Should I buy a seat on plane for my 20 month old?

[jennib5426]

We are going to WDW in March and it will be my 20 month old first flight.
Not sure if I should buy him a seat or do lap.
I do not feel confidant he will sit in my lap for the 2 flights, each boing about 1.5 hours.
Not sure if our car seat will fit in airplane seat, it seems to wide for a 17 inch plane seat.

I have never flown with a baby so all advice is welcome.

Cost of seat is not an issue since we will be using points.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Is it just you and DS going on the flights?

 

[PrincesCJM]

YES! Buy him a seat and use a carseat. I flew with DS at 13 months and it was challenging. He flew again at nearly 3 years old and used his carseat. It was a pain to lug around the airports but well worth it. He knew proper behavior and slept on one leg of our trip each direction.

Look at your carseat for a sticker that says FAA approved. If you think your carseat it too big or it doesn't have that sticker, do some research online for compact, airplane friendly, cheap(er) carseats.

 

[jennib5426]

Is it just you and DS going on the flights?

It will be me and my mother and the baby.

 

[sam_gordon]

If you elect to use his car seat, you might want to look into a car seat carrier to help you get through the airport. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Jeep-Travel-U...&sr=8-7&keywords=car+seat+carrier+for+airport.

Also, is your DS 20 months old now or will be 20 months in March? If he's 20 months now, will he be over 2 years at the time of the trip? If so, he's required to have his own seat.

 

[bumbershoot]

Also, is your DS 20 months old now or will be 20 months in March? If he's 20 months now, will he be over 2 years at the time of the trip? If so, he's required to have his own seat.

Definitely a good question.


OP, my son was 17 months when we flew with him first, and he was a lap baby, and I still regret it. He's 11 yo now. I think my arms are still sore ha ha. He was wriggly and interested and curious and it was EXHAUSTING. Then when he fell asleep, because I'm short, I had make a choice. Sit with my toes pointed so my lap was flat and my arms could relax, or let my lap be tilted and hold him with my arms. Neither was a great, or comfy, option. We were budgeted to the bone and couldn't make a different choice for our flight home, but we were so glad that he had aged out of being a lap baby by our flight the following year!

I'm in favor of the paid plane seat and to use the carseat, absolutely.

Our big, circa 2004 Britax Roundabout fit just fine on the SW flights we took for the time we used a carseat, by the way. What seat do you have?

 

[jennib5426]

He will be 20 months when we go in March. Was trying to avoid a car seat and use ME from airport.
Anyone have any luck with the CARE restraint system?
He will sit in his car seat and high chair with his shoulder restraints fine.
Maybe the CARE will give him the same feeling and he will sit still

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You'll have to check and see if he meets the size requirement for a Cares harness.

 

[alliecat523]

I did a lap child when my daughter was 15 months. Still regret it too! Lol. We also had a Britax that fit in the seat even though the crew told me it wasn't necessary.

 

[CarrieR]

CARES won't fit him properly at his age and size.

I'd pick up something like a Cosco Scenera NEXT - $45, lightweight, easy to install. You can bungee it to a rolling luggage cart, a piece of luggage, or a stroller (with him in it, potentially, depending on the setup) to help with lugging through the airport.

Most car seats will fit fine on the plane, you just might need to lift the armrest up. What car seat do you have?

 

[BannyHanny]

Buy a seat and use your child's car seat! Makes the flight so much easier and it's safer

 

[jennib5426]

Care website says for kids 22-44lbs right now my son is 26lbs so by March he prob be around 30lbs.
Has anyone used CARE?

 

[Ladcassidy]

We used our CARES harness every trip from the time DD was 10 months until . . . sadly . . . our trip last weekend when she finally asked to sit without it. She's 7 1/2!

LOVE our CARES!

 

[monorailsilver]

I would. I know it costs money and we all love to get freebies but he will be free in WDW so buy him the seat and you won't have to struggle with him wanting to get down or kick or grab or whatever that seat in front of him. Its not like there is a ton of room so for him to color (or whatever he would do) would not be easy. For each of our kids we bought them a seat for their first flights (and every flight since then). They were 15 months, 22 mo & 2.5 yo. My first 2 kid were tiny and did not hit 20 bs until well after 2 yo so I can't imagine a child bigger then at sitting still on my lap for that long.

 

[brownhaired_girl]

I have traveled with my granddaughter twice. She was asleep both times before we left the ground. We used her car seat. If you choose to use your car seat you will need to check if it is FAA approved. It will have a sticker on it.

 

[pooch]

I vote for car seat! Used it with DGS @ 2 1/2. Best idea of the trip!

 

[happymommy]

The only time I had one of my children on my lap was an interisland flight in Hawaii, so about 30 minutes. That's as long as I could possibly stand to do so.
For two flights, no way would I have them in my lap. It wouldn't be fun for me or the other passengers around me, LOL.
It is a pain to bring a car seat, but I'd do it! You will be glad you did.

 

[kwdw]

Traveled with a 17 mo as a lap infant for a 2.5 hour flight a couple of times. It was fine. Yes, she was a bit squirmy, but, for us, it was well-worth not purchasing a seat. Now, if cost really is not an issue at all, having a seat for the kid would probably be nice. It also gives you more space - even if the kid ends up on your lap anyway.

While you'll see loads of responses on here suggesting you take a car seat, I'll argue that in my experience - I have seen VERY, VERY few car seats on flights in comparison to the the number of 3 years old and younger travelers I have seen. I can remember seeing ONE - out of probably 100 travelers. And I've seen that CARES thing once. And since I am ALWAYS boarding after all the families on SW flights - this is just my experience.

You really need to ask yourself what you can carry through an airport and your own personal comfort level. I can't IMAGINE having to deal with the car seat, the stroller, the diaper bag, the kid, and other carry-ons in the airport and on the plane. It would be just too much to deal with. If one of you is carrying the kid on the plane - then the other person has to be able to carry the car seat. And what else might you be bringing? Purses? Backpacks? Etc.

Discuss the pros and cons with your mother - since she is the one traveling with you. You need her cooperation regardless - find out how she envisions this working.

 

[pd1138]

We just returned and used the cares harness for our 21 month old. Worked perfect, but she's a pretty easy "go with the flow" baby. She's at the minimum about 23 pounds, but it fit her fine. So easy to pop that bag in our carry on too. Several people around us commented what a wonderful idea and how well it worked for our child.

 

[pooch]

It was my DH and I with DGS. We had 1 carryon and 1 oversized bag doubling as my handbag and the diaper bag. The car seat (and I did purchase a smaller model for the plane as opposed to the "Lazyboy" he used at home) was attached to a rolling cart and we had the carryon stuffed on it too. Purchased EBCI for DH and he got on with the carseat and carry on and installed the carseat as DGS and I waited for family boarding. DGS hopped right up and promptly fell asleep for the entire trip. But a PP is right, I see very few people using car seats on the plane.