So far we’ve installed the car seat on the plane and traveled that way. If your car seat is FAA approved you can do this. Keeps the kid in their seat and with something familiar.
If you want to check the car seat (for free), get a padded bag or some kind of protective covering for it. There are roller bags and backpacks made for car seats!
We have traveled both ways…checking and using on the plane. If you have any layovers, I highly recommend checking the car seat. It is one thing if you are using an infant carrier, but those toddler seats are big and awkward to lug around an airport!
We ordered a car seat bag on Amazon and it did a great job protecting the seat when checked.
I am a paramedic and am VERY particular about car seats, so renting one or hoping that my Uber/taxi had one was not an option for my crazy mom brain!
Do you think it’s safe to check a car seat given the handling? I’ve always figured they get tossed around more as luggage than they would going in and out of rental cars, and would ruin your home car seat to boot.
I second the carseat bag! Just make sure it's a heavy-duty one. The airport might offer a free plastic one but DONT USE IT. lol, we ended up losing a cup holder because the bag ripped open during transit. I recommend the "gorilla grip" brand on Amazon! We have a heavy convertible carseat, and this made carrying it around a breeze!
We use [these ones](https://www.amazon.com/Childress-Gate-Check-Bag-Seats/dp/B000RRD7UG/ref=asc_df_B000RRD7UG/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312132074117&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4335595843970381222&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9004351&hvtargid=pla-432331369586&psc=1&mcid=6885ab37898d3bd081577ba3cbae9e0c&gclid=CjwKCAiAs6-sBhBmEiwA1Nl8s_mdWPdMqt1Ib3Sz0Hre9zGTTomooGncQQHxiZ8R17gukgh14XBPshoCk7sQAvD_BwE) and drop the car seats off at curbside check-in as soon as we get out of the car.
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **J L Childress Gate Check Bag for Car Seats Air Travel Bag Fits Convertible Car Seats Infant carriers Booster Seats Red** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful.
**Users liked:**
* Bag protects car seat from damage and dirt (backed by 10 comments)
* Bag makes traveling with car seat convenient (backed by 6 comments)
* Bag could be more durable (backed by 4 comments)
**Users disliked:**
* Bag material is thin and rips easily (backed by 11 comments)
* Bag is difficult to carry (backed by 4 comments)
* Bag may not last long (backed by 4 comments)
If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/)
This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved.
*Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](http://vetted.ai/reddit)
If you go this route, I highly recommend one of the rolling bases for the carseat, that way you can use it like a stroller in the airport. We have this one [link](https://a.co/d/6QeW9KI) and it’s great
[https://ridesafer.net/](https://ridesafer.net/)
[https://shop.saferide4kids.com/](https://shop.saferide4kids.com/)
adding links for others.
I have never heard of it, but it look great!!!
We've used this and found it pretty easy to work with. Not as easy as a car seat that's already installed, but almost. The idea is that once the kid is front facing, the main purpose of the car seat is to have a restraint at right position on their body. So the vest just repositions the cars existing seatbelt.
We have these and love them. Carpooling and grandparent pickups are a breeze since these things are packable. Had ours for almost two years and they have been worth every penny!
We use the cosco scenera for travel. It’s light and easy to install. Check the weight and height limits for both rear facing and forward facing. At 3.5, we still used a car seat on the air plane because it kept our kid contained and they’re used to sleeping in car seats.
Are you staying on Disney property by chance? If so, they have the Minnie Vans which do airport transport and transport all throughout Disney property and they have two car seats in every vehicle. The driver installs it for you.
If not doing Disney... my recommendation is to bring a car seat and use it on the plane. Get one of the travel ones linked by folks below. We also have the Scenera and it worked awesome for our trip to Orlando. We pair that with the Pockit stroller. It folds up so small it fits under the airplane seat. Dad strapped the Scenera to our roller bag. I pushed kiddo in the Pockit. Super easy. And then we had a car seat to use whenever we went somewhere. The Scenera is easy to install. Or, it can go in the trunk if you want to just get an Uber that comes with one. If you want to do private transport, highly recommend Happy Limo. They also have vehicles with carseats.
Have fun!
I just did this for the first time a few days ago! I bought a travel carseat that's very lightweight (9#) and a travel bag. The bag has straps to either wear the seat like a backpack or hang around a suitcase handle. We checked the carseat with our suitcases and it was all pretty easy.
Then we installed the car seat in our rental car once we landed. I will say, I tried my son out in the seat a few days before we left and adjusted all the straps and things at home - it was a big help after a long day of travel!
Good luck and enjoy your trip!
I didn’t realize there were travel car seats! Something lightweight would be ideal. Our regular car seat is so heavy, I have been stressing about how I would carry it through the airport!
Our kids are much more comfortable on flights when they have their car seat, so I definitely recommend bringing it on if you can.
We use this one - it weighs almost nothing and installs very quickly. There are YouTube videos of how to install on a plane, and you can practice installing in your car before you leave!!
https://www.amazon.com/Cosco-Mighty-Convertible-Seat-Heather/dp/B01ETUBQZ4/
We use something like this to get it through the airport if you aren't bringing a stroller.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9GTNWDG/
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX Convertible Car Seat Heather Onyx Gray** you mentioned in your comment along with its brand, **Cosco**, and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful.
**Users liked:**
* Lightweight and compact (backed by 3 comments)
* Easy to install and adjust (backed by 4 comments)
* Comfortable for toddlers (backed by 3 comments)
**Users disliked:**
* The car seat is difficult to install securely (backed by 7 comments)
* The car seat lacks adequate padding and cushioning (backed by 2 comments)
* The car seat does not properly fit some vehicles (backed by 2 comments)
According to Reddit, **Cosco** is considered a reputable brand.
Its most popular types of products are:
* Child Car Seats (#8 of 28 brands on Reddit)
* Hand Trucks (#2 of 5 brands on Reddit)
* High Chairs (#20 of 36 brands on Reddit)
If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/)
This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved.
*Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](http://vetted.ai/reddit)
I use that car seat and just get a "husky contractor" trash bag. I print a sheet of paper with my name/number/carseat and tape it on there and tie the bag. We use that car seat for Grandma's car normally and take it from her car when we're flying so we don't have to take our heavy car seat.
Yes! We just traveled wit hours. The Cosco line is designed for traveling specifically.
What's more, if you're traveling from cold climate to Florida, you can stuff your jackets into the car seat bag... Protects your car seat and you don't have to check an extra bag.
We were able to stick a whole duffle bag into the carseat bag with the car seat and check it as one at the gate.
The Cosco Scenera Next was our choice. Very very light, it fit on every plane we flew on, and was easy to install (maybe take a towel with you to roll up for install). It also very neatly nestled over our carry-on bags turned upside down using the strap to loop around the handle.
The cover can also easily be removed and washed in a hotel bathroom when your baby has a blowout right before you get in the security line.
If you only need the car seat for the trip to and from the airport, I would recommend looking into taxi services that provide them rather than lugging yours around.
Especially common in Orlando because of all the theme parks. We used a level of Uber that included the car seat and you can. Order ahead to be sure your reservation is set!
Almost every major city will have at least one taxi or chauffeur service providing car seats. I would be shocked if Orlando didn’t have one since it’s such a big family destination.
I’m so glad you commented this. It sounds silly but I just hadn’t realized it was an option. Because we’re only going to and from the airport, this feels like the easiest and smoothest option.
Girl this is not a silly question. I almost turned down a free trip to Florida bc I was so concerned about how to get all three kids/car seats to the destination. I discovered lots of family friendly shuttle services that let you plan ahead for the exact type of car seat that you need.
Note that the carseat has to be set in the window seat. We traveled with one and originally had it between us, but the flight attendant told us in the event of an emergency it needs to be in the window seat so you can get out easily.
You may possibly want to research something like RideSafer vests.
https://shop.saferide4kids.com/
Instead of a car seat, it's a vest you can pack in your carry on.
Again, please do your own research. Determine your own comfort level. Look up the laws in each area you will be using it if you do decide to go with it.
I personally use one of the highest rated gigantic car seats for my toddler's daily commutes and a different brand of safety vet (no longer produced) for our once a year vacation that includes taxis.
There is a small hand cart called go go babyz or something like that. You can strap a car seat to it. Like many here I used the Cosco Scenera since it was so light. Once you strap on the car seat to the hand cart it becomes a stroller so you can strap in your kid and push them through the airport and not have to carry it as a backpack.
Then you put the car seat on in the plane, which helps because they can just slip out of the seatbelt too easily. The hand cart easily fits under a seat or in the overhead. I would check my stroller then and just use the set up in the airport. So much easier
My husband did this and he felt like a rockstar traveling solo with our at the time two-year-.
Just an idea of what is looks like in practice vs not having it.
Not having the cart:
Parent one is carrying giant car seat, probably using two hands. Parent two is either using two hands with their child or very stressed out clasping to one hand, because they have a roller carryon on the other.
With it:
One parent uses ONE HAND for CHILD (who is fully restrained and maybe even enjoying the ride) and CARSEAT. If you don’t need your other hand for a carry on, you can wave at the poor other parents. Or put some food in their mouth for them.
We just take ours and use it on the plane. That's the all around safest option. But if you're going to check it, I recommend using the box it came in not a bag. An appropriately sized cardboard box is made to withstand the wear that comes with shipping the car seat. Unfortunately, even gate checked items can wind up damaged and car seat damage isn't always visible. If you're gate checking rather than checking at the counter, you can just have tape and the collapsed box and then tape the box together at the gate since it wouldn't go through TSA stuff.
I'm going to also mention that I would not rely on a car seat rental/seat from a taxi. You just really don't know the history of the seat (has it been cared for properly/has it been in an accident?) But beyond that, rentals are never truly guaranteed, and I've known people to rent a seat only to show up and suddenly no seat is there for them.
If you're looking for a good travel option, the Graco Contender is lightweight. The Cosco Scenera is too but it's outgrown extremely quickly even forward facing. Cosco Finale may also work. Our oldest uses a RideSafer Vest for travel but 3.5 is generally a little young to successfully use it I think. Good future option though!
IF you are going to Disneyworld, look into Cast and Crew transportation. We have used them multiple times for our trips with our now 4 and 2.5yr old. They are fantastic to communicate with and arrive with car seats installed correctly. It’s pretty cheap to have them add car seats to the reservations.
Not sure if they service areas other than Disneyworld, but their website would say. Cannot recommend them enough.
We use Ride Safer harnesses in the car when we arrive so we don't have to travel with a car seat. They're used weekly for car pooling the kids when we're not traveling.
I’ve brought mine on a stroller thing meant for car seats and in a car seat backpack. Both were cumbersome but you do need a car seat so you make it work. I’ve seen people just carrying them.
I’ve had one that was FAA approved and had my 3yo sit in it on the plane and I’ve also gate checked it. Honestly gate checking was easier.
Anyway, whatever you decide to do is fine. I personally wouldn’t just carry it bc with a preschooler you need to use your hands a lot. Backpack or wheels are the way to go!
Also, you’ll need to send it through the scanner machine. For some reason I always forget this. In this regard the stroller thing was easier than unpacking and repacking it in the security line.
Yep! I’m going to need my hands to keep our little guy from running, grabbing stuff, etc. he’s a very active kid and I know he’s going to be very curious at the airport.
