Getting from airport to hotel without a car seat?

[Tattylou]

2015- We used Lanksy and a booster for my then 4 year old, who is only in the 25 percentile for weight and height...he is small. It was just for the ride from the airport to the hotel and it was fine. At home he was still in a 5 point harness. Lanksy is awesome by the way. Best service ever....my older son threw up in the car on the way back to the airport and the driver handled it like such a pro. Would use them again in a second.

 

[DharmaLou]

I am a former CPST - while your child may make minimum requirements for certain seats, that doesn't always make them the safest option. I am also not fan of traveling with car seats as I have seen them bounced along the tarmac while loading, which breaks down the frame and could cause malfunction in an accident. My suggestion for safety's sake is to take the bus. I would not chance an improper seat even for a short ride.

For at home, I've found this to be the car seat easiest to install - it also lasts until 90lbs http://amzn.to/2rgKOUt

 

[bumbershoot]

Better (IMO) to get to that link is https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OTXUO2S

 

[ClaraOswald]

Personally, I would find a seat I could install. I wouldn't trust some random person at a car service place to install a seat properly. It wouldn't surprise me if they just belt it in and call it a day rather than installing it in a safe and correct way. (And I would bring the car seat onto the airplane with me. I would NOT check or gate-check it.)

Or I would take a shuttle bus or whatever where it's typically safe to ride without a car seat. (Though even this is iffy for me.)

I would also not put my child in a booster if they aren't ready (and it sounds like you wouldn't either, so that's good!)

Just because something may be legal, doesn't mean it's safe.