Flying w/3 year old - carseat, birth cert, etc.?

[smithfamilyof7]

Is there any reason why we would need to bring a birth certificate for our 3 year old, for the flight? Last time we flew he was 1 and we didn't purchase him his own seat (birth cert was required). This time, he obviously has his own seat. Do we need to have "ID" for him?

Secondly, I keep going back and forth on whether we will bring his carseat on flight with us or not. It's a short flight - from PDX (about 2.5 hrs). I've been thinking that I AM going to take it, because it will be easier to keep him confined to his seat. (3 year old boy, he's usually all over the place) When I mentioned it to my friend (not with kids), who flies a lot, she thought I was crazy. She said she never sees carseats on the plane. So for those who fly with little ones, who need a carseat when in CA, do you bring it on flight, do you check it, or do you drop it off at the plane entrance w/the stroller? (We will need a carseat in California so not taking it isn't an option.)

 

[Dawnlight]

No need for birth certs. My kids, ages below, do not require. Under 18 does not need ID for flying.

As for car seat: it's really a personal preference. I only flew on trans-Atlantic flights with little ones and did have car seat as it was much easier, but not sure if I would have for a shorter flight (unless the seat was needed at destination).

 

[KalamityJane]

How much does he weigh? The plane belts don't fit until 40 lbs plus. Also, if you are driving in CA, he needs his seat anyway, and it's not safe to check the car seat as it gives it an unknown history (have you seen how the baggage handlers handle stuff?)

It is also way easier to keep a 3yo in a 5 point harness that he is used to than in the plane belt that is temptingly easy to open. This might help on how to get the seat there and back -

http://csftl.org/leaving-on-a-jet-plane-the-csftl-guide-to-safe-air-travel-with-children/

Personally, we are bringing our seats for the plane flight from Boise to LAX and then using the bus when we get there. It's so much easier to have a nice flight when the kids are somewhere familiar and not beebopping all over the plane.

 

[corinne76]

Keep in mind that I'm not experienced in flying, but it can't hurt to have a copy of his birth cert with you, just in case.

As far as the car seat, if it makes things easier, i'd bring it on the flight. I brought mine when DS was 2. I swear I was the ONLY one with a car seat on that flight. It's not that common, but it is safer, and you're right, it helps keep them still. My bff came with us to DL with her 1 yr old and she didn't have a car seat for her. But she's more lax than I am on car seat safety

 

[corinne76]

okay now i have a question. If you don't check a car seat and don't bring it on the plane, what do you do with it?

DS will be 4 on our next trip so I'm not sure what to do. We will be bringing most likely a harnessed booster for him.

 

[KalamityJane]

okay now i have a question. If you don't check a car seat and don't bring it on the plane, what do you do with it?

DS will be 4 on our next trip so I'm not sure what to do. We will be bringing most likely a harnessed booster for him.

I bring it on the plane (the only time my kids ride without their seats on the plane is if they are in a booster, no harness or over 40 lbs and there is a seat waiting at their destination).

The other option would be to check the seat in its original packaging or in a box that fits it with clothes or diapers or padding around it, if he is mature enough to stay in the belt and over 40 lbs and you need to bring the seat or there is not one at the destination.

 

[Aladora]

Is there any reason why we would need to bring a birth certificate for our 3 year old, for the flight? Last time we flew he was 1 and we didn't purchase him his own seat (birth cert was required). This time, he obviously has his own seat. Do we need to have "ID" for him?

Secondly, I keep going back and forth on whether we will bring his carseat on flight with us or not. It's a short flight - from PDX (about 2.5 hrs). I've been thinking that I AM going to take it, because it will be easier to keep him confined to his seat. (3 year old boy, he's usually all over the place) When I mentioned it to my friend (not with kids), who flies a lot, she thought I was crazy. She said she never sees carseats on the plane. So for those who fly with little ones, who need a carseat when in CA, do you bring it on flight, do you check it, or do you drop it off at the plane entrance w/the stroller? (We will need a carseat in California so not taking it isn't an option.)

