides to the Tribute: It’s a little bit more difficult to install than the NEXT in that you have to remember to flip the recline foot forward and backward depending on how you’re installing it and it won’t fit newborns well because the bottom harness slots are high and the crotch buckle strap is long.
Safety 1st Guide 65: 5-40 lbs. RF, 22-65 lbs. FF. It’s a versatile seat, like the SureRide. It has tall top harness slots and an EPS foam-lined headrest. The Guide 65 is 11.3 lbs—still pretty lightweight for a convertible. Cons? The bottom harness slots are very high, so it won’t fit a baby until they are several months old, and the headrest is adjusted separately from the harness height. The Guide 65 also has a tendency to over-recline over time as you use it.
Preschoolers to Early Booster Riders
Evenflo Maestro: 22-50 lbs. FF with harness, 40-110 lbs. and at least age 4 as booster. This is a lightweight combination seat that weighs 10 lbs. and has tall harness slots. It’s an easy carseat to use on the plane and at your destination and in a pinch, can be used as a booster for your child if he’s old enough. The Cons? The headrest isn’t adjustable, so a child can easily outgrow this seat by height before weight when using it as a booster.
Evenflo SecureKid: 22-65 lbs. with harness, 40-110 lbs. and at least age 4 as booster. It weighs a bit more than the Maestro, coming in at 12.4 lbs., but the SecureKid is a better overall combination seat if you’re buying a seat to use as your main seat. The harness slots are about the same as the Maestro, but the headrest is adjustable, so it makes a better booster seat. The downsides to the SecureKid? The harness is a little narrow at the shoulders, so it may bother some kids’ necks.
RideSafer 2 Travel Vest Gen. 3: Small: 30-60 lbs., Large: 50-80 lbs. The vest has been around for years and is on its third generation. There is a less expensive RideSafer 3, but it is less versatile in that you must use it with a lap/shoulder vehicle belt at all times, which eliminates being able to use it in seating positions with a lap-only belt with a tether anchor. The only time the RSTV requires a tether anchor is when it’s used with a lap-only belt; most modern vehicles (e.g., rental vehicles) have either lap/shoulder belts everywhere or a plethora of tether anchors, so that shouldn’t be a problem in those cars. It might be a problem for you in Grandpa Tony’s 1979 Grand Marquis, however, and in a plane seat since airplane seats have lap-only belts and no tether anchors. And the vest places your child right on the vehicle seat, so seeing out the window might be an issue as will be sleeping, if you are planning a long car ride. The important thing about the RSTV is to think of it as a booster seat in terms of use: your child must have the maturity to not unbuckle the seat belt and to not lean over to pick up dropped items. The best thing about the RSTV is that it easily fits inside a backpack, so taking it into a city for a day trip or on a cruise makes it ideal.
IMMI GO: 22-55 lbs. This is another alternative seat that’s been around for years, first as the SafeGuard Go Hybrid Booster then as the Safety 1st Go Hybrid Booster, and is a harnessed backless booster that requires a tether anchor for use with the harness, so it cannot be used on the plane. It packs down into a travel bag, weighs just 10 lbs., and easily fits into the overhead compartment of a 737. I recommend LATCH installation with this seat.
Big Kids
If your big kid is in a booster, I suggest bringing it along even though you won’t be able to use it on the plane. After all, the physics that affect you at home, affect you on that delightful tropical isle and you don’t want to be spending any time in an out-of-network hospital, do you? Nope.
If your child’s booster is a high-back booster and the back comes off, you can pack the back in your main luggage for protection and carry on the base. Remember: boosters require lap/shoulder belts so they cannot be used on airplanes, so they get tucked under the seat in front or put in the overhead bin. A booster is a safety device: don’t check it. Carseats don’t count as carryon items (check with your airline—most don’t count them), so it shouldn’t be a problem. If you want a special travel booster, here are some suggestions since some are lighter than others.
BubbleBum: 40-100 lbs., 4-11 years. This is the *ultimate* travel booster. The BubbleBum is an inflatable booster that deflates and rolls up to fit inside it’s own carry bag. It’s obviously lightweight and fits in tight spaces. The downsides? It’s very small, so “hippy” children won’t fit well on it, and the belt guides can be a bit of a pain. It’s also more expensive than the average backless booster, but because of its narrowness, some folks continue to use it in 3-across situations after their trips.
