https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:32:07 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717638 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 21:27:07 +0000 Kemma 2717638@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just something to be aware of but you have NO idea how your car seat is going to be treated once it's out of your sight so make sure you give it an extremely thorough check once you pick it up again. I've seen pictures of seats and strollers that have been absolutely wrecked through rough handling but sometimes the damage isn't all that obvious. Any CPST will tell you that baby should have their own ticket and fly in their car seat (it's definitely the safest option) but I also know that not every family will do that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717629 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 20:57:07 +0000 Littlebit7 2717629@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like it's a rarity to have an empty seat anymore unless you are flying waaay off peak to a random place. I don't even bother thinking there might be one. Not only would you need to hope for an extra seat, but you'd need three seats together if you want to sit near your SO. They way airlines oversell flights these days.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717627 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 20:47:41 +0000 Eko 2717627@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I flew with my 5 month old. We checked in the car seat and bought a bag for it. We also gate checked the stroller and bought a thinner bag for that. Glad we got bags and not trash bags as it rained, our stuff don't get soaked, and the bags got really beat up. If we used trash bags it would've been pointless. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717616 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 19:54:16 +0000 petitenoisette 2717616@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've only flown once but we checked stroller and car seat with our baggage. The flight was full on the way there (not on way back but they made it sound like it was) so we didn't bother keeping the car seat til gate and glad we didn't. They put it in a nice plastic bag for us. We didn't bother with bags for either bc we Purchased both for traveling and they weren't expensive. My one tip is that I didn't realize strollers and car seats came out separately and don't go on the bagage claim conveyor belts. So look for the bulk items and don't wait around like a big dummy like me. 😀 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717612 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 19:32:39 +0000 caterw 2717612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@atoz: it would be the easiest option of it wasn't for TSA. They (on both the trip to Disney and back) tried to have me fold my stroller and put it through the luggage scanner and scan my super large car seat. Then you have usual rigmarole of taking off shoes, separating electronics, keeping all of your liquids in a ziplock baggie (and all pouches etc need to be separated out). All with hundreds of people behind me staring at me while I held a screaming baby. My husband was with me but it made me never want to fly with kids again </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717592 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 18:47:10 +0000 atoz 2717592@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Iced Tea: thanks! I'll check it out. Was yours an infant seat or convertible? </p> <p>@caterw: ha! Oh man, that's exactly what I was going to do... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717481 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 14:06:43 +0000 caterw 2717481@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Here is what NOT to do- I wore the baby and gate checked the stroller and car seat! I used the stroller to roll the seat through the airport and put the diaper bag and our carryons on there too. It was insanity getting through TSA- you have to put the car seat through the scanner and take off the carrier. </p> <p>I would definitely recommend just regular checking the car seat and stroller and having baby be a lap infant. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717465 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 13:38:36 +0000 kiddosc 2717465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've used a thick contractor garbage bag before without issue. If you go this route, wait until you get to the gate to bag the seat because they'll need to take the seat out of the bag at security. </p> <p>Personally, I find it easier to check the carseat with the luggage rather than cart it through the airport. I also prefer to use a carrier through the airport rather than deal with the hassle of finding elevators, the extra time through security, maneuvering through crowds, and waiting for gate checked items after the flight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717461 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 13:30:16 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2717461@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd gate check the stroller, super easy and you get to use it right up until boarding and right away after because they bring it to you at the plane door. If you're bagging stuff they just give you a big clear bag so I wouldn't bother pre-bagging because they'll probably rip it open/untie to check it before you give it to them if you check it. And if you can get a seat for your car seat even better! If you want to check the stroller as well as the seat I would bag them separately and label clearly. I would definitely bag the stroller in case anything falls off during its travel then everything will be contained. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717438 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 12:44:18 +0000 Iced Tea 2717438@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I intended to use a bungee cord, but I found that hooking the latch connecters to each other (this will only work with the standard ones, not the stapler-looking ones) formed a loop that I just lowered over the handle of my little rolling bag. </p> <p>I have no advice on the stroller since we didn't use one. One of the airports on our most recent trip had SO MANY escalators; I would have been frustrated trying to find elevators to circumvent every one of them. I'd probably wear the baby unless you know this won't be an issue. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717417 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 12:11:46 +0000 atoz 2717417@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks! This is great advice!! Will definitely see if there's an empty seat at the last minute &amp; will check to see where the gate checked items go. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717412 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 12:00:36 +0000 Littlebit7 2717412@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a brica bag with backpack straps (and it has wheels) for the carseat and we switched from our regular stroller to the baby jogger city tour for air travel since I take it onto the plane and don't have to wait around after we deplane (really we use it for all travel since its so darn convenient). You didn't mention if you got your LO a seat on the plane so I can't tell if you absolutely need the carseat plane side. At that age it is nice to have a stroller to strap them into although you could probably do it with just a soft structured carrier. What I'd do (assuming you don't need the car seat) is take the stroller and stick a carrier under the basket. Get a bag for the carseat and check it at the ticket counter. You don't have to have a bag for the stroller, but just know it could end up broken or dirty at the other end. If you are ok with that, then no bag. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717397 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 11:39:20 +0000 Mamaof2 2717397@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@atoz: At that age I would put the baby in a carrier. put the car seat in the stroller and any bags you have - that way you have 2 hands to push the stroller. When you get to the gate ask if there are any empty seats you may luck out and get your LO a seat on the plane for free - if not then you can gate check the stroller and car seat.</p> <p>Also you might want to ask where your gate checked stuff goes - mine was waiting for me at the gate of the final destination unlike @erinbaderin: that went to baggage claim area </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717375 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 11:07:31 +0000 looch 2717375@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like to have a gate check bag for 2 reasons, it keeps the stuff clean and it also keeps all the straps together so it doesn't get snagged on anything.</p> <p>A garbage bag with a big piece of duct tape with my name on it is also good, I am not picky. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717349 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 10:27:04 +0000 catlady 2717349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a special gate check bag for our stroller and I don't know how necessary it is. I think it probably does protect our stroller but I bet a garbage bag would be fine. Also I think a bungee for the carseat would also be fine. We have a little roller for our carseat but I sort of regret spending the money on it because it was expensive and we haven't really used it much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717343 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 10:22:41 +0000 sauerkraut 2717343@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not sure how old your kiddo is, but I opted for checking both stroller and car seat into baggage and carrying LO through the airport in an Ergo. That left me pretty free to move through the airport and not have to manage a bunch of stuff. If I had an older kid who couldn't be worn, I'd probably bring only a stroller and diaper bag (with kid and my own things) through the airport and check everything else. I've seen lots of gate checked strollers that were just folded up, no need for a special bag. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717342 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 10:22:29 +0000 Boogs 2717342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@atoz: We've done a garbage bag plenty of times and it worked just fine. When we went internationally we were even lucky enough that the airport gave us a nice, thick clear plastic bag that always worked just fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717335 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 10:19:36 +0000 erinbaderin 2717335@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've always traveled with our stroller - we just use it in the airport and then gate check it (note: check that when you gate check it will be at the gate on the other end. That sounds like a stupid thing to say but twice I've ended up at Pearson airport in the middle of the night waiting for my stroller only to be told "Oh, that will come out with the luggage at baggage claim" which is literally a 15 minute walk and then however long it takes to get through customs). We have a gate check bag for both our big Uppababy stroller and our umbrella stroller - we just bought a generic one from Amazon, it was pretty cheap, and it protected the stroller from scuffs etc. If you plan to travel even semi-regularly it might be worth investing in one. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717332 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 10:17:26 +0000 ShootingStar 2717332@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just flew with our carseat and B-agile. We used the stroller through the airport - be prepared to have this be a giant PITA at security. Both coming and going we had to fold up the stroller and have it scanned on the belt. I tried to wear her on the way back, but my carrier had metal on it and I had to take her out.</p> <p>So after security we put the baby back in the stroller and went to the gate. At the gate we got the gate check tag and put the stroller in the stroller bag. I put baby in the carrier and DH carried the stroller. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717326 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 10:13:42 +0000 gilmoregirl 2717326@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am very non expert at travel with kids, but when I flew I used the stroller in the airport to push my kid and hold some stuff then just folded it up to gate check it. I left my car seat home and rented one at our destination. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/flying-with-carseatstroller#post-2717319 Tue, 28 Mar 2017 10:03:23 +0000 atoz 2717319@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll be taking a cross-country flight with my soon-to-be ten month old. I'm a nervous traveler on a good day, so this trip has me wondering! I'm planning on bringing a regular stroller (Britax) and carseat. I'll be traveling with another family member, too.</p> <p>So...<br /> Do I really need a gate check bag for them? Or will a regular trash bag do (with my name on it?)? </p> <p>Is it weird if I just bungee the carseat to the stroller or a piece of luggage to get it through the airport? I know there are gizmos to help lug it around but I'm trying to cut down on additional baby gear. :happy: </p>