How to Gate Check a Car Seat and Stroller On a Plane

Parenthood comes with a lot of questions, especially when you travel with babies and toddlers. Towards the top of that list of questions you will find “Can I gate check a car seat or stroller on a plane when traveling with baby?” This question may open up more questions you have, but most have a very simple answer: 

1. Can I gate check a car seat on my flight? Yes.
2. How do I gate check a car seat? What are the steps involved? The simple answer- bring your car seat to the gate and ask for a gate check tag for it from the gate agent. A more detailed step-by-step guide is below.
3. Are there any airline restrictions on gate checking car seats? No, although always check with your specific airline just in case.
4. What are the weight and size limits? Most infant car seats and convertible car seats are accepted, but if you have an oversized or heavy one (ex. for older children), you may have to check it with your checked luggage at the ticket counter.
5. Is there a fee to gate check a car seat? No. I have yet to find an airline that charges to gate check a car seat or gate check stroller. You also won’t be charged for checking a car seat in as luggage, as long as you are a ticketed customer.

Gate Check a Car Seat VS Bringing a Car Seat into the Plane

There is a lot of debate over whether you need to install a car seat onto a plane for little kids and babies to sit in or not. Safety-conscious parents debate both sides of this issue for a variety of reasons, but really it’s a personal choice. Either way, you have to bring the car seat and stroller on your trip, so whether you bring it onto the plane or you gate check a car seat and gate check a stroller, you will have it as soon as they land, instead of hoping it arrives with your regular luggage in baggage claim without any sort of significant damage. 

Why You Should Gate Check a Car Seat and Stroller

If you gate check your car seat or check your car seat as a check bag to go under the belly of the plane, your lap baby is free to travel domestically on U.S. flights (in general, you have to pay a percentage of your ticket for any lap babies to fly internationally). Budget-conscious parents and frequent flyers love this option as it means it’s a little cheaper for the entire family to fly. 

Many parents feel this is the best option when traveling with a baby under the age of two, as they can more easily soothe their baby, breastfeed on a plane, and even bottle feed on a plane, without having to unstrap the baby and place him or her back into the car seat. It’s a little bit of convenience, but can be tricky with a second child who is younger as well, but has their own seat. 

As for gate checking a stroller, I always love my sherpa (AKA my travel stroller), which can hold not only the baby, but all of my bags as well. If the infant car seat pops into whatever travel systems you have, then you have an extra set of “hands” to help you wrangle older children on the day of travel, while you push your infant in a stroller that is also holding the diaper bag and car seat. 

If you opt to hold your child as a lap baby (the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States only allows this up to age two- proof of age via a birth certificate may be required for international travel) consider grabbing one of our favorite infant carriers, which are helpful when you need to do some walking in the aisle to rock the baby to sleep, but also getting through the airport with an infant strapped onto you and a toddler in a lightweight stroller (I’ve done that several times… with a car seat on my back in a carrier and also dragging a suitcase behind us).  

Bringing a car seat onto a plane

If you want to buy your baby their own seat with their own boarding pass, you should bring a car seat onto the plane, whether it is for domestic flights or international flights. This is the safest option for babies, as it has a built in child restraint system that will hold small children in place during the flight and turbulence. 

If you start out having your child only fly in a car seat, they will get used to this way of travel. If you start your baby as a lap child and then bring the car seat into your travel routine later, it may confuse your baby since they are used to sitting in your arms while you have a seat belt on and they can wiggle all over you. 

Whether your baby is in a car seat on a plane or a lap child, you can not sit in an exit row. All car seats must be installed on the window seat as well so that the car seat does not stop anyone’s access to the aisle. 

Keep in mind that a car seat does NOT count as one of your two carry-on bags, and you can NOT bring a stroller onto the plane unless it is a little travel stroller, like this one, that can be stowed under your seat or in the overhead bin. Strollers will have to be gate checked or added to your baggage at the check-in counter to be picked up at the end of your flight in baggage claim. 

Can You Gate Check a Booster Seat?

