The short answer is yes: you can take car seats on planes, either as hand luggage to use onboard or as checked baggage in the hold. Most UK-based airlines will allow you to do this for free, as it is classed as an essential travel item.
Whether you are flying with a newborn or a toddler, your choice will depend on the flight length and whether you will need the car seat again once you land.
In this guide, we are going to cover whether you can take a car seat on a plane for both infants and toddlers, how to check if your car seat will fit a plane seat, and how to fit it.
Can You Take a Car Seat on a Plane?
Airlines like British Airways let you bring your car seat and store it in the hold free of charge if you book a child seat in advance.
A secure seat keeps your child safe during take-off, landing, and any turbulence. Children often settle down and sleep better somewhere that is familiar.
Can You Take an Infant Car Seat on a Plane?
For very young babies, it’s worth thinking carefully before committing to a full flight car seat. It is recommended that an infant spend no more than about 2 hours in a car seat at a time, and no more than 30 minutes for babies under 4 weeks old. This is because an upright position can affect their breathing, and lying flat is the best position for travel.
Babies under 2 years old don’t require their own car seat and can travel while being held by an adult. Parents will often skip the seat at this stage and use a bassinet or carrycot, supplied by the airline, instead. These are often limited and need to be booked in advance; reserving one when you book is often the best course of action.
Can You Take a Toddler Car Seat on a Plane?
Toddlers are generally better suited than babies to sitting in a seat for an extended period of time. A familiar car seat can help to settle a toddler for a nap while reducing the wriggling and kicking that can come with toddlers in unfamiliar spaces.
That said, unlike travelling in a car, there is no legal requirement to use a car seat on a plane once the child is old enough for their own seat. CAA safety guidance suggests that a child under the age of two be secured on a parent's lap or in a suitable seat. From age two, children can sit in a standard seat, so many parents will simply choose to check a car seat into the hold.
Some airlines have their own restrictions too, such as not allowing rear-facing seats. It is worth checking airline policies before booking a seat.
Will Your Car Seat Fit in an Aeroplane Seat?
Before committing to bringing a seat on board, you should check the width of the airline’s economy seats, as there can be a lot of variation depending on the airline, from 17 inches with KLM to 19 inches with United Airlines. If your seat is wider than the aircraft seat allows, or if it doesn’t have the right approval, you may be asked to check it into the hold instead, and you won’t be able to use it during the flight.
Generally speaking, a car seat should be designed for a lap belt, have its own harness, fit within the dimensions of the plane seat, and stay secured to the seat over the whole flight.
It is worth noting that car seats should be positioned in a window seat, or in the centre seat, in a row of three, so they don’t block evacuation routes in the event of an emergency.
How to Fit Your Seat in an Aeroplane Seat
When you are happy your seat fits, installing it is fairly straightforward. For a forward-facing seat, you recline the aeroplane seat slightly, thread the plane's belt through the seat's guides, then buckle it in, pulling tightly before raising the seat upright. A rear-facing seat is fitted the same way but facing the aeroplane seat's back.
Even once a car seat isn’t strictly needed on the plane itself, many families still bring one along for the destination. A lightweight travel booster like the Welldon Cocoon Travel 2 is a great choice for fitting into a hire car once you arrive.
If you are travelling with a stroller, many airlines will let you use it up to the boarding gate before taking it to the hold for you; many will return it to you at the aircraft's door so you don’t have to wait at the baggage carousel.
With some airlines, like TUI, if your stroller is small and light enough, 10kg or less, you may be able to bring it into the cabin as a large piece of hand luggage.
Like the Hauck Fold N Care Pushchair, which weighs just 7.6kg and is designed to fold away for cabin storage.
Ready to Fly?
Flying with a car seat is simple once you know the rules: check the airline's specifications, check your seat's dimensions against the airline's, and decide whether your child is better off on your lap, in a bassinet, or in their own seat.
With a little planning, you can take the stress out of travel and just enjoy the journey.
Browse The Tiny Toddlers' range of travel car seats and strollers.