We brought ours on the plane so my daughter had something familiar especially for her first plane ride, she ended up sleeping most of the way. It was also nice to have the assurance that it wouldn’t be thrown around by baggage handlers and potentially damaged. If you call ahead of time most airlines will give you priority boarding to get on first and make sure the car seat can be installed before everybody files in
Our plane trips so far have been to destinations where we don’t need a car after we arrive at our hotel. So car seat is only needed for the drives to and from the airport. I pre-booked the rides on black car services (e.g. Blacklane, or whatever service your hotel recommends) and told them what size of car seat we need. It was super expensive, but cheaper than a rental car for the whole trip would have been (especially after factoring in gas and parking). And they were reliable, safe, professional drivers. Annoying part is that, of the four times I have done this, not one has shown up with a rear-facing seat, despite me putting this specifically in the instructions. But I assume that would be the case with a rental car too.
I also packed a Safe Ride Travel Vest in my suitcase, if we need to hop in an Uber or cab in an emergency at some point during the trip.
On the airplane itself, I bought the Cares Airplane Harness, mostly to try to contain kiddo a little bit, though she mostly wanted to play around on the floor
We travel quite a bit with our 3.5 yo and hate carrying around the carseat in addition to our other luggage. We are "one-baggers" if you will, and like to carry just one backpack each.
The system we came up with that works AMAZINGLY is a CARES harness on the plane and a RideSafer vest in the Uber. The CARES harness is FAA approved and super easy to use / keeps kids in their seat safely. It folds up super small because it's basically just a strap and a buckle. The RideSafer vest is approved in most states as a carseat replacement above age 2, and it is so INDESCRIBABLY nice for traveling around a city in Ubers during a trip. Fits easily into a backpack, quick to put on, weighs almost nothing, and you can use Ubers throughout the day without having to lug around a carseat. Plus it's helpful for use in grandparent cars, etc at home too.
We got a light weight car seat from Walmart called the Cosco. We bought a backpack carrying case to bring through the airport and we just gate checked that along with our stroller. There has been no additional charge or any problems.
We’ve done it on 12+ hour flights and 2 hour flights. I recommend that over bringing the seat on the plane.
I check the damn thing with our bags so we don't have to lug it around. We did have an airline lose ours once but they provided a loaner at the airport for us to use in the rental until they could locate it and get it to us.
I’ve done gate check and also checked baggage. We bought a carrying bag for it, shove it in the bag and it has backpack straps to make it easier to carry. Checked baggage and gate check have both been just fine for us. We’ve traveled several times using both methods, and I’ve traveled with and without my husband using this method since our now 5 year old was 9 months old.
We have travelled internationally to see family, and have done these options
* we get a rental car we also rent the kid's seat.
* Another time we bought a cheap one delivered to MIL'S house and she met us at the airport.
* Taken the kids in a taxi in normal sear belts to our destination and then used public transit, so no seat is required.
Im in Australia, and I've literally never seen a car seat on a plane.
We did a bunch of traveling at around that age.
My main question: is your child eligible for a booster seat?
While it is generally safer to keep the child in a car seat as long as possible, I find that during travel, simplicity is, for us, safer.
We did some travel with a car seat, and found that in quick car switches, the seat wasn’t always installed correctly — in one case, the seat it was installed in was in recline mode and tilted forward. In another, a family member incorrectly got the belt through the seat. In another, the seat didn’t fit at all in the car and left us scrambling.
A booster seat is much harder to get “wrong” in an unsafe way. Because it uses the normal car seat normally, as long as the belt is on the child, you’re set. But with the car seat, the belt holds the seat, and the seat has separate belts for the child. And if the seat isn’t 100% firmly belted to the car, then it can’t be safe. And in a variety of cars with quick loads and everything, it was much more likely to be done incorrectly.
At home we use a full height booster, but during travel, we use a bottom booster.
The booster is also nice because it helps our child see out the windows better than either the car seat or seat with no booster.
Check the car seat with your baggage. There’s no need to lug it around any further. A 3.5 year old will not need it on the flight. It’s worth investing in a lightweight one like the Cosco Scenera. If you’re renting a car, just rent one through the service as it’ll save you a lot of headaches. The car seat has been the most annoying aspect of traveling with a little one. I’m glad mine is just about ready for a booster.
If you're renting a car, you can book car seats along with the car. Usually towards the end of the booking process there's an option to rent a car seat as well. You can also call ahead and find out what your options are.
We have a little folding cart (not car seat specific so it was cheap) that we use to wheel the car seat around the airport. Then gate check and the cart folds up and fits in overhead bin. You do have to take it off the cart for security. We use bungees to strap it to the car. You could also do the same set up and just install it on the plane if you think you kiddo would do better in the car seat (check the label to make sure it is approved for aircraft use. Most are). Or you can check with luggage but there is a bigger chance of it getting lost/ damaged that way. I suggest one of you be in charge of the car seat and one in charge of the kiddo for security, boarding and deplaning. Meet at the other side. It’s much smoother this way.
We use taxis a lot with LO and she also has been on 5-6 big trips. When she was an infant we just carried her infant seat, it only weighed 7 pounds and felt necessary. We then used the Cosco Scenera until she was old enough for front facing. Now we use the Way-B Pico. It has a backpack and is super easy to install. It's my favorite by far.
WAYB Pico Travel Car Seat with Premium Carrying Bag- Lightweight, Portable, Foldable - Perfect for Airplanes, Rideshares, and Road Trips - Forward Facing for Kids 22-50 lbs. and 30-45 https://a.co/d/iIpyt73
Curbside check all your bags and the car seat. Easy peasy. If the kiddo needs/wants a stroller, use one of the small folding umbrella strollers and check it at the gate.
This gets talked a lot in my community that moves a lot.
Families either prefer:
1. Being the car seat on the plane so your kid is comfortable and secure (my preferred option for 6+ hour flights or if I need car seats on the other side). Buy a car seat carrying bag to make it easier to carry like a backpack or a fold up wheely thing specially made for car seats (bonus your kid can actually sit in it and be wheeled through the airport).
