Can you bring a carseat on an airplane?
CAN YOU BRING A CARSEAT ON AN AIRPLANE!?
If you’re planning a flight with your baby, toddler, or little one, you might be wondering if you can bring their carseat onboard with you. And the answer is - YES! You can bring most carseats on most flights and not only that, but it's actually the safest choice for your little one in air (mostly due to turbulence and the possibility of an accident during take-off or landing where arms may fail as a safety restraint)! The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends that infants and small children who weigh under 40 pounds be secured in an FAA-approved car seat or harness-type device when traveling by air. But before you head down the runway with carseat in tow, there are a few things you’ll need to know.
Read below:
The Always Somewhere Family: Can you bring a carseat on an airplane?
Is your SPECIFIC carseat allowed on the aircraft? You’ll need to check your carseat for the airline safety compliance sticker. It’s typically on the plastic side of the seat and looks like a small airplane symbol that reads “This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.” Great news - if you’re located in the US, most infant and toddler seats ARE faa approved! The flight attendants may ask to see the sticker while boarding so be sure to familiarize yourself both with your carseat and your carseat’s manual for a quick and safe install! Remember, your child is safest in a carseat inflight.
WHERE can my carseat be installed on an airplane? Your child’s carseat is required to be installed in a window seat on the airplane so that it does not obstruct any passengers incase of emergency. *This is important to note if you are buying your child’s airline ticket with an option to choose seats: choose a window seat for your little one! If you are in a row of 3 seats but only you and your child are occupying that row, you may be able to install the carseat in the middle seat IF nobody is sitting in or assigned to the window seat - Ask your flight attendants for assistance! CLICK HERE FOR HOW TO INSTALL A CARSEAT ON AN AIRPLANE
What if I’m traveling with multiple kids/carseats? Great question! You CAN have multiple carseats side-by-side on an airplane starting with the window seat. For example: if you are traveling with 2 little ones the carseats can be installed in the window seat, middle seat, and you would sit in the aisle seat. Logistically, you might have a difficult time maneuvering the seats onto the plane and fitting them side by side. CLICK HERE FOR OUR TRAVEL CARSEAT RECOMMENDATIONS. If you are traveling with 2 adults and multiple children, you can either choose seats across multiple rows or one adult & child pair in front of the other.
Can you bring a carseat on international flights? This one is tricky. It varies by airline and country. Many international flights such as travel to Europe will not allow carseats onboard and instead, require a “belly belt.” This is an additional seatbelt that loops around your seatbelt and your baby on your lap. *These have been banned in the US and Canada as it essentially turns your little one into an airbag incase of turbulence or accident. Please use extra caution in this scenario. You’ll need to check with your specific airline and plane.
Does your child fly free under 2 years old? If so can I still bring their carseat? If your child is under 2 years old, they can fly for free as a "lap infant" and who wouldn’t want to save a couple hundred dollars in exchange for holding their baby?! If this is the case, you can still bring their carseat (as long as it meets the above requirements) along to the airport. DO NOT CHECK IT WITH YOUR LUGGAGE! Instead, bring the carseat with you to your assigned gate. You’ll need to get it through security first. CLICK HERE FOR HOW TO GET THROUGH AIRPORT SECURITY WITH A BABY. Once you’re at your gate, go up to the counter and ask the employee called the gate agent for tags to gate check your carseat (and stroller!) - you’ll loop these tags around the handles. You can walk your carseat and stroller down the runway all the way to the door of the plane! (That’s where you’ll pick it up upon landing too.) *I highly suggest using a secondary travel carseat for this so your daily driver does not get damaged. AND consider using a protective bag. CLICK HERE FOR OUR FAVORITE CONVERTIBLE CARSEAT BAG. Always check your carseat and stroller for damage BEFORE leaving the airport so you can file a complaint/compensation for damages.
Can my lap infant under 2 years old get a FREE seat for their carseat? Actually, yes! There is no guarantee but all you have to do is ASK! Don't be shy and ask both the gate agents and flight attendants if there are any extra empty seats on the flight so that you can bring your baby’s carseat onboard too! They might say “sorry, the flight is full,” in which case you would hold your baby as intended. OR they could say something like “Yes! Row 27 is empty. We’ll move your family there.” This is not a fool-proof plan but as my mom always says, if you don’t ask the answer is ALWAYS no! Keep in mind that you might have to wait until all the passengers have boarded to move seats and if you are traveling with a spouse, other children, or a large family, you may be separated from each other. Our daughter had a free seat on several flights and it was so nice to spread out and strap her into the carseat. Ultimately, if you want a guaranteed seat for you baby under 2 years old, you need to purchase one.
Read below for baby/child policies per airline:
The Always Somewhere Family: Can you bring a carseat on an airplane?
Traveling with a baby/child policy per airline (US):
Policies may vary for commuter, charter, and private planes.