Cosco Ambassador: 40-100 lbs. This bare-bones booster costs less than $15 and is very lightweight. Cons? You’ll definitely lose the armrest covers in the airport, so either take them off before traveling or tuck them in your luggage.
Harmony Youth Booster: 30-100 lbs. The Youth Booster is under 3 lbs. and narrow, so it fits in tight spaces well. It has lots of kid-friendly covers too all for under $13. Cons? Bigger kids may find this booster a little tight.
Safety 1st Boost-A-Pak: 40-80 lbs. This booster is a backpack booster rolled into one, which makes it a great travel item for a kid who likes to take adult-eyerolling kid stuff on a trip. There are a few requirements for this booster and I suggest you read our review to see what they are. The Boost-A-Pak weighs about 3.5 lbs., so it’s still light enough for a child to load it down with good stuff on the plane. The Cons? It has a low 52” standing height limit, which is lower than many boosters.
Safety 1st Incognito Kid Positioner: 60-120 lbs. Yeah, we don’t even like to call this a booster—it’s a “kid positioner.” Only the biggest kids rock this seat. The Incognito is one of our very favorites and it’s one designed to get those kids who are too embarrassed to be seen in a booster to use a booster to the bitter end—the passing of the 5-Step Test. The Incognito is made of dense foam and weighs less than 1 lb., so it’s highly portable. The downsides? It’s not well-padded, but no booster really is since they’re designed to keep a kid up and in position. The minimum weight limit is 60 lbs.—it’s truly designed for bigger kids.
What about carseats or harnesses marketed as “travel seats?”
There are a few seats marketed specifically for travel, like the CARES Harness. The CARES Harness, 22-44 lbs. and at least age 1, is used only on an airplane seat in conjunction with the airplane seat belt. It’s FAA-approved and folds up very small, so it fits quite easily into any carryon. It doesn’t have a crotch strap, so wiggly kids can slide down underneath the lap belt, which can be a problem on longer flights when children get tired and want to adjust to sleep. You also don’t have a carseat available for use at your destination (or maybe you do, in which case this can be a good purchase for you).
Diono Radians, Rainier, Pacifica, and Olympia: Radian RXT: 5-45 lbs. RF, 20-80 lbs. FF, 50-120 lbs. as booster; Rainier: 5-50 lbs. RF, 20-90 lbs. FF, 50-120 lbs. as booster; Pacifica: 5-50 lbs. RF, 20-90 lbs. FF, 50-120 lbs. as booster; Olympia: 5-45 lbs. RF, 20-70 lbs. FF, 50-110 lbs. as booster. These convertible carseats fold and a carrying strap can be purchased so you can sling the seat over one shoulder to carry it through the airport. The carseats do fold narrow enough to fit in an overhead bin, but size-wise would take up a good portion of the length of the bin, which would cause other travelers to no doubt give you the stink eye if you didn’t use the seat on the plane. Why didn’t they make the cut of our recommended seats above? The heaviest, the RXT and Rainier, weigh 26.5 lbs. ‘Nuf said. When used rear-facing, these seats require a separate recline foot to be attached which causes them to sit very reclined—they won’t fit between the standard rows of airplane seats unless you take another separate piece of foam with you called the Angle Adjuster. Even with the Angle Adjuster, it will be a tight fit. Don’t forget to ask a flight attendant for a seat belt extender before trying to buckle the seat rear-facing or you won’t be able to get the airplane seat belt unbuckled at your destination. The closed, narrow rear-facing belt path means you have to plan in advance. Forward-facing on the plane, they’re awesome because they sit so low that the tray table can be used at its normal position. If you want to use your Diono seat onboard, go for it, but go to the airport with eyes wide open.
Lilly Gold Sit ‘n’ Stroll: Newborn-30 lbs. RF, 20-40 lbs. FF. This is a carseat that has retractable wheels! It can be used on the plane, in rental cars, in a restaurant as a booster seat! Use it as a stroller, use it as a carseat! That’s what the claims are, but you have to install it each time and the seat belt goes over the top of the child both rear- and forward-facing. Very experienced techs have trouble getting a good install—will you, as an average parent, be able to install it well? It only has a 30 lbs. RF weight limit, which American babies outgrew 10 years ago. The carseat weighs 33 lbs., so imagine trying to push 33 lbs. of stroller plus a 30 lbs. kid with a so-so handle? And besides, you know the saying: Jack of all trades, master of none.