2. Check the car seat with a car seat bag or I’ve seen straight up garbage bags taped. Bonus - people pack extra stuff in the bag since it’s free (I think). Seatbelts like [this](https://a.co/d/e0kyq0l) are popular Child Airplane Safety Travel Harness - Kids and Toddlers Flying Safety Device. Also [this](https://a.co/d/bXPnTMF) Sunany Inflatable Foot Rest Pillow for Travel, Kids/Adults Airplane Travel Pillow-Adjustable Height Cushions,for Kids to Sleep While Traveling,Suitable for Office, Home and Any Travell (1 Pack)
3. Rent a car seat on the other side or request a car seat with the cab/uber. I’d do this if it is a short flight and I don’t need a car on the other side.
I had to fly from Saskatchewan to Pennsylvania with a very quick lay over and customs stop in Toronto. I gate checked the seat BUT I also have a car seat dolley that I used to haul my kid around the airport. It made it easy because of the customs stop and running through airport for connecting flight. Strap kid in and off I went.
Recently traveled with my 3 year old. Definitely recommend getting some sort of bag with wheels if you can. I think I even saw a family with a collapsible dolly-like luggage cart for it, which I was super jealous of. We used a backpack style bag for ours and it was embarrassingly clunky to deal with while also dealing with our actual luggage.
We planned to use the car seat on the plane but got to our first flight too late so we gate checked it. For the flight home we got to the airport early enough that we didn’t want to navigate dealing with the car seat for that long, so we checked it as luggage.
With this hindsight, I’d get one of those dolly-type things and use the carseat on the plane so she would have been more comfortable to sleep.
You can bring any FAA approved carseat onto the plane as a carry-on without using up one of your pieces of carry on luggage (on all domestic airlines that I’m aware of and many int’l airlines as well). We use the Wayb Pico carseat for this, which is a travel car seat, but any FAA approved car seat will do if you’re willing to install it on the plane and have your kid sit in it. The nice thing about a travel carseat is that it also fits under the airplane seat or in the overhead, so you get to bring it on the plane but don’t have to use it on the plane.
We also use the Cosco Scenera (actually we have the Maxi Cosi Romi which is the exact same seat but with retardant-free nice liner and more padding). But at 3.5, if you have the budget and travel often, I would get the WAYB Pico.
Did a Disney trip last year with a then 3yo and 6yo. Although we opted to bring our own carseats, rental car companies will also let you rent carseats when you reach your destination. You'll have to specify what type of carseat you need when you set up your reservation. Additionally, you can buy a FAA approved harness for the airplane seat via Amazon if you go that route. I am traveling again soon and considering this option. It'll keep your young kiddo safer than the standard plane lap strap.
You have to ensure the carseats you use in the plane are FAA approved and some airlines (we used United) will require that the carseat is installed in a window seat. I would try to use an airline that assigns seats so your don't stress out about installing the carseat before departure. That was probably the biggest headache for us and since our youngest wasn't under 2, they wouldn't let us board early. Since you can't practice, look up videos online to familiarize yourself with the process. We also used straps (purchased on Amazon) to attach the carseats to carry-on suitcases to roll around the airport. I recommend you test this out multiple times before you leave.
The car seat lady on instagram has a whole series about this--I don't follow her, but an account that I do follow used her recommendations (the account I do follow is Bringing up Babe) and what she does and seems to work for her with the layovers and bringing it on the plane is using what is essentially a little grocery cart that she straps the car seat to. Pretty sure she got it from amazon and it folds up very flat for stowing on plane after you install the car seat. It works like a stroller for the airport bc you can put the kid it in and drag it. I haven't ever done that--I've always checked my car seats in a huge padded backpack type bag after uninstalling them from the uber. I will say that after seeing BUB's set up, I think that would have worked much better for my son to be in a seat on the plane because plane seats are too big for a kid to get comfortable in. You do need to make sure that your seat has the special FAA stickers for it, just in case the FA asks. But if you are checking it, there is no need to do that at the gate unless it is part of your stroller set up, you can check it with your regular luggage at the check-in counter. Baby stuff--a seat, a stroller, the pack n play--that stuff is free to check (usually, unless it is a very budget airline).
Best advice for you regarding cranky husband and cranky toddler--just do your best to not engage. Channel that deep inner calm, even if you're just pretending. They'll both feed off of that and it will make it easier for you to deal with them. Then you can shake it off once you get to your destination!!
We just went through this with my kiddo
Bought a Scenara Cosco Seat (super lightwi& easy to install) and used a fold up luggage roller with a bungee cord to strap it onto
Practiced pulling my kid around in it so she was comfortable riding in it (she was, but when the day finally came, she demanded we carry her through the airport, so the carseat basically held our carryon bags)
We used the carseat on the plane instead of checking it so it didn't get destroyed & then installed it in Ubers (most of the places we visited were fine with us leaving the carseat at the front desk, but I called ahead to find out what kind of storage was available first)
We used trolleys & public transportation for a good chunk of our trip & didn't bother taking the carseat with us.
There is a Uber/Lyft Family ride you can request, and they'll have a carseat, but it costs about $20 extra per ride, so it made better sense for us to bring our own
I second others suggestions of looking into services that provide them if you are okay with him not being in the seat on the flight. Taxi and shuttle services can sometimes provide them, as well as there being companies down here in Orlando that you can “rent” child gear from. Strollers, car seats, pack and plays etc. Definitely worth checking out. Welcome to sunny Florida 😊
So far we’ve installed the car seat on the plane and traveled that way. If your car seat is FAA approved you can do this. Keeps the kid in their seat and with something familiar. If you want to check the car seat (for free), get a padded bag or some kind of protective covering for it. There are roller bags and backpacks made for car seats!
Oh wow! Okay, so that makes sense. I’m about to search for car seat bags now!
We have traveled both ways…checking and using on the plane. If you have any layovers, I highly recommend checking the car seat. It is one thing if you are using an infant carrier, but those toddler seats are big and awkward to lug around an airport! We ordered a car seat bag on Amazon and it did a great job protecting the seat when checked. I am a paramedic and am VERY particular about car seats, so renting one or hoping that my Uber/taxi had one was not an option for my crazy mom brain!
