Flying With a Baby (2026): Car Seats and FAA Rules

Booking a flight with a baby or toddler raises four questions: whether your child needs a seat, which car seats are allowed on board, where they go and what happens at security. Light car seats, bags and strollers for the trip follow.

How we chose: every pick is sold by Amazon.com; we chose them from their listings and did not test them.

The rules in one table

Lap child or own seat

The FAA's advisory circular on child restraint systems (AC 120-87C) says that during takeoff, landing and movement on the surface, "a child under the age of two may be held in an adult's lap."

Allowed isn't safest. The FAA's child safety flyer for parents says: "The safest place on an airplane for children under 2 years is in an approved child car seat or device based on the child's weight." It suggests buying your child a ticket so you can use one.

The AAP's holiday travel tips add that although airlines allow children under 2 on an adult's lap, a young child held that way can get hurt during turbulence.

Key point: if you buy the child a ticket, the airline can't refuse an approved car seat. AC 120-87C says no aircraft operator may prohibit a child from using an approved child restraint when the parent or guardian buys a seat for the child, and if the seat doesn't fit the assigned seat, the airline must accommodate it in another seat in the same class of service.

The label that makes a car seat FAA-approved

The FAA says to look for the required label: "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft." Find it on your seat before you book, not at the gate.

The FAA flyer also says baby carriers, booster seats and backless child restraints are not allowed during ground movement, takeoff or landing. AC 120-87C explains why: in FAA testing, booster seats could expose a child to abdominal injury from the seat back breaking over and an adult seated behind.

In our convertible car seats guide, Chicco says the Fit360 is FAA certified for aircraft use, and the UPPAbaby Rove's listing says the same. Both are big seats built for daily car use; a lighter seat is easier to carry through an airport.

Two light car seats for flying

The Graco Contender Slim is the one pick here whose listing says it is "certified for aircraft use." It rear-faces from 5 to 40 lb and forward-faces with a harness from 26.5 to 65 lb, per Graco, and the listing gives its weight as 16 lb.

The Safety 1st Ellaris is lighter, at 12 lb per the listing. Its listing calls it "airplane ready" but doesn't quote the FAA label wording, so check the label on the seat you receive before relying on it for a flight. It rear-faces from 5 to 40 lb and forward-faces from 30 to 65 lb, per Safety 1st.

Measure the seat's width against your airline's seats. AC 120-87C says airlines operating under part 121 must publish the width of their narrowest and widest passenger seats in each class of service on their websites, so you can work out whether a child restraint will fit.

The FAA flyer points to NHTSA's advice that children remain rear-facing until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer, and says to follow the manufacturer's instructions for securing the seat in an airplane seat. The NHTSA car seat guide explains the stages by age and size.

The CARES harness for toddlers

From 22 lb there's an alternative to carrying a car seat on board. The FAA flyer says: "AmSafe's CARES device is FAA-certified for children who are up to 40 inches tall and who weigh between 22 and 44 pounds." It is a harness with a strap that goes around the airplane seat back, per AC 120-87C, so there's far less to carry.

Check what you're buying. AC 120-87C says vest- and harness-type devices that attach the child to the parent, the parent's restraint system or the aircraft seatbelt are prohibited during ground movement, takeoff and landing unless the FAA has approved them, and that the AmSafe CARES device (Part No. 4082) is the only device that may bear a label showing FAA approval under 14 CFR § 21.8.

We haven't listed a CARES product because we couldn't confirm that the Amazon seller is the maker; buy one from AmSafe and check for that label.

CARES is for the plane only; you'll still need a car seat at your destination.

Where the car seat goes on the plane

The FAA flyer says car seats generally must be installed in a window seat, cannot be placed in an exit row, and must not block an escape path in an emergency. It also says to check with your airline before the flight that your family is seated together and your car seat is suitable for air travel.

AC 120-87C also says some airplane seats have inflatable seat belts, and a seat belt extender must always be used with a car seat installed in one. Ask the flight attendant if you're unsure.

Getting the seat through the airport

TSA's page on traveling with children says strollers, baby carriers, car and booster seats and backpacks must be screened by X-ray. Equipment that doesn't fit through the machine gets a visual and physical inspection by TSA officers.

If the seat won't fly in the cabin with you, gate-check it or check it with your bags. The J.L. Childress Gate Check Travel Bag is a thin cover that keeps a seat clean at the gate and folds into a diaper bag, with an AirTag pocket.

The J.L. Childress Padded Backpack Car Seat Travel Bag, Ultimate adds padding and backpack straps so you can carry the seat hands-free; J.L. Childress says to measure your seat and confirm it fits before you order.

A checked seat is handled out of your sight. If one arrives damaged, read the manufacturer's manual before using it. A seat you use on board stays with you the whole way.

A stroller for the terminal

Both come from our travel strollers guide:

• gb Pockit Air: 10.4 lb, per the listing, and gb says it's carry-on compliant. It seats a child from about 6 months to 5 years, up to 55 lb.
• Graco Ready2Jet: 13.2 lb, per the listing, with a one-hand automatic fold that stands on its own.

Whether a stroller goes in the overhead bin depends on the airline, aircraft and crew. Our stroller fold size and weight chart lists folded sizes where the brands publish them.

Formula, breast milk and ears

The TSA says formula, breast milk and juice in quantities over 3.4 oz are allowed in carry-on bags. Tell the officer at the start of screening that you're carrying them, and take them out of your carry-on for separate screening. Ice packs, freezer packs, gel packs and liquid-filled teethers are allowed in carry-ons too.

For takeoff and landing, the AAP's holiday travel tips say giving your child a bottle or cup to sip on may help, especially during takeoff.

For winter trips, the same page says children in car seats "should wear thin layers topped with a blanket over the harness," because "too much fluff under the harness can create slack." The AAP's winter car seat tips explain why: "In a car crash, fluffy padding in a coat immediately flattens out from the force, leaving extra space under the harness." Take off the puffy coat before you buckle up.

A certified Child Passenger Safety Technician can check your car seat installation at home; NHTSA has a free car seat inspection finder. If you're buying travel gear for the holidays, our Black Friday baby gear guide covers timing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a CARES harness instead of a car seat?

Yes, for a child up to 40 inches tall who weighs 22 to 44 pounds, the range the FAA gives for AmSafe's CARES. Other harnesses that attach a child to the aircraft seatbelt are prohibited unless the FAA has approved them.

Can the airline refuse my car seat?

Not if you bought the child a seat and the car seat is approved. AC 120-87C says operators may not prohibit an approved child restraint when a seat is purchased, and must find another seat in the same class if it doesn't fit.

How much formula or breast milk can I take through TSA?

More than 3.4 oz, in a carry-on. The TSA says to tell the officer at the start of screening and remove the items for separate screening; ice packs, gel packs and liquid-filled teethers are allowed too.

This guide is not medical advice.