The Baby B’Air has been around for years and years, so I guess people continue to buy it. It’s like a dog leash for your child that attaches to your seat belt. Does that sound safe? Nope. Don’t buy it. Waste of money and dangerous as well should an incident occur.
Flyebaby Airplane Baby Comfort System: Doesn’t this one look safe? Mom sure looks
happy that her baby’s head will slam down on her knees when the tray table opens suddenly when its lock fails. Seriously, save your money and CT scan for your babe by foregoing this purchase. Or beware the angry passenger who has to share the seat with the joyful kicking baby for a 2-3 hour flight. This might go down as the worst product ever.
OK, I’ve got my carseat picked out. How do I get it through the airport?
You have several choices for getting your carseat through the airport. You can strap it to a stroller, put it on a luggage cart, attach wheels, or put it in a backpack bag. Your goal here is to get the carseat and your family through the airport while maintaining your cool. Keep in mind that carseats must be scanned at the security checkpoint (Yes! You *will* be using it onboard the airplane, silly). Place it face down on the conveyor belt to allow it to fit through the machine and don’t forget to empty your pockets.
You can use any luggage cart and even your suitcase if you want, but make sure it rolls nicely and the carseat won’t slide off the edge when you go over bumps. Remember there are lots of bumps between your vehicle and the gate, your child will have a tummy bug, and you will inevitably be late. If you secure the carseat well enough, your child can even ride in the seat.
Britax Car Seat Travel Cart: Designed specifically to use the carseat’s LATCH connectors to secure the carseat to the cart.
Go-Go Babyz Travelmate: This cart has straps that secure the carseat to the cart.
Traveling Toddler: This simple strap secures around your rolling carryon and uses your carseat’s LATCH connectors to secure the carseat to your suitcase.
Go-Go Babyz Travelmate Car Seat Luggage Strap: Go-Go Babyz takes the Traveling Toddler idea and puts a ratchet on the end of the strap.
If you’ve found some great ideas for getting your carseat through the airport to the airplane, we’d love to hear them! We know that necessity is the mother of invention and we want to share any ways to keep our kids as safe in the air as we do on the ground.
UPDATED: May, 2017
Hi, thanks for the informative blog!
I am traveling alone with my 65+-lb, 52+” eight-year-old girl and ~30-lb, ~30″ three-year-old boy. At home they are in a Britax Pinnacle (recently took off the harness when she outgrew it) and a Diono Radian RXT.
I plan to bring the Diono packed in a suitcase, but the Britax can’t be packed in luggage. Last year I carried the Britax through the airport by hand and had the three-year-old sit in it on the plane, but this year I just can’t face lugging all of us and our carry-ons and then trying to rethread the harness on the Britax for the three-year-old to use it on the plane, just to unthread it at our destination at 11 pm.
I’ve decided it would probably be smartest to get a booster seat mailed in advance to our destination. I would prefer a high-back booster, but my girl has a very high seated height (20″? I will have to find out), so not all high-back boosters will fit her, and also I would like to bring the new booster home to keep as a backup – which means it would have to fold up small enough to fit into a suitcase.
Am I just being ridiculous for my admittedly large eight-year-old? Should I just buy her a backless booster for our destination? Or which high-back would you recommend which would fit in a suitcase (and which she would also fit!)? Thank you in advance — I really appreciate you sharing all your knowledge!
Manjari, I honestly would just use a backless booster for your 8 yr old on your trip unless you think she will sleep a lot during the trip. The BubbleBum (http://amzn.to/2cylXV0) is a great portable booster that you can take with you in your carryons, or you can pack it easily in your luggage. If you want a highback booster, there are only a handful of them tall enough to last her for any length of time. The Britax Parkway SGL (http://amzn.to/2ecGIsx), Diono Monterey (http://amzn.to/2dttot8), and Cosco Pronto (http://amzn.to/2drr2Ql ; requires a vehicle headrest behind the booster).
Why not just use your Diono on the plane for your 3 yr old? I’ve found that kids really don’t fit well into airplane seat belts until about 40 lbs. and even then, as you know, airplane seats just aren’t that comfortable. He might be able to sleep on the plane and be less wiggly. You can put it on a travel cart to wheel it through the airport.
Hi Heather… Thanks for a great article. I will soon fly overseas with my 3-year-old for the first time and my main concern is how well the carseat will work in our host’s car. Is there anything I need to know about taking a carseat manufactured for a user in the US and installing it in a car that was manufactured for a user in Europe? (It feels like a “dumb question,” but cars are built differently for different markets!) Does it all come down to the particular make and model (and year) of the car? Could you point me to any blog posts that address this issue specifically – Best car seats for use in cars in both U.S. and European markets? (Also, we don’t travel often enough to buy one just for use in in Europe.) Thanks!
