Traveling with Two in Car Seats

I just got back from a trip to the Bahamas with my 21 month old twins. Renting car seats there was not an option. After much research, I went to Walmart & bought 2 Cosco Scenera car seats. They are not top of the line, but they cost about $40 each, are lighweight & they come in a plastic carrying case with a handle. I also had the CARES harness which was a total disaster. It doesn't have a strap between the legs, so they boys slid down in them, nearly choking themselves. I used the car seats on the flight home. I was very stressed out, but everything worked out, thanks to the kindness of strangers. I was overwhelmed at the number of people who offered to help us. Also, you can carry one of the car seats on your back by putting your arms through the straps, like a backpack. I hope you have a great trip!

I'm not positive how it goes but, I know my dtr ran into a car seat issue and was able to get one from the airlines to use for the rental car. Call your airline and ask.

I've traveled A LOT recently, and the sizes of the seats varies wildly. I was just on a US Airways flight where I had to wedge myself into the seat. Even a grossly skinny girl in my row was complaining about how tight the seats were, so I don't think your carseats will probably fit. I see people check them all the time, though, so I wouldn't worry about that.

As far as renting? I've heard some horror stories about the busy car places running out of seats. Someone I know had to wait at the car rental place while her husband drove to a local Walmart, bought carseats, then came back for her and the kids. And God knows what the kids did in them before you! One friend had the grandparents buy seats on the receiving end and meet them at the car rental place at the airport.

I have rented a car seat with a car rental, and it has worked out fine. They are not top of the line(ie. no bells or whistles), but meet all safety requirements. Probably way easier than trying to get 2 thru the airport and into the seats. I'm having a nightmare thinking about it just remembering trying to get me and 1 well behaved child thru the airport and security. Good luck.

P.S. On in flight sanity, let me recommend a portable DVD player. Used one on a trip with our then 22 month old on the flight to/from Hawaii (7-9 hours!). Best $70 I ever spent at Walmart. Could have died the moment we got home and I'd have been happy.

I also cannot imagine carrying two car seats. One is logistically challenging enough! We would usually rent one of the seats from the car rental place...and have never had a problem with them. Another thing we have done is have your older child be in charge of a little rolling suitcase. Our kids pack in it what they want to bring along on the trip (toys, books, etc.), and then the one pulling it feels like he's part of the 'traveling' scene at the airport...plus he's pulling some of the luggage!

We always rent the seat from the car rental place and its worked out fine. They have all these safety standards anyway because they would be liable if something happened to your kid because of a substandard car seat on their hands. Don't worry. I would totally take ours but my husband refuses to carry yet another huge bulky item. By myself I FOR SURE would not carry them with all the junk kids require already when traveling. I wish you lots of luck since I have not done this yet by myself and dread ever having to, I commend you...My hats off to you and so many others who have done this. :) N.

We just traveled with our Britax Roundabout (smaller than Marathon) and it fit just fine on the plane. It was a slight pain to lug through the airport though. Having one of those car seat backpack carriers would have been a helpful way to free up our hands. And I can't imagine doing it by myself with 2! So here are some other thoughts. I just read about an interesting product: see http://www.kidsflysafe.com. It is a little pricey, but may be worth it if you will be traveling a fair amount in the next few years, or perhaps it would make a good option for at least your older child. It makes me wonder why all airlines don't have this option available to its smallest travelers free of charge!! Then you can just rent the appropriate car seats from rental car company (I've had friends do this with successfully). Good luck & happy travels!

Hi C.,
my husband and I just traveled from Chicago,IL to San Diego, CA with our one year old and three year old. I brought my one year olds seat and I put her in the middle seat. My other daughter was in the seat by the window. I was in the aisle seat and my husband was in the other window seat. I had no trouble refereeing- my three year old was glued to the window. We also brought a portable DVD player for them both to watch. My one year old s;ept most of the time becuase she was in her car seat. When we got to San Diego we rented a car seat for our three year old. It was practically brand new, so it all worked out in the end. Good Luck.