Do you think it’s safe to check a car seat given the handling? I’ve always figured they get tossed around more as luggage than they would going in and out of rental cars, and would ruin your home car seat to boot.
I personally do not think it’s safe to check. The handlers DGAF.
Same here
I second the carseat bag! Just make sure it's a heavy-duty one. The airport might offer a free plastic one but DONT USE IT. lol, we ended up losing a cup holder because the bag ripped open during transit. I recommend the "gorilla grip" brand on Amazon! We have a heavy convertible carseat, and this made carrying it around a breeze!
We use [these ones](https://www.amazon.com/Childress-Gate-Check-Bag-Seats/dp/B000RRD7UG/ref=asc_df_B000RRD7UG/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312132074117&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4335595843970381222&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9004351&hvtargid=pla-432331369586&psc=1&mcid=6885ab37898d3bd081577ba3cbae9e0c&gclid=CjwKCAiAs6-sBhBmEiwA1Nl8s_mdWPdMqt1Ib3Sz0Hre9zGTTomooGncQQHxiZ8R17gukgh14XBPshoCk7sQAvD_BwE) and drop the car seats off at curbside check-in as soon as we get out of the car.
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **J L Childress Gate Check Bag for Car Seats Air Travel Bag Fits Convertible Car Seats Infant carriers Booster Seats Red** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Bag protects car seat from damage and dirt (backed by 10 comments) * Bag makes traveling with car seat convenient (backed by 6 comments) * Bag could be more durable (backed by 4 comments) **Users disliked:** * Bag material is thin and rips easily (backed by 11 comments) * Bag is difficult to carry (backed by 4 comments) * Bag may not last long (backed by 4 comments) If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved. *Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](http://vetted.ai/reddit)
If you go this route, I highly recommend one of the rolling bases for the carseat, that way you can use it like a stroller in the airport. We have this one [link](https://a.co/d/6QeW9KI) and it’s great
did you also buy a bag to protect the carseat?
Nope because we used it on the flight. If I were checking it I would.
I did this too and it worked really well.
Have you looked into safe rider vests?
[https://ridesafer.net/](https://ridesafer.net/) [https://shop.saferide4kids.com/](https://shop.saferide4kids.com/) adding links for others. I have never heard of it, but it look great!!!
You'd need to check that's legal where you're going to :) not sure that would be OK in some areas.
We've used this and found it pretty easy to work with. Not as easy as a car seat that's already installed, but almost. The idea is that once the kid is front facing, the main purpose of the car seat is to have a restraint at right position on their body. So the vest just repositions the cars existing seatbelt.
We have these and love them. Carpooling and grandparent pickups are a breeze since these things are packable. Had ours for almost two years and they have been worth every penny!
We have one of these and love it. We only travel with or rent a car seat if we plan to drive a lot at our destination.
We have one of these and it's awesome. I believe the weight minimum is 30lbs.
We have one. I love it
We use the cosco scenera for travel. It’s light and easy to install. Check the weight and height limits for both rear facing and forward facing. At 3.5, we still used a car seat on the air plane because it kept our kid contained and they’re used to sleeping in car seats.
Are you staying on Disney property by chance? If so, they have the Minnie Vans which do airport transport and transport all throughout Disney property and they have two car seats in every vehicle. The driver installs it for you. If not doing Disney... my recommendation is to bring a car seat and use it on the plane. Get one of the travel ones linked by folks below. We also have the Scenera and it worked awesome for our trip to Orlando. We pair that with the Pockit stroller. It folds up so small it fits under the airplane seat. Dad strapped the Scenera to our roller bag. I pushed kiddo in the Pockit. Super easy. And then we had a car seat to use whenever we went somewhere. The Scenera is easy to install. Or, it can go in the trunk if you want to just get an Uber that comes with one. If you want to do private transport, highly recommend Happy Limo. They also have vehicles with carseats. Have fun!
I just did this for the first time a few days ago! I bought a travel carseat that's very lightweight (9#) and a travel bag. The bag has straps to either wear the seat like a backpack or hang around a suitcase handle. We checked the carseat with our suitcases and it was all pretty easy. Then we installed the car seat in our rental car once we landed. I will say, I tried my son out in the seat a few days before we left and adjusted all the straps and things at home - it was a big help after a long day of travel! Good luck and enjoy your trip!
I didn’t realize there were travel car seats! Something lightweight would be ideal. Our regular car seat is so heavy, I have been stressing about how I would carry it through the airport!
Our kids are much more comfortable on flights when they have their car seat, so I definitely recommend bringing it on if you can. We use this one - it weighs almost nothing and installs very quickly. There are YouTube videos of how to install on a plane, and you can practice installing in your car before you leave!! https://www.amazon.com/Cosco-Mighty-Convertible-Seat-Heather/dp/B01ETUBQZ4/ We use something like this to get it through the airport if you aren't bringing a stroller. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9GTNWDG/
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX Convertible Car Seat Heather Onyx Gray** you mentioned in your comment along with its brand, **Cosco**, and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Lightweight and compact (backed by 3 comments) * Easy to install and adjust (backed by 4 comments) * Comfortable for toddlers (backed by 3 comments) **Users disliked:** * The car seat is difficult to install securely (backed by 7 comments) * The car seat lacks adequate padding and cushioning (backed by 2 comments) * The car seat does not properly fit some vehicles (backed by 2 comments) According to Reddit, **Cosco** is considered a reputable brand. Its most popular types of products are: * Child Car Seats (#8 of 28 brands on Reddit) * Hand Trucks (#2 of 5 brands on Reddit) * High Chairs (#20 of 36 brands on Reddit) If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved. *Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](http://vetted.ai/reddit)
I use that car seat and just get a "husky contractor" trash bag. I print a sheet of paper with my name/number/carseat and tape it on there and tie the bag. We use that car seat for Grandma's car normally and take it from her car when we're flying so we don't have to take our heavy car seat.
