Booster seat okay for car rental and airplane?

[NHBelle]

My 3 year odl uses a booster seat at home. Will this be fine for the plane and our rental car or do I need a car seat?

 

[C.Ann]

To the best of my knowledge, booster seats are not allowed to be used on the airplane.. You must use a FAA approved care seat (which there should be a sticker on the back of any car seat that is in line with regulations)..

In Florida a child must be in a car seat or booster seat, but I'm not sure where the age cut off is to move them from a car seat to a booster seat..

Hopefully someone will pop in here with more knowledge about the Florida laws..

A booster seat on the airplane is definitely a "no" though..

 

[NotUrsula]

No seat-only booster can be used in aircraft seating. Most high-back boosters that come equipped with an integrated 5-pt. harness ARE approved for aircraft use, as long as the 5-pt harness is being used; check for the sticker. If the harness has been removed, the FAA approval is void.

If your child weighs at least 40 lbs., she should be fine in the standard aircraft seat, a carseat will not be needed on board the aircraft. In that case, you can check it as luggage (or gate-check it if you are concerned with it being banged about in the hold.)

Under Florida law, either type of booster is legal in an automobile.