Hi Helena. My experience with European cars is that they’re smaller than US cars (think Fiat, Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris) unless you’re in more rural areas where they can afford to be a bit bigger (Chevy Cruze, Toyota Corolla size). So you’ll want to take something with you that’s a slim build that either has a lockoff built in or practice using a locking clip in case you need one if the seat belts don’t have a locking mechanism.
We have a flight coming up with my 2 year old. I’ll be traveling with my mom as well. I need to have things planned out, otherwise drama will ensue and she tries to ‘help’ with everything!
We are flying economy on American for about a 2.5 hour flight.
My car seat options are to take a Radian Diono RTX or a Britax Marathon clicktight.
Both are quite heavy. The Radian folds up and can be “backpacked” in theory, but I’ll probably be carrying kiddo on my back through the airport. It’s narrower but a complete PITA to install correctly in the car afterwards. It took me 20 minutes + with a certified tech supervising the first time!
The Britax is so easy to install, which is why I’m leaving towards it, but it is so much wider! I’m already a plus size mom, so I’m nervous about it taking up too much space into my seat…
Krista, if you put the Marathon on either a stroller or a travel cart, it’ll be pretty easy to get through the airport. It’s not that much wider than the Diono, so I wouldn’t worry too much about that. The ease of installation, both on the plane and at your destination, will outweigh that extra inch of space. Don’t forget that for installation on a plane, you leave the ClickTight panel closed and route the seat belt over the top. For FF, the belt goes under the cover. For RF, the belt goes over the cover.
Hello Heather! I have been reading through your thread, super helpful! But now I have too much info :-p I was hoping you could give me your top 2 options for car seat. I will be travelling long haul in December, my baby will be 8 months then and toddler 2 years old. What Do you suggest? I will only bring a car seat for one of them. We are travelling Business Class via Cathay Pacific … the seat configuration is separate seats, meaning it has dividers and not side by side… your advise will be super appreciated. We have a Uppababy or Bugaboo stroller, bringing only one of those.
Hi Monique. Do you have plans for carseat usage at your destination?
First, call your airline and see what they’ll allow as far as carseat usage onboard. Since it’s not a U.S.-based airline, they aren’t subject to FAA regulations regarding carseat usage.
Second, we flew long haul on Air New Zealand last December in their Premium Economy seats, which look similar to the CP Business Class seats, minus the lay-flat seats. The problem is that ANZ had inflatable lap belts, which are incompatible with carseats, even those that allow inflatable vehicle seat belts. These inflatable lap belts are really thick and wouldn’t work in installing a carseat. I don’t know if the airline has some seats set aside for children or if they’ll switch out the belts for you (they’re bolted on).
So, I guess it depends on what the airline says. I’d definitely ask them about carseats and their seat belts.
Hi, I have found all your articles on flying with car seats great., but I still am looking for some help. I am fairly experienced at flying with children, I have flown at least 20 times between France and the USA with my 5 yr and 3yr , and once since with our baby (when she was 6 mo) I had always held my babies as lap babies, but we are leaving France in a month and we decided to purchase a seat for the baby who will turn 1 in June. I will be traveling by myself on the return and I don’t know how my 3 yr old will behave and with three I need to have my hands free. The problem is I booked KLM prior to finding out they seem to be a real pain with rear facing seats. I wanted to take my graco snugride 35 but I think it is too wide and it can’t be installed FF. I was thinking I would get a Scenera next shipped to France, but I just realized the baby is still too little. She will just be 12 months old and only weighs 17.5kg. What could you suggest for a seat that I can try to put RF but that would be ok for a 1 year old if they give me a hard time? Do you know why the scenera has a 2 year requirement for FF? could it be ok on the airplaine anyways? Any help would be great! Thanks
I would NOT recommend the Britax ClickTight for travel AT ALL. I just traveled with my 19 month old and this seat was a PAIN. I purchased the Go-Go Babyz travelmate to tote my Boulevard CT through the airport because it’s SO heavy. You cannot wheel the car seat down the aisle since it’s too wide so you are still left carrying this heavy awkward seat down the aisle. Additionally, the seat fit the cart with such a tight fit that I couldn’t close the bottom of the seat. My toddler couldn’t ride in the seat as I carted it like I had planned. I have another trip coming in 3 weeks and I will definitely be purchasing a seat we can travel with.
