How to Check in a Car Seat at the Airport

Preparing for the Flight

Decide whether you will bring the entire car seat. First, decide if you will bring the entire car seat, or just the seat part of it. Rear-facing and infant car seats clip into bases that are secured in cars. Some car seats work well without the base, and for some it is required. Decide if you will bring the base on your trip. It is an extra hassle and a large item to take care of, but can be safer if you plan on spending a long time in the car. For convertible car seats for older children, you generally have no option but to bring the entire thing.

Call the airline well before your trip to ask about their regulations on car seats. An airline representative should be able to answer your questions and offer suggestions. Some airlines treat car seats like carry-on luggage, some will let you check it for free, and some consider it part of the regular checked luggage allotment and will charge a fee. Many airlines consider car seats to be fragile items and don’t accept liability for any damage. Find the airline car seat policy online and bring a printed copy with you to the airport to clarify if there are any issues. Based on the airline guidelines, you can decide between the three options for checking a car seat: luggage check, gate check, or to bring it on the plane.

Checking the Car Seat as Luggage

Check your car seat as luggage to save effort. A popular option is to check the car seat at the main reservation desk and pick it up on the baggage claim carousel at your destination. Checking the car seat as luggage is a simple solution because you don’t have to worry about hauling it through the airport or putting it through a metal detector at security.

Be aware that there's a risk of the car seat getting damaged. The downside is that checked luggage can get jostled around and an oddly shaped car seat can easily be damaged, making it less safe and effective for your children to use. Protect the car seat by wrapping it in bubble wrap or placing it in a large box. At the very least, put it in a large plastic bag to keep it dry and (hopefully) free from scrapes.

Label the car seat with your contact details.To check your car seat like luggage, follow the airline regulations and check it with the rest of your luggage. Make sure it is properly labeled with your contact information and stickers marking it as fragile.

Checking Your Car Seat at the Gate

Understand the advantages and disadvantages of checking the seat at the gate. Checking your car seat at the gate allows you to bring it with you all the way to the gate and check it right before you get on the plane. Most airlines allow baby items to be gate checked for free, but double check with your airline to be sure. Gate checking is only available for domestic flights, and is great for smaller babies who sit in their car seat clipped into a stroller. It also potentially minimizes the amount of damage to the car seat because it is the last thing on the plane and the first thing off, plus it avoids being put through baggage claim. However, checking items at the gate means you have to bring them through security, which can be an ordeal.

To gate check a car seat, alert the gate agent of your flight. They will print a baggage claim label and provide a color-coded gate check ticket. You then bring the car seat to the bottom of the jet way and leave it at the end of the ramp right before you get on the plane.

Wait at the end of the ramp for the baby seat to be unloaded. Gate check items are brought to end of the ramp (the same place you dropped it off) when you reach your destination. Most airlines are quick about bringing out gate check items, but you might have to wait on the ramp for a few minutes if you are quick off the plane.

Bringing the Car Seat on the Plane

Understand that you will have to buy a ticket for your baby. If you want to avoid the unknown of checking a car seat, you can bring it with you on the airplane. The major downside of this is that you will need to buy a ticket for a child under two to guarantee they have their own seat for the car seat. If you don’t buy a ticket and bring your child on the plane as a lap child, you will have to wait to see if there are empty seats before you can use the car seat.

Recognize the advantages of bringing a car seat on the plane. The advantage of bringing the car seat on the plane is that it is safer, especially for infants. It also frees up space and allows parents to enjoy the flight or help other children instead of having a baby on their lap. You also have the car seat as soon as you get to the destination and don’t have to wait or worry about damage.

Make sure the car seat is marked FAA approved. To bring a car seat on the plane, make sure it is clearly marked as bring FAA approved. Don’t worry, almost all major car seats fall into this category.

Try to be flexible in terms of where you sit. Be flexible and aware of the rules regarding having a car seat on the plane, because some flight attendants may make you move to a different seat. In general, car seats aren’t allowed in exit rows and are placed in window seats to avoid blocking other passengers.

Arriving at Your Destination

Make sure you collect the right car seat. If you gate checked or luggage checked your car seat, getting them when you get off the plane should be your top priority. Many car seats look alike, so make sure the car seat is actually yours before you take it away.

Report any damage to the airline, but don't expect reimbursement. If there is any damage to the car seat, try reporting it to the airline. However, it most cases the airlines are not liable for damages to fragile items such as car seats and strollers.