Sometimes. Keep in mind that booster seats generally have to be checked at the ticket counter, but it kind of depends on the crew that day. I’ve seen booster seats gate checked plenty of times. I’ve also had my kids carry their own booster seats onto the plane and stash them under their seat or in the overhead as one of their carry-on items.

The best way to protect your booster seat is to put your booster in a car seat check bag travel bag to protect it from dirt and damage, and make it easier for the baggage handlers to get it on the plane. We always use this one. 

Alternatively, I always have this travel booster seat in my car, which folds up nicely and comes in handy when I pick up friends with little kids who still need child safety seats. It’s great for older children who still need a booster, but you will be traveling by taxi and public transportation for most of your trip. You can easily pop it into your suitcase or carry-on bag to stay safe.

Why not just rent a car seat? 

Despite the heavy weight of a car seat and stroller, I still feel more comfortable traveling with my own car seat and stroller rather than rent when we arrive from a rental car agency or local baby product rental site. 

Only you know what sort of shape your child’s car seat is in, what years of age it can carry your child until, and what child’s safety features you want your car seat to have. If a car seat has been in an accident, you don’t want your baby in there, but the rental car agency might not disclose that the car seat was in an accident. Even if you have to settle for a checked carseat, at least you will have your own. 

Step-By-Step Guide to Gate Checking a Car Seat and Stroller

It’s not that hard to figure out how to check your baby items. However, if you have never done it before, you may not know what to do. Here’s a quick guide to make you look like a pro, whether it is your first time flying with a baby, or you are just bringing baby travel gear with you for the first time. You may know how to gate check carry-on bags, but it’s a little different for baby gear. 

Get a tag for your stroller and car seat

Gate checked strollers and car seats need to get tagged to their final destination. Whether you are flying your infant car seat as checked baggage or bringing your car seat onboard, you need to tell the ticket agent or flight attendants where your car seat will travel. 

Gate checking a car seat or stroller is not as complicated (at most airports in the U.S.) as checking your car seat and stroller, as it is generally just a tag the gate agent hand writes your seat number and flight information onto, along with your final destination.  

How to Attach a Gate Tag

All you have to do is loop the tag onto your car seat and stroller and you are done. Make sure the tag is on a part that can NOT detach so that it stays with your baby gear. If you are using a car seat bag or stroller bag, put your name, phone number and email address on a slip of paper inside of the bag. This way if the gate tag falls off, you can still tell the airline which bag is yours. 

Drop off your stroller and car seat

Your items are now tagged, so once your seat number or group is called, you will walk down the jet way and drop your car seat and/or stroller at the bottom of the jet way by a side door (generally on your right), BEFORE you walk onto the plane. 

NOTE: if you are bringing your car seat on board, just leave your stroller at the bottom of the jetway.

Tips for leaving Baby Gear on the jet way

There is a little door leading to the outside. That is where the loading crew will come through to grab your baby gear and other passengers’ roller board suitcases that couldn’t fit in the overhead.

Do not lean your stroller or car seat against this door. You don’t want it falling down the steps onto the runway. Simply lay your car seat and stroller to the side and they will be picked up.

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How to Pick up your stroller and car seat

Just as you dropped off your stroller and/or car seat at the jet way, so too will you find it there when you disembark your flight.

Wait to the side if you do not see your gate checked car seat and stroller. It may take a few minutes for them to get all of the strollers and car seats up the steps. Bad weather can add to that delay as well. 

If there are two adults traveling together, send one adult up with any other kids and bags to wait for you in the airport, while the other waits on the jet bridge for the carseat and stroller. This way you won’t clog up the disembarking process for other passengers. 

Step Aside while You Wait for Your Gear

Once you have your baby gear, if you want to load your child into the stroller, please do your fellow passengers a favor first. Either step aside so you aren’t blocking the path or wait until you are off the jet bridge to load your baby into the stroller.

What’s the biggest benefit of gate checking a car seat and stroller? 

If you have been holding your infant or baby on a plane the entire flight, you will jump at the opportunity to put your bags in a stroller, and strap your baby into their car seat as you maneuver around the airport towards baggage claim, the rental car desk, or whatever lot you parked your own car in before your trip. 