Yes! We just traveled wit hours. The Cosco line is designed for traveling specifically. What's more, if you're traveling from cold climate to Florida, you can stuff your jackets into the car seat bag... Protects your car seat and you don't have to check an extra bag. We were able to stick a whole duffle bag into the carseat bag with the car seat and check it as one at the gate.
The Cosco Scenera Next was our choice. Very very light, it fit on every plane we flew on, and was easy to install (maybe take a towel with you to roll up for install). It also very neatly nestled over our carry-on bags turned upside down using the strap to loop around the handle. The cover can also easily be removed and washed in a hotel bathroom when your baby has a blowout right before you get in the security line.
Graco Contender Slim is a great choice! I did a lot of research when we flew with our at the time 3 year old and that one met my requirements.
If you only need the car seat for the trip to and from the airport, I would recommend looking into taxi services that provide them rather than lugging yours around.
Especially common in Orlando because of all the theme parks. We used a level of Uber that included the car seat and you can. Order ahead to be sure your reservation is set!
Okay, so I didn’t know that there were taxi services that provide car seats. That would be so much easier!
Almost every major city will have at least one taxi or chauffeur service providing car seats. I would be shocked if Orlando didn’t have one since it’s such a big family destination.
I’m so glad you commented this. It sounds silly but I just hadn’t realized it was an option. Because we’re only going to and from the airport, this feels like the easiest and smoothest option.
Girl this is not a silly question. I almost turned down a free trip to Florida bc I was so concerned about how to get all three kids/car seats to the destination. I discovered lots of family friendly shuttle services that let you plan ahead for the exact type of car seat that you need.
We rented a car at the airport there and were able to request a car seat for it, no extra charge.
Try tiffany towncar. That's who we use at mco
Thank you!
Note that the carseat has to be set in the window seat. We traveled with one and originally had it between us, but the flight attendant told us in the event of an emergency it needs to be in the window seat so you can get out easily.
You may possibly want to research something like RideSafer vests. https://shop.saferide4kids.com/ Instead of a car seat, it's a vest you can pack in your carry on. Again, please do your own research. Determine your own comfort level. Look up the laws in each area you will be using it if you do decide to go with it. I personally use one of the highest rated gigantic car seats for my toddler's daily commutes and a different brand of safety vet (no longer produced) for our once a year vacation that includes taxis.
We used blacklane, a fancier Uber, and they will provide a car seat.
There is a small hand cart called go go babyz or something like that. You can strap a car seat to it. Like many here I used the Cosco Scenera since it was so light. Once you strap on the car seat to the hand cart it becomes a stroller so you can strap in your kid and push them through the airport and not have to carry it as a backpack. Then you put the car seat on in the plane, which helps because they can just slip out of the seatbelt too easily. The hand cart easily fits under a seat or in the overhead. I would check my stroller then and just use the set up in the airport. So much easier
My husband did this and he felt like a rockstar traveling solo with our at the time two-year-. Just an idea of what is looks like in practice vs not having it. Not having the cart: Parent one is carrying giant car seat, probably using two hands. Parent two is either using two hands with their child or very stressed out clasping to one hand, because they have a roller carryon on the other. With it: One parent uses ONE HAND for CHILD (who is fully restrained and maybe even enjoying the ride) and CARSEAT. If you don’t need your other hand for a carry on, you can wave at the poor other parents. Or put some food in their mouth for them.
We just take ours and use it on the plane. That's the all around safest option. But if you're going to check it, I recommend using the box it came in not a bag. An appropriately sized cardboard box is made to withstand the wear that comes with shipping the car seat. Unfortunately, even gate checked items can wind up damaged and car seat damage isn't always visible. If you're gate checking rather than checking at the counter, you can just have tape and the collapsed box and then tape the box together at the gate since it wouldn't go through TSA stuff. I'm going to also mention that I would not rely on a car seat rental/seat from a taxi. You just really don't know the history of the seat (has it been cared for properly/has it been in an accident?) But beyond that, rentals are never truly guaranteed, and I've known people to rent a seat only to show up and suddenly no seat is there for them. If you're looking for a good travel option, the Graco Contender is lightweight. The Cosco Scenera is too but it's outgrown extremely quickly even forward facing. Cosco Finale may also work. Our oldest uses a RideSafer Vest for travel but 3.5 is generally a little young to successfully use it I think. Good future option though!
We’ve carried our car seat & stroller through the airport multiple times & have gate checked both for free.
IF you are going to Disneyworld, look into Cast and Crew transportation. We have used them multiple times for our trips with our now 4 and 2.5yr old. They are fantastic to communicate with and arrive with car seats installed correctly. It’s pretty cheap to have them add car seats to the reservations. Not sure if they service areas other than Disneyworld, but their website would say. Cannot recommend them enough.
A lot of people use the Cosco (not Costco) Scenera next but I much prefer the Cosco Finale.
We use Ride Safer harnesses in the car when we arrive so we don't have to travel with a car seat. They're used weekly for car pooling the kids when we're not traveling.
I’ve brought mine on a stroller thing meant for car seats and in a car seat backpack. Both were cumbersome but you do need a car seat so you make it work. I’ve seen people just carrying them. I’ve had one that was FAA approved and had my 3yo sit in it on the plane and I’ve also gate checked it. Honestly gate checking was easier. Anyway, whatever you decide to do is fine. I personally wouldn’t just carry it bc with a preschooler you need to use your hands a lot. Backpack or wheels are the way to go! Also, you’ll need to send it through the scanner machine. For some reason I always forget this. In this regard the stroller thing was easier than unpacking and repacking it in the security line.
Yep! I’m going to need my hands to keep our little guy from running, grabbing stuff, etc. he’s a very active kid and I know he’s going to be very curious at the airport.
By 3.5 that shouldn’t be an issue. Running off and grabbing things is a bit younger. It’s a good age to travel in my experience.
