https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 10 May 2026 15:44:39 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2538763 Mon, 02 May 2016 10:45:10 +0000 maddyz 2538763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have done both. We checked the infant seat at the gate because it clicks into the stroller and we didn't bring the stroller seat. Now I check the convertible at baggage check or the curb if I am traveling by myself and take the umbrella stroller to gate check.</p> <p>Are carseat gets used the most when we travel because we live in NYC without a car. So it's almost like we have a seat just for travel.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2538469 Mon, 02 May 2016 07:26:29 +0000 Mamaof2 2538469@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I bought a "travel" car seat mainly because I wanted a light weight one and our Britax were heavy! </p> <p>I like checking them at the gate - that way you can see if they have any open seats and if so you can get one for free - then at least you have the option of using it during the flight </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2538451 Mon, 02 May 2016 06:47:10 +0000 looch 2538451@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've also done it all, and now, since we're over the age of 2, we have to buy a seat no matter what. I always put it in a bag, no matter what we're doing with it, to contain the straps and make sure it doesn't get "caught" somewhere. I also put a nice big piece of duct tape on it with our name and another piece to hold down the drawstrings of the bag. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537987 Sun, 01 May 2016 07:38:39 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 2537987@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have done all the options at one point or another. The crazy thing is that I just ordered a couple car seats and you know who else tosses them? FedEx and UPS. So, you know....I think you just have to do whatever works for you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537937 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 23:51:15 +0000 rattles 2537937@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Iced Tea: fwiw, their infant fares are pretty expensive in practice because they're a fraction of the full price. When I've called and inquired, it's ended up costing more for an infant rate than my ticket at a "wanna get away" rate or whatever. Never hurts to ask of course, but I had expected it to be more affordable than it was. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537918 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 22:48:51 +0000 Iced Tea 2537918@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We buy a seat and use the car seat on board. I have relatives who are pilots, and they would be horrified if we flew without securing our child. I recently read that Southeest has infant fares for a fraction of the adult fare, but you have to get them over the phone. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537867 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 20:50:22 +0000 travellingbee 2537867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have just gate checked ours or brought it on the plane if there was room. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537850 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 20:18:32 +0000 SweetiePie 2537850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always gate check the stroller in a bag because he's too heavy to carry/wear all the time and too slow of a walker. So I use it through the airport. And I learned the hard way that if we are delayed and he needs to sleep, being without the stroller is a nightmare. </p> <p>If I'm traveling alone and I didn't buy him his own seat, I check the carseat at the counter because I can't carry it all myself. If my husband is with us we gate check it in a bag because I do prefer that option. </p> <p>So, if I were you, I would gate check both in an appropriate bag/cover. The convenience of the stroller for naps and your sanity is worth it, I think. And it probably really is the best/safest option for your gear.</p> <p>ETA: oh yeah, forgot your question about buying one for travel. It's pretty common where I live. We have one "permanently" installed in our car and we have a cheaper, lighter one for travel in cabs and for air travel. Partly because our main one is too heavy to lug around and partly because we don't want to be super pissed if it gets damaged.<br /> I've also rented one from a car rental place and it was perfectly fine. Wasn't gross and actually seemed like it was brand new. I would do that more if we didn't need to worry about first getting TO the airport. We take a taxi so we need one for that trip anyway, so might as well fly with it. But if I don't have to take a taxi (like if husband drops us off) I just rent one in my destination city with my rental car. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537841 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 20:06:35 +0000 Beth24 2537841@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I bought a lightweight $50 convertible car seat on sale and a padded car seat bag. Then we just check it at the ticket counter. I only use this seat when we travel so I'm not too worried about it getting tossed around (it's always come back in great condition). A bonus is that I can stuff a lot of our clothes in there and not have to check a bag. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537820 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 19:27:13 +0000 MamaCate 2537820@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: we flew with LO1 at 6 months. We had her ride in the car seat in the snap n go all the way to the gate and then gate checked both. No damages. I think this is your best bet!</p> <p>When she got older I gate checked the umbrella stroller so my hands were free to the gate. When we traveled to visit my parents they were able to borrow a convertible seat so we didn't worry about it. When we went elsewhere I did buy a cheap seat and check at baggage claim but there was no damage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537819 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 19:12:49 +0000 Foodnerd81 2537819@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't flown a ton with LOs but we have both gate checked and baggage checked. I usually being it through the airport in hopes that they will give us an empty seat and we can bring it on, but that never happened. One time we were flying around the holidays and I knew it was a lost cause so I just checked with our bags. Same for the strollers- usually benign through but have also baggage checked. I put them in a bag because the ticket counter doesn't always have one. </p> <p>As for safety- I think that's an Internet thing. I don't doubt that they can get tossed around, but I'm not too worried about it. But try posting that on Car Seats for the Littles... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537798 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 17:31:32 +0000 GoGoSnoGirl 2537798@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We first flew w/ LO at Thanksgiving so didn't expect an empty seat to use on our Southwest flight, but checked with the gate attendants, anyway. We gate checked the carseat &amp; stroller, with the carseat in a canvas bag we borrowed to protect it. Next trip we will likely do the same &amp; I purchased a "Bebishi" carseat/stroller bag to protect it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537792 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 17:08:02 +0000 PawPrints 2537792@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>All of the above? We checked the carseat at the ticket counter when LO was in an infant seat and just held her or let her lie down on the empty seat (airline usually is able to give us an infant block so we have a whole row). Since she's been in a convertible seat we bought a cheap one just because the regular seat is so huge/heavy you wouldn't want to lug it around an airport and it's too big for a plane seat to fit comfortably. We paid $15 on craigslist for a Cosco Scenera. Our approach is to see if we'll get a free extra seat and if so, we put the cheap carseat in. If not, then we gate check the car seat. Personally I do not worry about the seat getting banged up, we just put it in a plastic bag that the ticket counter provides so it doesn't get dirty. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537762 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 15:37:14 +0000 endymion4 2537762@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we use ours on the plane, but i would gate check over checking it at the ticket counter so you can make sure it gets on the plane (seen a few people over the years land with exhausted children when their luggage, including car seats, hasn't made it and they have to scramble to figure something out) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537759 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 15:32:21 +0000 yoursilverlining 2537759@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've done both several times and never had the seat damaged. I prefer not hauling it all through airports so usually check it with baggage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537749 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 14:47:00 +0000 Grace 2537749@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Check both of them at the gate. The airline told me that if I was worried, that's the safest way because it's the last thing on the plane and the first thing off. Worked well for me and no damage. And for what it's worth, I baggaged checked her regular carseat several times and it was fine too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537729 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 14:07:19 +0000 peachykeen 2537729@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just bought LO her first seat on a flight when she's 21 months (mainly because it's ~24 hrs worth of flying). </p> <p>Otherwise, we have had her as a lap child and gate-checked her car seat. We bought a cheap Cosco Scenera ($40) from Walmart and use that exclusively as our travel seat. I would not personally check car seat as luggage because I've seen the way those bags are handled and it's just not a risk I prefer to take. </p> <p>One idea is to fly Southwest if you have that option since your chances of having a free seat next to you (as opposed to several rows away) is much higher. Most of my recent Southwest flights have had several empty seats - LO and I have even had a row to ourselves a few times! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537728 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 14:07:05 +0000 Portboston 2537728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We checked it at the ticket counter. No issues. We also had the chicco key fit</p> <p>Eta- my LO also HATED his car seat until very recently. So I would not have bought him his own seat. It would have been a total waste of money. Or everyone on the plane would have hated me for bringing a screaming baby onboard. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537725 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 14:02:31 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 2537725@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we flew with LO1 at that age, we checked our car seat and they lost our luggage, so had it not been our backup seat, we would have been SOL.</p> <p>That being said, we only have a backup infant carrier because my sister has twins and gave us both of her Chiccos when she moved them up. I doubt I would buy a second seat just for traveling. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537723 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 13:52:46 +0000 catlady 2537723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>While I realize it's not financially possible for everyone to do so, we always buy a seat for our LO and bring the carseat on the plane. That way, our LO can take a nap and we don't have to worry about holding her. We've gate checked our stroller many times and while it's always been ok (we put it inside a bag), the bag itself has gotten disgusting. There are weird black stains all over it and it has obviously been tossed around. If you are going to gate check the carseat, I would at least suggest getting a bag to put it in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537720 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 13:39:26 +0000 kiddosc 2537720@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We check our carseat at the gate in a bag so the potential for damage is lessened. The real hard core carseat people will tell you that checking the seat is like it being in an accident since you don't know how it was banged around/treated... that's a little extreme to me. We wear through the airport though, so I've never taken a stroller. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537719 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 13:37:19 +0000 Pumuckl 2537719@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We often were really lucky that there was an empty seat and they let us bring the car seat onboard although we didn't have a purchased seat for LO. So I voted check at gate. We never have had issues with our strollers or carseats being treated poorly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537718 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 13:37:04 +0000 erinbaderin 2537718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've never checked the car seat, but have checked a stroller on 4 flights and never had a problem. We have a bag for it, and gate check it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537717 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 13:34:18 +0000 rattles 2537717@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I buy a ticket and bring the seat now. The one time I had to gate check it, it came back damaged. It was in a nice travel bag that came back ripped too.</p> <p>ETA: ours is a Keyfit also, though I doubt that makes a difference </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537712 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 13:25:00 +0000 Charm54 2537712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always check our car seat at the check in counter and the stroller at the gate. Never had an issue with either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/checking-the-car-seat-plane#post-2537710 Sat, 30 Apr 2016 13:23:26 +0000 DesertDreams88 2537710@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're trying to plan our first plane trip with baby, who will be 4-5mo old. He's not in love with being held/worn, and it will be a cross country trip, and he sometimes will nap in his carseat/stroller. So I want to bring our car seat and stroller and check them at the gate (or baggage claim, if that's not allowed??), but I've seen several posts around here about your car seats getting "banged up" and thus choosing to purchase a cheap one for travel instead. My in laws (with kids) think this is ridiculous. Is this a Hellobee thing or a real thing?</p> <p>ETA: We have a Chicco Keyfit infant seat and Chicco snap-in stroller. So, the stroller doesn't work without the car seat.</p> <p>ETA2: He will be flying as a lap baby. I'd consider getting him his own seat, but he really dislikes his car seat too, so we'd probably end up holding him for at least 1/2 the time anyway to avoid the screaming. </p>