Hello, I will be travelling with my 2 year in a week and half. I planned on bringing my Britax Marathon with me on the plane. But now after reading this I am thinking I should be taking my Evenflow Sureride? I thought the Britax would be better because it is a bit smaller. In your opinion would the Sureride be better? Also, I didn’t plan or even think of bringing something to carry the car seat I just figure I would carry as it is me and my husband and I was just going to put my lo in her stroller, is this an awful idea or should I now look into getting something to carry the carseat with?
Hi Stephanie. I would definitely bring the SureRide since it’s lighter. After carting it through the airport with all the other babygear and your stuff too, it will make a difference. Do you babywear at all? One thing you can do is wear your dd and put the carseat on the stroller, then when you get to your gate, you can set the carseat on the ground and your dd in her stroller if you need to.
I have a daughter who will be 23 months flight to Florida in July. He’s already 26.10 pans and is 30 inches tall. The last time we flew I brought a car seat and diaper bag etc. and it was a total nightmare trying to bring everything on the plate. Since I usually travel alone I had a difficult time carrying it. I was wondering, and I know for legal reasons you can’t give me a definite yes, what your opinion would be of using the cares harness instead of a car seat.? I know technically children should be in a rear facing car seat until two years but since she would only be one month away I was wondering what your opinion would be of her facing forward using the harness instead? I feel like the car seat only protects her in a slim amount of situations airplane. Am I a terrible mom for even letting that thought creep into my head? I literally am just dreading carrying that car seat again. And then you have to lift it up over the other passengers and no one is willing to help you. I’m at least they weren’t willing to help me. Plus it is easier to have her in the car seat pulling her if that’s what you decide and then it is even more difficult to lift it up over everyone because it’s too wide to fit down the aisle. And it’s too difficult to unstrap her quickly too. It all makes me want to never travel again Lol.
Sara, I totally get it. I dread flying and it’s just me with a computer, iPad, and a couple of pillows! My first flight with my ds was when he was 6 mo. old and I lost 2 nights sleep beforehand–it was a 45 min. flight! Your dd will be too small for the CARES. What I would do is get a Cosco Scenera NEXT for $39. It’s so lightweight and narrow and you can put it on a luggage carrier; if you feel it’s secure enough, it can be a stroller for her, or plop it into her normal stroller. I would also consider only bringing a change of clothes for you both, enough diapers to last 3x the time of your flight (’cause you never know anymore, right?), and food. Everything else can go in luggage that gets checked or shipped beforehand. Then eat lots of chocolate, because someone will probably report you for drinking those little liquor bottles, lol!
Is this cosco scenera NEXT that you mention easier to carry than a Diono foldable? I am trying to figure out how to travel alone with an 18 month old. I cant seem to figure out how to carry the carseat on board, the toddler, and the carry ons. Why is it that you specifically recommend that car seat?
Sara, the Scenera NEXT is so light, especially when compared to a Diono. It weighs just 7 lbs. compared to the 27 lbs. that an RXT weighs. You *will* bruise yourself carrying a Diono, but it’s a longer lasting seat too given its weight and height limits.
IME, moms especially overpack for air travel. I’m *still* guilty of it and I’m mostly a single traveler now since I do a lot of business traveling. There’s a huge perception that everyone on the plane is looking at you because you have a kid, so you tend to pack for every contingency. Take what you need to get you through the flight, remembering that airports have shops where you can buy extras if you need them. You’ll take less and your carryons will be lighter, making your trip through the airport much easier :).
Hi, planning to travel to Peru and see the sights such as Machu Pichu, city of Lima, Tacna, Pucallpa, and possible other areas – so we’ll be doing a lot of traveling around the country. I see a lot of comments on different sites and this one regarding the CARES System for airplane travel and RideSafer Travel Vest for both airplane and car travel but for 3 year olds and up. I really liked the RideSafer Vest but was disappointed to find out the age recommendation. Are there any options for 19 month old twin boys for both airplane travel (maybe not so much for this since they will be on our laps during the flight) and car travel (but definitely for this). While taking one care seat is a viable option, taking two may be too much along with luggage, backpack, etc. I am just curious to find out what other options are out there for this age range 1 to 2 year old’s.