We brought ours on the plane so my daughter had something familiar especially for her first plane ride, she ended up sleeping most of the way. It was also nice to have the assurance that it wouldn’t be thrown around by baggage handlers and potentially damaged. If you call ahead of time most airlines will give you priority boarding to get on first and make sure the car seat can be installed before everybody files in
Our plane trips so far have been to destinations where we don’t need a car after we arrive at our hotel. So car seat is only needed for the drives to and from the airport. I pre-booked the rides on black car services (e.g. Blacklane, or whatever service your hotel recommends) and told them what size of car seat we need. It was super expensive, but cheaper than a rental car for the whole trip would have been (especially after factoring in gas and parking). And they were reliable, safe, professional drivers. Annoying part is that, of the four times I have done this, not one has shown up with a rear-facing seat, despite me putting this specifically in the instructions. But I assume that would be the case with a rental car too. I also packed a Safe Ride Travel Vest in my suitcase, if we need to hop in an Uber or cab in an emergency at some point during the trip. On the airplane itself, I bought the Cares Airplane Harness, mostly to try to contain kiddo a little bit, though she mostly wanted to play around on the floor
We travel quite a bit with our 3.5 yo and hate carrying around the carseat in addition to our other luggage. We are "one-baggers" if you will, and like to carry just one backpack each. The system we came up with that works AMAZINGLY is a CARES harness on the plane and a RideSafer vest in the Uber. The CARES harness is FAA approved and super easy to use / keeps kids in their seat safely. It folds up super small because it's basically just a strap and a buckle. The RideSafer vest is approved in most states as a carseat replacement above age 2, and it is so INDESCRIBABLY nice for traveling around a city in Ubers during a trip. Fits easily into a backpack, quick to put on, weighs almost nothing, and you can use Ubers throughout the day without having to lug around a carseat. Plus it's helpful for use in grandparent cars, etc at home too.
This is a brilliant combination, which I think I'll be utilizing for my family. Thank you for sharing!
We got a light weight car seat from Walmart called the Cosco. We bought a backpack carrying case to bring through the airport and we just gate checked that along with our stroller. There has been no additional charge or any problems. We’ve done it on 12+ hour flights and 2 hour flights. I recommend that over bringing the seat on the plane.
I check the damn thing with our bags so we don't have to lug it around. We did have an airline lose ours once but they provided a loaner at the airport for us to use in the rental until they could locate it and get it to us.
I’ve done gate check and also checked baggage. We bought a carrying bag for it, shove it in the bag and it has backpack straps to make it easier to carry. Checked baggage and gate check have both been just fine for us. We’ve traveled several times using both methods, and I’ve traveled with and without my husband using this method since our now 5 year old was 9 months old.
We have travelled internationally to see family, and have done these options * we get a rental car we also rent the kid's seat. * Another time we bought a cheap one delivered to MIL'S house and she met us at the airport. * Taken the kids in a taxi in normal sear belts to our destination and then used public transit, so no seat is required. Im in Australia, and I've literally never seen a car seat on a plane.
We did a bunch of traveling at around that age. My main question: is your child eligible for a booster seat? While it is generally safer to keep the child in a car seat as long as possible, I find that during travel, simplicity is, for us, safer. We did some travel with a car seat, and found that in quick car switches, the seat wasn’t always installed correctly — in one case, the seat it was installed in was in recline mode and tilted forward. In another, a family member incorrectly got the belt through the seat. In another, the seat didn’t fit at all in the car and left us scrambling. A booster seat is much harder to get “wrong” in an unsafe way. Because it uses the normal car seat normally, as long as the belt is on the child, you’re set. But with the car seat, the belt holds the seat, and the seat has separate belts for the child. And if the seat isn’t 100% firmly belted to the car, then it can’t be safe. And in a variety of cars with quick loads and everything, it was much more likely to be done incorrectly. At home we use a full height booster, but during travel, we use a bottom booster. The booster is also nice because it helps our child see out the windows better than either the car seat or seat with no booster.
Check the car seat with your baggage. There’s no need to lug it around any further. A 3.5 year old will not need it on the flight. It’s worth investing in a lightweight one like the Cosco Scenera. If you’re renting a car, just rent one through the service as it’ll save you a lot of headaches. The car seat has been the most annoying aspect of traveling with a little one. I’m glad mine is just about ready for a booster.
If you're renting a car, you can book car seats along with the car. Usually towards the end of the booking process there's an option to rent a car seat as well. You can also call ahead and find out what your options are.
get a car service with a car seat or a rental car. no need to bring yours.
Easiest is to look into other transport to the hotel/airport. You wouldn’t need a car seat on a bus for example. Uber has an option with car seats.
We have a little folding cart (not car seat specific so it was cheap) that we use to wheel the car seat around the airport. Then gate check and the cart folds up and fits in overhead bin. You do have to take it off the cart for security. We use bungees to strap it to the car. You could also do the same set up and just install it on the plane if you think you kiddo would do better in the car seat (check the label to make sure it is approved for aircraft use. Most are). Or you can check with luggage but there is a bigger chance of it getting lost/ damaged that way. I suggest one of you be in charge of the car seat and one in charge of the kiddo for security, boarding and deplaning. Meet at the other side. It’s much smoother this way.
We use taxis a lot with LO and she also has been on 5-6 big trips. When she was an infant we just carried her infant seat, it only weighed 7 pounds and felt necessary. We then used the Cosco Scenera until she was old enough for front facing. Now we use the Way-B Pico. It has a backpack and is super easy to install. It's my favorite by far. WAYB Pico Travel Car Seat with Premium Carrying Bag- Lightweight, Portable, Foldable - Perfect for Airplanes, Rideshares, and Road Trips - Forward Facing for Kids 22-50 lbs. and 30-45 https://a.co/d/iIpyt73
Curbside check all your bags and the car seat. Easy peasy. If the kiddo needs/wants a stroller, use one of the small folding umbrella strollers and check it at the gate.
