When did you stop using a car seat on the plane?

[TeamSy]

Do you still use a car seat on the plane if they’re within the age limit, or was there a point you stopped?

We travel often, and since day 1 we always got a seat for our daughter and put her in a car seat on the plane. It just made her a better traveler and she’d sleep most of the time and give us a hands free flight. Now at 2 1/2 she’s becoming more stubborn on these longer flights and not wanting to stay strapped into her car seat. We’re dealing with the same issues in the car. We’re pretty good at distracting her by now, but with places like Disney World when we don’t utilize transportation other than magical express (I know we’re terrible and don’t use the car seat on ME), it seems like a waste to lug it along. But I’m also not sure she’d really sit on a regular plane seat with an “adult” seatbelt, and if we hit turbulence she could technically get hurt. Ugh.

How do you air travel with your toddlers?

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

You can’t use car seats on ME, so don’t feel bad about that. We have never used a car seat on the plane. Lap baby or in their own seat with the seat belt. Just did it yesterday with my 26 month old and he was fine. He’s a tornado of energy, but I armed myself with a sippy cup, snacks, and his iPad. He fell asleep watching his iPad, I lifted the armrest and he slept with the belt on leaning against me for almost the whole flight. Going down we were delayed and he made it 4 hours on the plane without issue. Just be prepared with drinks, snacks, toys and technology.

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

We stopped once we switched from the infant seat to the larger convertible car seat. We had brought the convertible car seat with us onto the plane and it was too big to even install. We also don’t use car seats on DME (I’m pretty sure they don’t allow them on the bus).

 

[MooseBucks]

2 or 2.5 by then their bones are fairly mature and we felt comfortable but they still rear face in the car till 4

 

[MooseBucks]

We also talk about seat belt safety A LOT my reckless no fear 5yo makes sure seat belts are worn by all passengers

 

[PrincesCJM]

I think it depends on the child. We used a carseat with DS#1 was nearly 3 years old but not when he was nearly 6. He understood appropriate behavior since he had been riding a school bus for almost a year. We used a carseat with DS#2 when he was 16 months and will later this week (he's 2.5 now). There is no way that he would sit still for the flight nor would he leave the seatbelt alone

 

[tcufrog]

We used the CARES harness on planes when our kids were that size. It's FAA certified for kids between 22 and 44 pounds, less than 40 inches tall and who are capable of sitting upright alone in a forward facing position.

 

[sam_gordon]

We’re dealing with the same issues in the car.

I think this is the key. We've used car seats on planes when the kids were ~3. But we didn't have problems with them in the car. If they have problems staying in their seat in the car, I'd assume you have the same problems on a plane. If you only use Disney transportation (including DME), a car seat isn't needed once you get to Florida. But I'm guessing even if you don't have a car seat, you're going to have a hard time keeping the child in their seat.

 

[Dis703]

I switched to a CARES harness around age 3-4.

 

[DVC-Don]

Stopped using car seats on a plane at about 2 1/2.

 

[OHVolunteer]

You can stop using a carseat on the airplane when your toddler reaches 40 lbs that's the weight that the airplane seat belt fits the child (according to Car seats for the Littles). We used a Cosco Finale for our 2.5 year old on the plane in February down to disney (we put her forward facing on the plane - at home she is still rearfacing), we chose not to take a seat for our 4.5 year old since she was 41 pounds. The finale was great, because it was lightweight (and cheap), we just strapped it with a luggage strap to our roller carry on and rolled it through the airport. You could also look into a CARES harness.

 

[bumbershoot]

OP even if you use a carseat, if she’s unbuckling herself she will get hurt if there’s severe turbulence.

We didnt have many flights with a car seat. I intended to, but then our SW flight was cancelled last minute and we were shunted to a half full plane, and I just couldn’t deal with carryons and kid and britax seat and installing it. So I gate-checked it. He was a late 2 or early 3, I think? He was SO mature about it. Cinched the heck out of the lap belt lol.

If she can be reasoned with, she needs to know that unbuckling herself from either car seat or lap belt (before the seatbelt light is off, of course, but she doesn’t need to know the exact particulars) might cause your family to be taken off the plane and for the vacation to be missed.

You can stop using a carseat on the airplane when your toddler reaches 40 lbs that's the weight that the airplane seat belt fits the child (according to Car seats for the Littles).

You’re never required to use a car seat on the plane. Given that many people won’t have an FAA approved car seat, that’s an impossible requirement. The lap belt can be tightened even for a small kid too old to be a lap baby.

 

[wendlle]

we never used one and have been flying with our kids since they were born.
For older kids you can get a harness that is FAA approved, Cares safety harness is great it's FAA approved and is safer than the normal seatbelt for kids.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

We used the CARES harness on planes when our kids were that size. It's FAA certified for kids between 22 and 44 pounds, less than 40 inches tall and who are capable of sitting upright alone in a forward facing position.

I second the CARES recommendation. We switched from car seat to CARES as soon as they were big enough for CARES.

 

[pixiedustedme]

It's going to be easier on the plane if you've really laid the law down on this in the car, so she knows that during travel, she always has to stay strapped in. No ifs, ands or buts, and that no amount of whining or tantruming will change that. If she unbuckles herself in the car, she needs to get an immediate consequence that would be meaningful to her, plus the car has to pull over asap so she can be rebuckled in before the ride can continue, etc. Safety is something to be strict about.

But before it gets to that point, you might prefer to use positive reinforcement via a reward system. Talk to her in advance (on her level, of course), about the importance of safety, and how she has the chance to earn rewards for being a safe traveler. She can earn a small reward each time she has a car ride & is safe (gets & stays strapped in without incident). The keys to this working are that the reward must be something she values and that you can immediately give her after the ride, and that you absolutely must not bend & give her the reward when she was not a safe traveler. She has to earn it.

Once she gets into the habit of accepting always being strapped in during car rides, the flight should not be so hard in terms of her staying strapped in. An extra special reward for safe flying should be available for the end of each flight segment.

 

[NotUrsula]

We stopped when the kids hit about 48 inches, because that was the point when their legs became painfully wedged between the edge of the carseat and the tray table of the seat in front.

 

[sweetpeama]

I had one who went through the I don't want to be buckled in so I am removing my harness phase. We would pull over and there would be a talking to with the child sat back in the seat told you will stay buckled before going on our way. Yes I had law enforcement come behind me on the interstate with all that happened was my child being told to listen to your parents and you have to have your seat buckled, the officer made the child get in the seat and made sure it was buckled.
Surprisingly after that it got through that it was not just mom and to some extent dad being mean and making them but there was someone else saying you have to be in your car seat and buckled. Thank you to the person form 3-7-77 who was there that day.

 

[Figment Mom]

My son is small. At age 4 he is still under both 40 lbs and 40 inches.

We travel overseas each year. Two flights with the longest being about 7 hours. In the infant seat he was fine. Last year at age 3 I got a cheap lightweight convertible.

On the overnight 7 hour flight he would NOT sleep in it. He cried and cried, which is not like him at all. I ended up having to hold him (which I knew was not the safest option but it was the only way I could get him to stop crying).

It was the longest night of my life because I was so squished and uncomfortable with that empty car seat next to me. The entire night I regretted not gate checking it.

Part of the issue was likely that it was not his regular seat and he was uncomfortable.

I 100% will gate check that seat next time!

If I was taking him to WDW I would not bring a carseat at all. We stay onsite and only use Disney transportation.

 

[Disneypro1]

Nene used one.