Trying to juggle it all, along with a baby in your arms who doesn’t quite understand that you need them to stay still so you don’t drop them as you grab a massive suitcase off the luggage conveyor isn’t the best idea. 

So, do yourself a favor and have the big items waiting for you when you first get off the plane, so you can get situated before you add more luggage into the mix. 

International Travel with a Car Seat and Stroller

International flights are when things can get screwy as you check a stroller or car seat.

I once checked my stroller at the gate in Paris, after flying in from Madrid, and I was told that my stroller would be stowed and waiting with our checked bags in baggage claim at our final destination.

Needless to say, the handles came bent at a 90 degree angle they should not have been, and I was not pleased. Thankfully, it was a cheap umbrella stroller, and we had our travel carseat with us. 

Follow Crew Instructions

Some gate agents will take all of the strollers and pile them up by the door and then a crew member will take the pile down ahead of time.

Other agents will ask you to drop it off at the jet way, which can be a bit of a hassle, especially if you get flustered trying to fold up your stroller, but your car seat can already be in the gate checked bag before you even bring it down.

How to Ask Gate Agents for Help in Any Language

When in doubt, ask the gate agent what you should do. Sometimes, you may need to use a little body language to make your case, or Google translate. 

If you don’t speak the native language, and you don’t have Google translate on your phone, here is what you do. 

Simply look at the gate agent, point at your stroller, point at the plane and give the gate agent a shrug. More often than not this simple mime will get your point across and they will know what to do. It worked in Beijing, Paris, Osaka, and plenty of other countries we have traveled with our kids to over the years. 

Sometimes You Have to Check Into Cargo

Do not get frustrated or angry if you are asked to check your items in the cargo hold. Every country has different rules for different reasons. As long as you and your child get on the flight, that is all that matters.

Gate Check Car Seat FAQ

How do I gate check my car seat when traveling by air?

To gate check a car seat, approach the gate agent before boarding, and they will provide you with a tag for the car seat. Keep the seat with you until you board, and then leave it at the gate. I’d recommend getting a car seat bag, like this one, to keep your car seat clean though. 

What’s the advantage of gate checking a car seat over checking it in with luggage?

Gate checking allows you to use the car seat until you board the plane, minimizing the time your child is without it, and reduces the risk of damage compared to checking it with luggage.

Are there specific guidelines or regulations for gate checking a car seat?

In general, most airlines allow gate checking for free, and it’s a convenient option for parents traveling with young children.

Can I gate check any type of car seat?

Most airlines allow gate checking for infant seats, convertible seats, and booster seats.

Is gate checking a car seat safe for the seat and my child?

Airlines handle gate-checked items with care, and the seat is returned to you as you deplane, so it doesn’t have to go through on the luggage cart or passed through multiple hands and conveyor belts to get to you when you pick up your checked bags at baggage claim.

Do I need a special bag for gate checking my car seat?

While it’s not required, using a protective bag for your car seat can help prevent damage from dirt and handling during the gate-check process. I always like to use this one as it frees up my hands to carry kids, luggage, etc. There is also this one that has wheels. It’s a tad more expensive, but worth it to protect your back. 

Can I gate check other baby gear, like strollers, along with the car seat?

Many airlines allow you to gate check strollers and car seats, which makes it easier for parents to wrangle when flying with babies and toddlers. You will still need to get a gate check tag from the gate agent. Most parents just fold up their strollers, but if you want a car seat travel bag to keep it clean, check out this one, which is good for single and double strollers, or this one for an umbrella stroller. 

What should I do if my car seat is damaged during gate checking?

Report any cosmetic or structural damage immediately to the airline staff upon arrival. They will provide guidance on the next steps, which may include compensation or repair of your car seat. You must report damage, take photos of the damage, and file any reports the airline requires.

Above all else, you want to make sure your car seat is safe to install in motor vehicles, whether that is a rental car for your road trip or a taxi from the airport to the city enter. 

Are there weight or size restrictions for gate checking a car seat?

Airlines typically don’t have weight restrictions for gate-checked items, but oversized car seats may need to be checked at the ticket counter with your checked baggage. You would then pick it up in oversized baggage in baggage claim or on the baggage claim carousel.

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