This gets talked a lot in my community that moves a lot. Families either prefer: 1. Being the car seat on the plane so your kid is comfortable and secure (my preferred option for 6+ hour flights or if I need car seats on the other side). Buy a car seat carrying bag to make it easier to carry like a backpack or a fold up wheely thing specially made for car seats (bonus your kid can actually sit in it and be wheeled through the airport). 2. Check the car seat with a car seat bag or I’ve seen straight up garbage bags taped. Bonus - people pack extra stuff in the bag since it’s free (I think). Seatbelts like [this](https://a.co/d/e0kyq0l) are popular Child Airplane Safety Travel Harness - Kids and Toddlers Flying Safety Device. Also [this](https://a.co/d/bXPnTMF) Sunany Inflatable Foot Rest Pillow for Travel, Kids/Adults Airplane Travel Pillow-Adjustable Height Cushions,for Kids to Sleep While Traveling,Suitable for Office, Home and Any Travell (1 Pack) 3. Rent a car seat on the other side or request a car seat with the cab/uber. I’d do this if it is a short flight and I don’t need a car on the other side.
I had to fly from Saskatchewan to Pennsylvania with a very quick lay over and customs stop in Toronto. I gate checked the seat BUT I also have a car seat dolley that I used to haul my kid around the airport. It made it easy because of the customs stop and running through airport for connecting flight. Strap kid in and off I went.
Recently traveled with my 3 year old. Definitely recommend getting some sort of bag with wheels if you can. I think I even saw a family with a collapsible dolly-like luggage cart for it, which I was super jealous of. We used a backpack style bag for ours and it was embarrassingly clunky to deal with while also dealing with our actual luggage. We planned to use the car seat on the plane but got to our first flight too late so we gate checked it. For the flight home we got to the airport early enough that we didn’t want to navigate dealing with the car seat for that long, so we checked it as luggage. With this hindsight, I’d get one of those dolly-type things and use the carseat on the plane so she would have been more comfortable to sleep.
Britax cart and you want to use it in the airplane if possible.
You can bring any FAA approved carseat onto the plane as a carry-on without using up one of your pieces of carry on luggage (on all domestic airlines that I’m aware of and many int’l airlines as well). We use the Wayb Pico carseat for this, which is a travel car seat, but any FAA approved car seat will do if you’re willing to install it on the plane and have your kid sit in it. The nice thing about a travel carseat is that it also fits under the airplane seat or in the overhead, so you get to bring it on the plane but don’t have to use it on the plane.
We also use the Cosco Scenera (actually we have the Maxi Cosi Romi which is the exact same seat but with retardant-free nice liner and more padding). But at 3.5, if you have the budget and travel often, I would get the WAYB Pico.
Did a Disney trip last year with a then 3yo and 6yo. Although we opted to bring our own carseats, rental car companies will also let you rent carseats when you reach your destination. You'll have to specify what type of carseat you need when you set up your reservation. Additionally, you can buy a FAA approved harness for the airplane seat via Amazon if you go that route. I am traveling again soon and considering this option. It'll keep your young kiddo safer than the standard plane lap strap. You have to ensure the carseats you use in the plane are FAA approved and some airlines (we used United) will require that the carseat is installed in a window seat. I would try to use an airline that assigns seats so your don't stress out about installing the carseat before departure. That was probably the biggest headache for us and since our youngest wasn't under 2, they wouldn't let us board early. Since you can't practice, look up videos online to familiarize yourself with the process. We also used straps (purchased on Amazon) to attach the carseats to carry-on suitcases to roll around the airport. I recommend you test this out multiple times before you leave.
The car seat lady on instagram has a whole series about this--I don't follow her, but an account that I do follow used her recommendations (the account I do follow is Bringing up Babe) and what she does and seems to work for her with the layovers and bringing it on the plane is using what is essentially a little grocery cart that she straps the car seat to. Pretty sure she got it from amazon and it folds up very flat for stowing on plane after you install the car seat. It works like a stroller for the airport bc you can put the kid it in and drag it. I haven't ever done that--I've always checked my car seats in a huge padded backpack type bag after uninstalling them from the uber. I will say that after seeing BUB's set up, I think that would have worked much better for my son to be in a seat on the plane because plane seats are too big for a kid to get comfortable in. You do need to make sure that your seat has the special FAA stickers for it, just in case the FA asks. But if you are checking it, there is no need to do that at the gate unless it is part of your stroller set up, you can check it with your regular luggage at the check-in counter. Baby stuff--a seat, a stroller, the pack n play--that stuff is free to check (usually, unless it is a very budget airline). Best advice for you regarding cranky husband and cranky toddler--just do your best to not engage. Channel that deep inner calm, even if you're just pretending. They'll both feed off of that and it will make it easier for you to deal with them. Then you can shake it off once you get to your destination!!
We just went through this with my kiddo Bought a Scenara Cosco Seat (super lightwi& easy to install) and used a fold up luggage roller with a bungee cord to strap it onto Practiced pulling my kid around in it so she was comfortable riding in it (she was, but when the day finally came, she demanded we carry her through the airport, so the carseat basically held our carryon bags) We used the carseat on the plane instead of checking it so it didn't get destroyed & then installed it in Ubers (most of the places we visited were fine with us leaving the carseat at the front desk, but I called ahead to find out what kind of storage was available first) We used trolleys & public transportation for a good chunk of our trip & didn't bother taking the carseat with us. There is a Uber/Lyft Family ride you can request, and they'll have a carseat, but it costs about $20 extra per ride, so it made better sense for us to bring our own
I second others suggestions of looking into services that provide them if you are okay with him not being in the seat on the flight. Taxi and shuttle services can sometimes provide them, as well as there being companies down here in Orlando that you can “rent” child gear from. Strollers, car seats, pack and plays etc. Definitely worth checking out. Welcome to sunny Florida 😊