Hi Henry, the difficulty is that children under 2 years old should be rear-facing in automobiles due to the risks in motor vehicle crashes. Our best advice would be a small, lightweight convertible carseat like the Costco Scenera NEXT. We have some more ideas here: https://carseatblog.com/25408/
I highly recommend the Diono Radian. Not only is it really narrow and lightweight for air travel, but it fits 3 across in our SUV! It’s super convenient. Back pack style gate check car seat bags are good too to use alongside the carts (we have twin 2 year olds and a 5 year old) I got the Bububee brand gate check bag that folds into a small pouch. Works well for transporting the car seats through the airport…. not sure how we survived but we did!!
Hello! I love your blog!! I am not currently a parent but we are expecting on adopting sometime this year from Ukraine. We are hoping to get two brothers, age 10 and 8 and I’m looking to possibly use the Graco 4 in 1 car seat for them. I’m not sure if I should bring a booster or anything for them for the flight, or just bring a good car seat for them since we will be in cars as well. I’d love to know what you think on it as there will be car trips around Ukraine and a very very long plane trip! TIA!!!
Hi Amanda. How exciting for you! Do you know if they have been in carseats at all before? Do you know their exact sizes? It sounds like you’re anticipating them to be on the small side. Have you spoken with other parents who have adopted from there regarding what to expect re:carseat behavior? I’m wondering if the boys how the boys will do harnessed. They may think something like the Ride Safer Travel Vest is pretty cool and be OK with that initially, but it’s not something you’d want to use every day (plus I know adoption is crazy expensive and you don’t want to spend money where you don’t have to).
Hi there! First, this blog is great – thank you for all the info!
We will be taking our boys on their first plane trip in June. Our oldest is 5 years old, 41 inches tall and weighs 35 lbs; our youngest is 16 months old, but barely weighs 17 lbs and is quite short for his age. I can’t imagine they’ll grow much more in the next 4 months… We’ll get the cosco scenera next seat on your recommendation for the little one, as his britax convertible is too big for the plane. My question is this: what car seat, if any, should we use for our 5 year old? He’s in high backed boosters in our cars now. And he’s too tall for the CARES harness. Thank you!!!
Hi Jen, If he is too big for your CARES harness, then your 5-year old really does not need any carseat for on the plane itself, but of course you will need one for car transport after your flight. On the plane, the safety concern is mainly turbulence, particularly for unrestrained children like lap babies. A properly fastened lap-belt should be adequate for your 5-year old to keep him in place in the event of turbulence.
While it’s not ideal to have a child in a high-back booster before 40 pounds, usually this situation applies to kids who are also under 4 years old. If your 5-year old is mature enough to remain seated correctly in the lap/shoulder belt system using a booster, that is acceptable as long as the booster has a low enough minimum weight rating. You could bring one of your own boosters or buy an inexpensive one and pack it in checked luggage for use in the car after the flight. If you are renting a car and they offer carseat rentals, I generally think it’s fine to rent a booster as long as it is not expired and appears in reasonable condition with the necessary labels and such. Unlike a 5-point harness carseat that is a primary restraint device, a booster is simply a positioning device and the seatbelt system is the primary restraint for a child in a booster. That makes boosters less susceptible to risks from any type of hidden damage that might occur in a rental or used carseat.
Do you have any suggestions on how ONE (VERY BRAVE) SOLO adult can go about transporting 2 identical convertible carseats at the airport w/ two small children (2y and 8m)? Do any of those contraptions maybe work for 2 stacked carseats?
Hi Crystal, you are very brave and should be commended for that! With any luck your efforts will pay off and both the baby and toddler will sleep comfortably through most of the flight, giving you a chance to catch your breath. To answer your question – yes, many times you can stack 2 seats on one of those luggage carts (try inverting one so they are stacked like shoes in a shoebox), and secure them with bungee cords. Which convertible seats are you taking? The 2 year old can be forward-facing on the plane even if s/he rides rear-facing in the car. But the 2 month old obviously must be RF so you want to make sure the convertible seat you take is going to fit in that orientation on the plane.
This is iur first tume flying with our boys. 4yrs and 18 months on a 2.5 hour flight. We will not have a carseat at our destination. Can I/should I bring both kids carseats on the plane. That sounds like such a hassle. Amy advice and tios welcome!
