Traveling by plane with a toddler

[Tronesia]

I posted this on my FB and thought I'd ask here too. Has anyone traveled by plane with a toddler? Did you take their car seat, use a harness, or what?

I am thinking of taking our car seat for him to sit in and so he will be comfortable in the seat he is used to sitting in and we will have it while we drive around the area for while we look for a house. I am also sure he'd get a kick out of sitting like a big boy in a seat, but I want what is safest. The directions for our seat look easy to install; not sure if we want to lug that big thing around or get a smaller harness for him like this (https://www.amazon.com/Child-Airplan.../dp/B0012E4FV8). If I get the harness, I would still have to figure out a safety seat for him while in the rental car.

Thanks for any help, advice and suggestions. And anything to help in general when flying with a toddler...please feel free to share. My 9-year old will be easy enough to entertain.

[nietis]

My son travels on plane ever since he was 1, so he is used to it. Most of the time, he'll be occupied on watching the provided cartoons/movies on the plane (we mostly travel long haul - 10 hours or so). I also bring some snacks and some small toys, in case he is bored.

[LynnZant]

I think you have to check his carseat like luggage if it doesn't meet the carry on requirements. Did I see in the news some woman in tears because a flight attendant took her stroller away? Anyway, I would check with the airlines first for what is allowed.

[DawnMarch]

We always brought car seats with us when we flew because we needed them at our destination anyway and they're expensive to rent. Whether we brought it on the plane depended on a few things -- how much we had to carry, how long the plane ride, how fidgety the kid. Of course, you need a paid seat for the kid if you want to use the car seat also. The upsides are safety and that kids are used to their seat and it may be easier to keep them in it than in just the regular seat with seatbelt. Downsides are that the seats take up a lot of room in an already very cramped space, they are a pain to carry and you have to get them attached.

[ChristineF]

I've travelled with a toddler and a baby and we had the toddler (3yo) in his own seat on the plane occupied with movies on the ipad. Then the baby (1yo) sat on my lap or my mother's lap. We brought fruit smoothies (the ones in ready made bags), biscuits and other toddler/baby snacks. We didn't bring their seats because they weren't guaranteed we'd get them as carry ons and because renting seats while we rented a car was just easier. Snacks and toys are more important than a seat on the actual plane if you ask me. You can always send your own seat as checked bagage (in padded casing) if you don't want to rent.

[tjscraps]

Make sure to check the airline that his seat will be allowed - some airlines don't allow it. We just traveled with our baby, not looking forward to traveling with her at Christmas when she's 16 months and harder to contain lol (we didn't buy a seat for her, she'll be on our lap)

[joelsgirl]

I never brought our car seat on board with us, but my friends who do say that it is so much easier to contain a small child in a car seat & easier for the child to sleep on the plane in it. We just always borrowed car seats in the states & didn't use them in Asia; I wish we had invested in a good one 12 years ago when our oldest was born.

My youngest never wants to watch movies or even play a device on a plane, so I buy her a few small, new toys & wrap them so she has something to look forward to on the plane. I also buy a new coloring book and sticker activitiy book just for the flights.

[Tronesia]

Thanks for your advice/suggestions ladies!!

We bought tickets for all 4 of us and called the airline about bringing the seat. The guy on the phone was just like it's no problem. Our seat does say it is certified for aircraft. My son is 2 (will be 3 in July) and with him being so active, I know it will probably be easier if he is in his seat that he used to. Our flight is about 2 hours long and my son's not a good sleeper... until we are riding around the car..lol! I am definitely packing snacks and iPads with movies/shows already downloaded.

[Neverland Scraps]

We went to Disney with my then three year old. We were going to take his carseat but were really worried about installing it on the plane, etc. Instead, we rented a carseat from our car rental and it worked just the same without all the hassle of taking my son's carseat.

If you do take your carseat, we got a carseat carrier at Target where it acts like a seat for your child as you walk throughout the terminal in between your flights.

Good luck with your trip and househunting!!

[~Julie~]

We flew to Miami when my daughter was 2 and we used the harness. We loved not packing a big car seat. Those airplane aisles are so narrow to get through. We walked everywhere we needed to go to and had a stroller. She just sat with us on way to hotel and on the way back to airport.

These are the best activity for the plane besides a phone/ipad

https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-...ge%3A165890011