Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

I will be traveling with DH and DD to Palm Beach for BIL's wedding in January. DD will be 6 months old. Do you suggest I buy a seat for her? I just don't know how difficult it will be to keep her in my lap the whole time....

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

We flew when DD was 6 and 7 months old. She was perfectly fine in our laps. We were lucky enough to find flights during her nap times so she just slept the whole time.

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

I personally wouldn't buy a seat, if the cabin crew sees that you are travelling with an infant, they will often put a seat aside for you. We are flying on a 6 hour flight this week and Noah will sit on our laps and hopefully, they will give him an extra seat.

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

We are going to AZ in Nov - DD will be 5 months old. We got her a seat (half price) - because we want her to be as secure as possible...

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

for such a short flight, i don't think there's a need to. besides, i'm sure your baby would love to be on you instead. it would be a huge treat!

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

If you can afford it then I say yes. It's so nice to have the extra room. DD may not stay in her seat but we hated the one time we had to have DD on our laps the whole time and another person was in the row. You could tell by the look on her face when she saw us that she was worried. It's just easier not to deal with that.

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

I would not for such a short flight. I would for a longer flight though.

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

We just flew to Miami a couple of weeks ago and we did not purchase a ticket for DD. What we did, however, was to bring her carseat up to the gate wih us - on the way down they put us in a row with an extra seat and we were able to strap her into her carseat in a seat between us. On the way back the flight was full so we checked her seat at the gate and held her in our laps. It was fine, she slept the entire flight.

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

We are going to FL in Nov (DD will be 3 months) and again in Jan (DD will be 6 months) and we are not buying her a seat either time. My brother has two kids and said when they are that little it isn't necessary unless you are traveling by yourself.

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

Nah. You are going to end up holding her anyway to feed her, etc.

We flew in July when DS was 3 months old nad it was fine that we didn't have a seat for him. We are flying again on December 30th and we didn't get a seat again (it was friggen WAY too expensive) both were to Florida and I am not worried about the next trip even though he will be bigger.

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

yes.

We did- and it was worth the money spent- DD was 7 months and while she slept it allowed DH and me to relax and enjoy the flight.

also - the FLA planes have 3 on one side, 3 on the other- with 3 adults AND a baby it would be IMO uncomfortably crowded.

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

I really don't think you need a seat for a 6-month old. We took DS on the plane when he was around 7-months and just held him and it was fine. We took him again more recently -- he's 18-months -- and now he NEEDS his own seat. We didn't get one for him and it was a total nightmare. But at 6-months they're still so little that it should be fine.

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

for that age no I wouldnt buy a seat I didnt for DD and she was almost 1 i wouldnt push it after that age though..

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

I just flew to FL with my ds who is about 6 mths old and we didn't buy him a seat. He was fine on my lap.

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

We just took a flight with DS who is 4 mths. We didn't buy him a seat and everything was fine. I figure that on short flights I might as well not buy him a seat for as long as I can.

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

I've heard too many stories, many of them on this forum, about babies being hurt on planes because they weren't in car seats. If there is turbulence, or a rough landing, the baby is going to go head-first into the seat in front of you, or on the floor, etc. It's just not worth it to me. No human can hold a baby if there is some kind of jolt on the plane. Even a 15 minute flight has a landing, and can experience turbulence.

Many airlines are reducing the number of flights (fuel costs), so the odds of an "extra" seat is a lot lower. I wouldn't rely on that chance.


Most car rides, both long and short, never experience any incidences, but I would never not buckle my DC in, just because it's "just down the block".

Message edited 9/12/2007 2:09:11 PM.

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

We just came back from a trip to europe with our 19mth old. We got a bulk head seat so she played on the floor for awhile and I strapped her onto me during take off and landing and during any turbulence. She had her own seat belt attached to mine so I felt safe holding her like that.

Re: Should I buy a seat for my baby for a 3 hour flight?

yes, I would.. and we did...