We fly from Canada, so we all bring passports but under 18 should not need id.

As for the carseat, I would either use it on the plane or gate check it and use a CARES harness system. We rented one when DS was 5 and used it when we flew to Ottawa.

CARES

 

[smithfamilyof7]

How much does he weigh? The plane belts don't fit until 40 lbs plus. Also, if you are driving in CA, he needs his seat anyway, and it's not safe to check the car seat as it gives it an unknown history (have you seen how the baggage handlers handle stuff?)

He weighs 35 lbs. Good to know! I didn't realize there was a minimum weight on the seat belts...

okay now i have a question. If you don't check a car seat and don't bring it on the plane, what do you do with it?

Well, you can check a carseat in with your normal luggage, at the front of the airport. Or, you can take it to the gate (where you board the plane) and they can "check" it there. When you gate check it, they put it in after the passengers have boarded and then they pull it out before you get off, so it's waiting by the plane door for you. I would think those items are not as badly handled as the rest of your luggage that goes through all the carousels and such.

 

[smithfamilyof7]

As for the carseat, I would either use it on the plane or gate check it and use a CARES harness system. We rented one when DS was 5 and used it when we flew to Ottawa.

CARES

Do you rent the CARES at the airport? I've heard of this before but never looked into it. Seems pretty convenient!

 

[corinne76]

I bring it on the plane (the only time my kids ride without their seats on the plane is if they are in a booster, no harness or over 40 lbs and there is a seat waiting at their destination).

The other option would be to check the seat in its original packaging or in a box that fits it with clothes or diapers or padding around it, if he is mature enough to stay in the belt and over 40 lbs and you need to bring the seat or there is not one at the destination.

thanks. Fortunately, he sits well, which leads me another problem. Do I lug the Graco Nautilus (it's either that or a Britax Fronteir-neither of which sounds fun to bring) or put him in a high back for the trip and carry it on. We will fly into LAX (no direct flights to the other airport from Hawaii). We may drive to Legoland one day, but the majority of the time we spend the DLR and we will stay somewhere across the street and walk.

DD will be nearly 8 so I'm comfortable bringing a backless booster for her.

 

[Aladora]

Do you rent the CARES at the airport? I've heard of this before but never looked into it. Seems pretty convenient!

No, I rented it from someone local. I just googled "renting CARES harness" and found someone here. It was super easy to use and worked like a charm!

 

[smithfamilyof7]

thanks. Fortunately, he sits well, which leads me another problem. Do I lug the Graco Nautilus (it's either that or a Britax Fronteir-neither of which sounds fun to bring) or put him in a high back for the trip and carry it on. We will fly into LAX (no direct flights to the other airport from Hawaii). We may drive to Legoland one day, but the majority of the time we spend the DLR and we will stay somewhere across the street and walk.

DD will be nearly 8 so I'm comfortable bringing a backless booster for her.

We have the same carseat (the Nautilus, we also have the Britax Marathon but I think we'll leave the Britax at home), which is part of my concern. It's definitely a heavy one!

How old is he? (Can you carry on a high backed booster? For some reason I thought only the backless were allowed to be brought on.) **Edited to say I just saw your previous post. At 4, I would probably go with the booster if it works out. Easier that way!

 

[jetskigrl]

Is there any reason why we would need to bring a birth certificate for our 3 year old, for the flight? Last time we flew he was 1 and we didn't purchase him his own seat (birth cert was required). This time, he obviously has his own seat. Do we need to have "ID" for him?

Secondly, I keep going back and forth on whether we will bring his carseat on flight with us or not. It's a short flight - from PDX (about 2.5 hrs). I've been thinking that I AM going to take it, because it will be easier to keep him confined to his seat. (3 year old boy, he's usually all over the place) When I mentioned it to my friend (not with kids), who flies a lot, she thought I was crazy. She said she never sees carseats on the plane. So for those who fly with little ones, who need a carseat when in CA, do you bring it on flight, do you check it, or do you drop it off at the plane entrance w/the stroller? (We will need a carseat in California so not taking it isn't an option.)