Hi Emmie. Yes, you should bring your carseats on board the plane with you and use them. The kids won’t be comfortable on the plane seats (are you, really?) and the seats will keep them safe on the plane. Then you’ll also have familiar seats to use at your destination. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst–the last thing you want is to get off a plane at your destination after having a rough time (perhaps the plane was delayed or the kids were sick), then you don’t know how to use/install the carseat. If you have something you all are comfortable with, you’re a step ahead to begin with!
Hi, Im going to be using a diono Olympia and I am confused with what you mean by if you are using it on board an aircraft to keep your eyes wide open?
Hi Nicole. I just wanted readers to know that even though it’s been marketed as a travel seat, it has some pretty big drawbacks to consider.
Hi Sarah. There are a couple of ways you can go with your son for this trip. I would look into either the Evenflo SureRide or Maestro. The SureRide is a convertible, but the top harness slots are taller than most combination seats available on the market right now, so your ds could use it for years. The Maestro has tallish harness slots, but it also converts to a belt-positioning booster seat since it’s a combination seat. The only problem is that since the headrest doesn’t adjust, it tends to get outgrown by height fairly early on. If you think you’ll travel more often, you could also look into the RideSafer travel vest.
We are traveling to a wedding in Vermont this fall. My son will be 3 years and 11 months when we leave. He’s 38.5″ tall and 35 pounds. Husband does not want to bring our Britax since it’s so heavy. Any recommendations on what seat would work best? We don’t fly often, so this may be a one use only seat if the limits are low. 🙁
We have an 11 month old and traveling soon. Will be a 12 hour flight. We are debating the Cosco seat vs. the Britax advocate click safe. We plan to invest in the car seat suitcase strap in either case for ease of transporting the seat. We have one small 2 hr flight after we reach our destination where she will be flying in our lap while we check her seat at gate. I would bring our Britax if it wasn’t for my fear of the seat being damaged in the cargo when we check it for the short flight after.
So which would you recommend considering we have to check it at some point? And What is the ease of installing the Britax Clicksafe on a plane vs. the Cosco? and as far as comfort…will the Cosco offer enough comfort on a 12 hr flight since it seems so hard and bare?? thanks in advance for any advice you have to offer!! : )
Hi Evelyn. There’s definitely less to break on a Cosco Scenera NEXT than on an Advocate ClickTight, that’s for sure. The nice thing about the ClickTight seats is that they’re pretty universally installable in any vehicle. Unless the vehicle you’ll be using at your destination was made in the U.S., foreign vehicles tend to not have locking seat belts, which means you’ll have to be familiar with how to install a locking clip properly. That can be daunting for some folks. Lots of kids use the NEXT as their regular carseat and don’t mind not having a lot of padding under them. On your flight, you’ll probably be up and walking around with your dd as well, so it’s not like she’ll be in the seat for the full amount of time.
Must you absolutely check the carseat for the short flight (and yes, the 2 hr flight will seem short after 12 hours in the air, lol)? In either case, if you must gate check the carseat, I’d buy a sturdy travel bag and wrap the seat with some kind of foam wrap.
I am wondering about the safety ratings for the five Infant/Toddler convertible carseats you recommend? Since I will not only be using the carseat I purchase for travel purposes for my child to sit in on the plane, but also to use at our destinations in rental cars, etc., I want to make sure I am not compromising on safety of the carseat in a car as well. For use at home, we have a Britax Advocate Clicktight in one car and a Chicco Nextfit in the other. We are trying to decide whether to take one of these on our travel or buy a new convertible carseat specifically for travel use that will fit on the airplane b/c I don’t think the Britax Advocate Clicktight or Chicco Nextfit will fit on most planes in economy class. We often travel Southwest Airlines, and their instructions say that carseats should be narrower than 16 inches in width, which those two definitely are not. If we take one of our regular carseats with us, it will likely be the Britax Advocate Clicktight b/c of its ease of installation with seatbelts, but if we buy a travel carseat she can sit in on the plane, I want to make sure my child will be as safe riding around in a car in that one as she would be at home in our car in the Britax Advocate Clicktight. In summary, it seems like the advantages of taking our Britax with us are the ease of effective installation in another car and the assurance our daughter is in a very safe carseat that we know how to install properly. Disadvantages of taking the Britax will involve having to reinstall it each time we return home (and its current installation was done by professionals at a fire station), the challenge of lugging the heavy Britax through the airport, and most importantly, the fact that we couldn’t use it on most airplanes so our daughter would be without a carseat. She is 17 months and still rear-facing. Thank you for any advice!