I had a terrible experience with a rental seat - the straps and seat were sticky and gross. Someone had obviously been feeding their child in the car. Unfortunately, it was my father-in-law who rented the car and seat and he didn't think to check the seat when he picked them up. It was discovered only after he picked us up at the terminal and we were on a tight schedule due to a wedding we were attending. I cleaned it up the best I could with some wipes from the diaper bag, but my 1-yr.-old son was sick with a nasty cold by the time we got home. Outside of the germ factor, it can take some time to adjust the seats to properly fit your child, especially if you aren't familiar with the model they rent to you. If you can, I'd bring my own seat.

Also, I traveled with my Britax Marathon when my daughter was a year old. You might have some trouble fitting 2 side by side on a plane. I barely was able to get the one in.

Good luck!

I can tell you from experience that the Britax Marathon DOES FIT JUST FINE on an airplane seat, the Roundabout too....you could probably get away with letting the 3 1/2 year old sit in seat but be prepared for him/her to undo the seatbelt a lot etc...a carseat keeps them contained..the 1 2/2 year old should be in his/her carseat for safety- lap babies are very unsafe...even in the slightest turbulence they become a human airbag....not to sound alarmist as I know many have travelled with lap babies but it's just not a great idea....so I'd suggest either checking the bigger Britax as luggage (wrap it carefully/pray it doesn't get lost or damaged) and bring the other seat for the little one (you can put it on top of the stroller or pull in a bag with wheels (I got my bag at Toyrus for 25.00). DO NOT RENT A CARSEAT from a car rental agency....there are numerous instances of expired/unsafe/gross seats which do not meet safety standards being offered to folks at rental agencies.

The Britax seats are FAA approved it says right on the outside sticker and in the manual...booster seats are not allowed to be used on planes...the CARES harness would be good for the older one.

Ivillage.com has a great article written by a flight attendant as to why children should be in carseats...don't have the link but it shouldn't be hard to look up- it's very good.

Anyway, it's doable and have fun! I did it with two and the baby was on oxygen so you'll do great!

B.

Hi C.,
I am in the same situation. I'll be traveling with an 8 month and 3 year old soon. I'm already stressed and not even at the airport yet! I have reserved a car seat with the rental car service, but need a car seat for the trip to the airport. So I think I'll just check my 3 year old's car seat and hope for the best in terms of not getting damaged (didn't even think of that). I've traveled with a britax before and think 2 will fit fine next to each other, but they are soo heavy and bulky that I can't imagine carrying 2 of them on the plane. And you are right, the car seats have to be in the window/middle seats. Best of luck to you!!

I have travelled a good bit on airplanes with toddlers/babies. I wouldn't use the carseat for the 3 1/2 year old. The tray table won't lay flat with a car seat. If he/she wants to draw/color/eat, that's a problem. It is true that car seats can not block other passengers. I might put the 18 month child in a car seat--mostly because it keeps them calm.

I would put the car seat in the window, you in the middle and the 3 1/2 child on the aisle. Make sure you PRE-BOARD to get seated together. I've been separated from my children on more than one occasion by dumb *ss ticket agents. Other passengers are amazingly hesitant to move to help you out. Sit in seats together-even if you're not assigned those seats-and refuse to move if you're asked.

few other tips: bring benadryl for longer flights. ask your pediatrician for dosage. I have been on enough flights with screaming babies to be an advocate for this option.

other lightweight amusement options: few rolls of scotch tape--it will keep them occupied for a good half hour, silk scarves (not good ones), finger puppets, few books, plastic cups to stack or play hide the object-they-won't-choke-on, LOLLIPOPS (must have-will shut them up if they get fussy), other passengers (especially the ladies "of a certain age" to play peek-a-boo, plus you don't have to carry them!), snacks (anything that requires a while to eat-like those vegetable chips.)

Check everything-including car seats/strollers--except for what you absolutely must carry.

tell the gate agent "I will require assistance at the arrival gate". Use that term. An airline representative will ferry you to baggage or the next gate in one of those nifty golf carts. The kids will love it. You won't break into a cold sweat hauling all their stuff. You won't have to worry about being distracted. I missed an international connection with my 13-month-old once because my flight was late and I couldn't make it to the next gate as the stroller was stowed in the rear of the plane. Most US carriers are happy to help.

good luck. you will feel so proud and competent when you arrive where you're going!

J.

