Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

We will be flying to California this summer with a 2 and 4 year old and renting a car while we are there. Can anyone share their experiences or tips with cars eats and travel?

Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

we traveled to FL in the fall with our 2yo. we took his car seat on the plane and he sat in it and then used it in the car rental. we bought one of those things that you can put the car seat on and wheel it through the airport so it wasn't that hard to manage. my son is not a fan of sitting still so the car seat made the whole experience much better LOL

Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

I rent or check my own. We have never had an issue.

Re: Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

The lighter and less bulky the carseat, the better. You'll be carrying it through the airport and fumbling with it onto the airplane. We've used the Cosco Scenera for airplane travel and it worked out well. It's also under $50 to buy. When we travel, we check our luggage (one less thing to manage after security), use an umbrella stroller for the toddler that we gate check and the rest we have with us to carry are carry-on bags and the car seat.

Re: Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

It's much easier to rent the car seats from the rental car company. I have done it twice and will be doing it again in July when we go to Florida.

My rental for an entire week through Alamo is $60 for each car seat. IMO, it's worth the money to not have to lug two car seats to and from the airport.

Re: Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

Rented through the car rental agency. Reserved it ahead of time.
The seat looked brand new and immaculate.
DH had to install it though and it was a bit of a bitchh and he was sweating in the Florida heat in the parking garage and cursing.
But it was fine other than that

Re: Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

We took car seats on the plane for our 1.5 year old and 3.5 year old. We got the Britax cart. One seat attached to the cart with Latch connectors and we used a couple of bungee cords to strap on the second seat. At security, this had to be taken apart. The cart had to go through xray. The seats go through the machine if they fit or get hand checked.
DH went on the plane first to set up the seats and I boarded with the kids a little later. For FF seats, you might need to use a seat belt extender or flip the belt buckle upside down, otherwise you might not be able to unbuckle the seat belt.

Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

We always rent carseats when we travel. The typical brand from the rental companies are Cosco seats. They've always been in great condition.

Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

We recently rented a car seat through a rental car company and it was so incredibly easy. Car seat was immaculate and came in a plastic sealed bag -- looks like it was cleaned after last use. FYI - if you are a AAA member, Hertz will give you one free car seat with your reservation. You need to book with your AAA group code number. Saved us money!

Re: Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

At 2&4 we would bring one seat with us & purchase a booster when we got to Florida (around $20). We brought back the boosters & have them as spares.

Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

Renting seats can be extremely dangerous since you don't know the history of the seat.

Are there any recalls on the seat
Has it ever been in even a minor accident
How has the seat and harness straps been cleaned and with what
Is the seat expired
How is the seat treated and stored when not in use


Also, depending on the Cosco seat model, some will not be appropriate for the 4 year old, as they may have already outgrown the seat by seated height.

Your best and safest bet would be to bring the seats they are comfortable with on the plane. You are also used to installing them, so that will make things easier for you upon your arrival after a long flight.

Re: Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

article 1 about renting seats

article 2 about renting seats

article about flying with kids

Re: Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

8 people were just injured on a JetBlue flight due to turbulence. Since the kids need seats on the plane anyway, I would bring theirs.

Re: Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

I just did this with 2 car seats. It wasn't bad. for us the cost of renting 2 seats was the same as the cost of the car for 6 days so I didn't want to pay that. I bought these bags from Amazon and it made them easier to carry through the airport...

Car seat bag

Re: Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

When we flew with a 2yo and a 6 yo last year, we brought a seat for the 2yo with us - a Cosco Scenera. I used bungee cords to attach it to our (not very sturdy) carry-on with wheelies for walking around the airport and it worked great. I had looked into buying the cart, but seemed like an unnecessary additional expense for us. The 2 yo could not sit in it while we wheeled it since the bag would fall over but he walked or was carried and it was fine. He slept great on the plane in the seat though.
The 6yo we brought a BubbleBum seat to use in the rental car. He sits well in the booster so I was ok with it.

Re: Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

I flew with DD who was 3 at the time. I brought her car seat on the plane and to be honest it was a giant PITA. Carrying the seat on and off the plane and lugging it through the airport.

On the way home I checked the car seat and it was so much easier.

I did the same thing when I flew with my son. He was only 1 at the time and he sat on my lap on the plane, but again so much easier to go through the airport without lugging the seat behind me.

Re: Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

This exactly. If DD wasn't in her car seat on the plane I'm not sure she would have stayed in her seat. It was a plane to lug thru the airport but I was happy I did. Plus it gave my peace of mind to have her in her car seat in our rental vs relying on the car rental company.

Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

We have always rented car seats from the rental car company, but we have also only flown with DD as a lap infant. After spending at least an hour the last few times we rented a car trying to figure out how to install the car seat, fix the straps, make sure it's tight enough, etc., I told DH that next time I'm buying a cheap car seat just for travel and we deal with lugging it around the airport.

Re: Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

Car Seats, Flying and Car Rentals

Checking a car seat (either withe luggage or gate checking) is not recommended. They don't exactly treat items with respect and damage can occur (both noticeable and unnoticeable) that could be potentially dangerous in the event of a crash