We always used carseats on the plane if they kids were still using them in the car. It is a familiar seat and they knew if they were buckled in, they had to stay put (just like in the car). You just have to be really careful with them kicking the back of the seat in front of them since the carseat will put them at the perfect angle for kicking.

 

[corinne76]

We have the same carseat (the Nautilus, we also have the Britax Marathon but I think we'll leave the Britax at home), which is part of my concern. It's definitely a heavy one!

How old is he? (Can you carry on a high backed booster? For some reason I thought only the backless were allowed to be brought on.) **Edited to say I just saw your previous post. At 4, I would probably go with the booster if it works out. Easier that way!

They are huge seats arent they? Right now he's in a Britax Roundabout, but will likely outgrow it in height by then and move to a Fronteir.

We plan to go in October and he will be 4 months shy of 5. DD was 5 last trip. we carried on the bottom of her HBB, and stuffed the back into DH's suitcase. If DS is mature enough for a Turbobooster, I may do the same, and just carry one his bottom and one more for DD.

I'm still going back and forth about whether or not he needs a harness.

 

[mcm574]

We bought a Gogo Travelmate second-hand for, like, $30 or $40 when my older son was 2.

https://www.gogobabyz.com/product-i14581-q10226-g10000-b0-p0-Mini_Travelmate_.aspx

It made it much easier to maneuver both him and the seat through the airport! I think we transitioned to the CARES system a little before he turned 4....

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

I have purchased (2 over the years) contraptions called pac-back... I got mine from one step ahead... Anyhow, it's a super easy strap contraption that turns those bulky 5 point harness car seats into something you can wear on your back. The straps are really cushy and easy to use (think baby carrier like ergo... But for car seats!). Makes it so much better to haul your car seat thru the airport and on to a plane, and you can leave the bulk of it in place behind the seat while you strap the plane's seat belt to the car seat. I used it with the roundabout and the frontier. So happy my 10 year old is just in a butt booster now... Which we still haul with us, but now goes under the seat in front of us on the plane

 

[KalamityJane]

We picked up Evenflo Titan65s (aka SureRides) to travel with because they are super light with high top harness slots. You could also get a Harmony Defender, it is easy to travel with , 5pt harness and turns into a booster and is cheap. An Evenflo Maestro would also work well.

I wouldn't put a 4 yo in a booster, studies have shown kids under 5 in boosters don't fare well.

 

[KalamityJane]

I have used a luggage cart and bungeed our seats on and harnessed the kid into the seat as a cheap alternative to the Go go travel mate

 

[DahliaRW]

I would never check a seat. I also wouldn't lug a nautilus through the airport (well, I have, but what a pain the rear and I swore never again!

If he'll sit ok in a booster, do that. As long as the booster he's using is rated for his age/weight.

If you do travel a lot, you might want to look into the bubblebum booster or a ride safer travel vest. Very travel friendly - I own both!

 

[wildflower329]

When we went a little over a year ago, we brought carseats for both kids. We ended up checking my daughters (she was 5 at the time, and had the forward facing harness to high back booster combo). I originally wanted to gate check it, but we decided not to cart it through the airport (it is a recaro, and those things are HEAVY). We planned on using our sons (another recaro) on the plane, as he was only 2.5. We were on a fairly short flight (SEA to LGB) and it was a small plane. We got to the plane and the stewardess told us she didn't think it would fit, so we ended up gate checking it. Once we got on the plane, I realized she was right... the seats seemed even smaller than most, and the recaro is a big seat (similar to britax).

Anyway, just something to think about since you are on a short flight as well. We did at least have carseat travel bags, which made them easier to carry.