Your youngest should be able to still travel on your lap so you wouldn't need to buy a seat on the plane. That could help you there. I have traveled several times with my daughter (almost 1) when she was in the infant carrier I checked that at the gate, but the last time we traveled I rented a car seat through the car rental agency (Avis). They installed the seat for me and it worked out fine. Wasn't a fancy seat but it did the job. You will have your hands full with you kids in the airport and on the plane, would recommend getting an airplane seat for you and your 1.5 year old to share and one seat for your 3.5 year old. Then recommend renting car seats for both at your destination.

We've usually checked our car seats and have had no problem. I know United at least puts them in a very large plastic bag, which protects them. It was too much of a pain to carry car seats through the airport and then security and was very costly to rent the car seats from the rental car place. If it was a one day trip we might have considered it, but $20 bucks a day for 8 days was way too much!

Check with the airline you're flying with. I know that with some as long as you're only "blocking" in yourself (or family) that the car seat can be on the aisle. Also if you're flying out of O'hare make sure you visit the play area between terminal 2 and 3. It's a great place to have the kids run around getting out there energy before they get on the plane.

I would seriously consider checking your car seats. The Britax seats are sturdy, chances are very slim they will be damaged. And ask the airline agent to wrap them in plastic for you before checking them so they don't get all dirty from the luggage belt. If you are alone, I don't foresee any way you can get carry on luggage, 2 kids, and 2 large car seats up to the gate by yourself. I think you're better off checking them and using a stroller to get everyone/everything up to the gate.

I have travelled solo with both of my children who are now five and one and a half. Personally, I would NOT take both of my carseats on the plane. You will have a difficult if impossible time getting them from curbside to the gate. I can't imagine carrying two heavy seats along with carry-ons and kids.

With this in mind, I would check my seats with some type of cover. I have used garbage bags and some airlines even provide heavy plastic bags. I have also heard that there are cloth carrying bags available for the Britax seats. You do risk damage to your seats however, and the airlines will not reimburse you for any damage they do; I know this from my last trip. American Airlines damaged my seat (crack in the base) and lost a styrofoam block from the base, and they the supervisor on duty looked at me like some kind of idiot when I asked for her to help me.

Anyhow, I have decided to purchase cheap seats exclusively for travel, because I have also rented them with my cars. They generally run five bucks/per day, and at that rate you can go ahead and buy cheap seats. The benefit of getting the rental seat is that you do not have to carry it around the airport, so it is indeed convevient.

I hope this helps; enjoy your trip!

Hi! C.,

I can't really give advice on traveling with 2 car seats on the plane, but I have traveled with my son for 6 flights over the last 2 years. He was 3 at the start. I have always checked a car seat for him, and NEVER had a problem getting it back! Honestly, I can't imagine juggling 1 child and a car seat through the airport, let alone 2 children and 2 car seats. I know that the thought of renting a car seat, is insane... Well, I am a worrier about something happening to my son, so that is the place of having as little to carry as possible comes from. I have found just carrying his entertainment (He has a little suite case with wheels that we fill with fun things to do, books, card games, coloring, match box cars, and such.) and my bag and encouraging him to keep moving forward on the plane is enough!

Good Luck, and have fun! We do, my guy has become quite the traveler!

C.

I've traveled with my little ones at least six times or so. I've always checked their seats with my luggage and their stroller at the boarding gate. The seats and the stroller have never been damaged. Unless you own a $300 or $400 seat, I wouldn't worry about it.

I never checked but do the airlines have any policy in place for insurance on the seats or inspection before they are checked. That way you can replace the seat if they are lost or damaged.

I always just sat mine in the seat....do they require car seats now? I've traveled with mine from ages 3 months to 3 years old. I never used a carseat. I found it easier. Less to carry on the plane with two little ones and once in the air, I can hold one on my lap and we can read and color....(mommy can entertain easily...less crying).

Both my girls love to travel, but it is a little exhausting trying to keep them entertained so they don't irritate the other passengers.

Check the books that came with the car seats to see if they are FAA approved. If they are not FAA approved, then they cannot go into an airplane seat. I've had flight attendents ask me, especially if the carseat is a larger carseat.

When my daughter was 27 months, we took a booster seat (intended for older children) on the plane for her. She's above the curve on her height. Her huge carseat was loaded as part of regular luggage. When she was 3, she sat without any additional seat. We used cups with sealed lids, and did pretty good overall from a spillage perspective (we were on the plane for 9 hours).