Inquiring Mom, we don’t have any way to compare carseats safety-wise. The closest anyone has come to developing a standard is Consumer Reports, but they haven’t applied their new testing methodology to convertibles yet. So the best we can do is judge them by fit to vehicle, child, and ease-of-use. I picked the convertibles above because they are lightweight and easy to carry and use. The Advocate ClickTight is one of the easiest seats to install and both the Advocate CT and NextFit are very easy to use as well, so even if you decide to take them with you, you’ll be OK.
Southwest measures their seats at the armrests, so you can always raise them to get more room. Many parents have flown with both your seats on Southwest without any problems.
Did your installer show you how to install your Advocate? It’s really easy, so re-installing it shouldn’t be an issue for you. I think the hardest part is making sure the seat belt isn’t too tight before closing the ClickTight panel.
Which car seat is the one attached to the cart with the seat folded up (second picture under the “OK, I’ve got my carseat picked out. How do I get it through the airport?” section)?
What do you recommend to strap on the carseat to my stroller?
Do you think it’s crazy to use my Britax Boulevard Clicktight on the plane? I’m considering it because of ease of installation both on the airplane and for the rental car, but I’m worried it’s too heavy/bulky to travel with.
Thank you!
Hi Jocelyn. That seat is a Sunshine Kids R100. The current equivalent is the Diono Radian R100: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009NMO5CK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009NMO5CK&linkCode=as2&tag=carseatblog-20&linkId=TJ43SC3XRAEWV3T4 . All the Diono convertibles fold like that.
Any bungee cord should hold your carseat to a stroller and be easy enough to take off quickly at the security checkpoint. You can also use the top tether strap to help secure it as long as the place where you clip the tether connector doesn’t damage the clip.
The ClickTights are really heavy, but being able to wheel them around the airport makes it much easier. Rear-facing use on a plane shouldn’t be any problem, but for forward-facing, a child might find the buckle to be irritating behind their back. A folded baby blanket would definitely help there.
Thank you do much, Heather! This website is such a lifesaver! Keep up the great articles!
Do you happen to know of the Radian can be wheeled down the airplane aisle as easily as the RXT? I know the base is small on the Rainier (like on the RXT), but I’m concerned about the flaring at the top of the seat not fitting. Any info is greatly appreciated!
I have wheeled the Radian on a domestic flight with no problem. I am not sure about the Rainier. I do have one and thought about bringing it on our trip but I think I will bring the Radian instead.
I have no issues with children over 12 months and over 20 pounds being forward-facing on any full size commercial airplane from a major airlines in an appropriate child restraint. The reality is that severe injuries to children are extremely rare on large jet aircraft like those from Boeing or Airbus. The few reports of serious injuries are almost always to unrestrained children during takeoff, landing and turbulence. An approved forward-facing seat will provide adequate protection for these scenarios. Rear-facing seats do provide excellent protection in motor vehicles in frontal and side impacts, which is why they are recommended until at least age 2 and beyond in a car. But the odds of being T-boned or in a head-on airplane crash are astronomical and other crashes are often unsurvivable. The benefits of rear-facing simply don’t apply in an aircraft like they do in a car.
Actually, if you look into airplane crashes, you may be surprised to learn that there is a relatively high percentage of survivors in crashes and that percentage would be even higher if people paid more attention to safety how to exit a plane in the event of a crash. There have been several crashes where people died from not exiting the plane fast enough and being trampled from people panicking.
I’m confused about the comment on the SureRide: ” Because of its height, it won’t be able to be reclined all the way …”
Does that mean it can still be installed RF on the plane, but will be pressing on the back of the seat in front?
Allie, yes, it can still be installed RF on the plane. It’s just a really tall seat, which is great because it has 19″ top slots, but it only has a single recline angle line. So if you try to install it to manufacturer’s directions for RF, there’s no way it’ll work in economy class.
I’ve stacked radians in an umbrella stroller and bungeed them in. worked awesome. And I love the Traveling Toddler strap for other seats. 🙂
We are overseas at an American AF base, and last year we brought our Radian RXT for the flight from Europe back to America. Carrying it through the airport was excruciating because of the weight, but having it on the plane was miraculous because the tray table could go down and it was comfortable. This year my husband didn’t come with us so taking the Radian wasn’t an option. I’m just not strong enough! We used a Scenera instead, and our oldest was ready for a Bubble Bum. This year was SO much easier, even though my 3yo wasn’t jazzed about having to use my tray table.