This has been a big car seat week for our family, because we finally changed Buddy’s car seat to be forward facing. We waited as long as we could, but he finally got too tall for facing backward in his seat. In the process, we’ve bought a new forward facing seat for Hubby’s car. All of this car seat change has me reflecting on the seats we’ve had so far, and what I’ve learned about traveling with them.
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I’m often asked by friends with kids about how we fly with a car seat. Since Hubby works for an airline, we fly with Buddy often. We have also purchased car seats specifically because they would be useful for flying. This blog covers what I’ve learned at every car seat age.
There are a few options with flying with car seats. You can check your car seat with checked baggage. You can bring it through the airport and either check it at the gate or bring it onto the plane. And finally, you can rent a car seat if you are renting a car at your destination. I’ve never trusted that, and the options of car seats are very limited. Hubby and I never considered this to be a good option for us, so we’ve always brought our own seat with us.
Infant Car Seat
When Buddy was an infant, he flew on our laps. Because we didn’t have a seat for him, we always checked his bucket car seat. We bought this car seat backpack to help carry the seat into the airport. We always added baby food, extra diapers, and Buddy’s clothes in this backpack as well. I put all of these extras into extra large ziplocks, so I could easily pull out the car seat away from the rest.
Buddy’s first flight!
The one thing I wanted to mention about the infant seat is that you don’t have to fly with the base as well. Those bases are heavy, and I’m amazed when I see people carrying them through the airport! Our car seat was able to be strapped in with just a seat belt, and I think that is common for most infant carriers. (Be sure to read your manual to double check before you fly.)
I hated checking the seat because I always worried about it getting lost. We did lose a bag on one our flights with infant Buddy, but fortunately that was my luggage and not Buddy’s car seat. It may be worth buying a seat for your infant to not risk losing the car seat. (Plus, your infant is safer in a car seat on the plane than in your arms.)
Baby Buddy in his baby car seat.
Convertible Car Seat
When Buddy outgrew his bucket seat, I got a Britax Advocate for my car. However, we knew we didn’t want to travel with that seat because it weighs a ton! After a lot of research, I got a recommendation for a lightweight convertible car seat from a friend of mine who flies with her kids even more than I do. She recommended the Evenflo Tribute LX, which is what we ended up getting. It weighs 9 pounds, so it was even lighter to carry through the airport than Buddy’s infant seat. It doesn’t have a ton of padding, but Buddy’s always been very comfortable in it. We’ve taken it on long car trips, and he seems just as happy in it as in mine. The best part about it is that it’s a very affordable car seat with great safety reviews. It’s also pretty easy to install in both cars and airplanes. 
When Buddy was under two, we still hauled this seat in the back pack and checked it. But once he turned two and we had to get him his own seat, we took it onto the plane with us. It was a great peace of mind knowing the seat wouldn’t get lost. To get the seat through the airport, we used this belt to tie the seat onto either my suitcase or Buddy’s stroller. You are supposed to be able to use the car seat as a stroller once it’s belted to the suitcase, but I never tested that out.
Buddy was forward facing on the plane in this seat (There’s not really enough space to rear face on a plane), but he was always rear facing in this seat in cars. The only big drawback to this seat is that it only lasts until 40 pounds, which is why we ended up buying a new car seat for Buddy this week. But since we paid around $50 for it in the first place, I don’t have a problem having to upgrade it after two and a half years.
Forward Facing
When I was researching traveling convertible car seats, I came across the Ride Safer Travel Vest. Hubby and I were so excited about the idea of carrying a vest with us instead of a car seat, and we had to wait two long years between learning about it, and when Buddy was finally old enough to get it. (The Ride Safer Vest is made for forward facing kids from ages 3-8.) This vest is basically a belt positioning booster, and it makes the regular car seat belt hit Buddy’s body appropriately. It comes in a travel bag, and it’s so easy to throw in one of our carry ons. We also love bringing it with us when we need to Uber somewhere. It is a lifesaver, and we love it so much!
If you have questions about flying with young children, please share in the comments section. Best wishes for safe travels!