Depending on the height/weight of your 3 1/2 year old, I'd say put that carseat in cargo and let him/her sit like a big girl/boy.

There was someone on the plane in front of us who had a attachment that went around the airplane seat that I think was like a 5 point harness.

The more you can limit what you bring on the plane, the better off you'll be. Best of luck!

Hi C., I have 2 boys ages 3 and 5 and travel with them alone very frequently. Since they grew out of their infant seats, I have never brought a car seat for them on the plane. I can't imagine how I would have gotten through the airport with the two of them, a double stroller, a carry-on bag, AND a carseat or two. I have found that the kids are fine on the plane, especially if I can sit between them to referee (as you mentioned). I also have never checked a car seat-- I always just rent them from the car rental company. Be warned, it is not cheap to do this and you have to install them yourself. But it is more convenient than lugging yours from home. Good luck!

Hi! First, I would highly recommend NOT using the car seat for your 3 1/2 year old on the plane. We just returned from Hawaii last week - we took our 2 year old with us, and she was just fine sitting in a seat by herself. While in the islands, we did rent a car for a day, complete with a carseat we rented from the car company (Budget). The carseat was fine and the company installed it for us. We had a great time driving around the island and had no issues with her seat whatsoever. Oh, and the cost to rent the seat for the day was only $10 - well worth it not to have to lug that giant Britax on the plane or carry it with us everywhere we went. When my daughter was younger, we did bring her carrier seat to visit my father-in-law. We were not renting a car, but using his on the trip, so we had to have it. Checking it was no big deal. They usually wrap it in plastic for you so it doesn't get dirty, and they are sturdy enough to indure baggage claim. (She was only 9 months old at the time, so she sat in our laps on the flight).
Hope this helps! Good luck and happy travels!

When we traveled with our twins at 14 months, we held them on the plane . We brought our own carseats because you don't really know what you are going to get from car rentals and how to actually install them. We saved the boxes that the carseats (Britax)came in and taped them up and checked them in(no damage). American airlines does not take that away from your bag limit. Also, we had the kids in their stroller until we boarded and then checked it at the gate(get the claim check at the desk before you board though).

We flew last summer with our DD who was 2 1/2 at the time. We checked her carseat with no problem, though we did buy a "bag" type thing for it from one step ahead. She also has the Britax Marathon. A couple things......The Britax seat does NOT fit in an airplane seat, no matter what Britax says. We were really happy with our decision to check it when we saw a half an hour battle involving another couple trying to get their Britax installed on the plane, and in the end they had to check it because it would not fit. Our daughter did fine just sitting in her seat, the seatbelt tightened around her snug. We also brought several brand new travel toys/ activities to keep her busy and it worked like a charm. I looked into rental seats, but found they were the cheapest and flimsiest seats.........most car rental places have car seats for rent, if it is an airport location. This works great, but you MUST contact the rental agency by phone directly to make sure they offer them and to get one reserved. I have a friend who requested one with her online reservation only to find there were none available- that her request didn't get through to them- and her husband had to drive to target- buy a carseat- come back to the airport, install it in the rental, etc. It was a HUGE hassle, wasted a couple hours, and in the end they had an extra car seat they had no idea what to do with.

While I've only traveled on my own with one child, I've never used a carseat on the plane. I've always checked it and haven't had any problems. I'm also not sure a Britax Marathon would fit in a plane. If you're planning on checking it, just make sure you bring a garbage bag or something similar to put it in, since not all airline companies have bags for them. In addition, we have had no problem renting carseats from car rental companies. If you have AAA they usually give you one for free. They're usually not Britax seats, they're cheaper ones, but they're fine. That said, there's a new product out there you can consider buying. I haven't used it so I can't recommend it, but it's worth a look: the website is http://www.kidsflysafe.com and the product is called Cares. Good luck with your trip.

While I only have 1 little guy. We now rent our car seats when we travel. We too have a britax and they are not the easiest to travel with. When I travel with my 22 month old son to california which we do at least 4 times a year we rent a car seat with our rental car. It is 10$ a day and worht every penny. THey are not the same as our car seat but they must meet minimimum safety requirements and we have alsways been allowed to choose our seat out of a grouping. My 22 month old is over 30 pounds and it is just easier for us. I hope that helps.