Flying with kids

737 Views | 9 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by texagpilot
Rollie2002
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AG
We fly out to Phoenix from Bush with our 4 and 7 year old tomorrow. We haven't flown in some time. How early do I need to get there for a 9 am flight? Anything special I need to bring for kids?
Matsui
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AG
Snacks entertainment headphones
Google United policies to see what you may need to bring for kids boarding and tickets
BEaggie08
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I haven't flown out of Bush in a while, but I'd probably shoot to get there between 7:00 and 7:30. An hour and half is plenty for my family out of SAT.

Bring snacks, iPad, headphones, books, etc. Basically, the same things I bring for myself.

edit: My wife always likes to bring a change of clothes for the kids (including underwear) on the plane, just in case.
DannyDuberstein
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Bring suckers - we'd usually travel with a handful of dumdums when our kids were little. Helps keep any wonky ear pressure changes in check, which they can tend to freak out about and don't understand how to clear.
Rollie2002
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AG
Thanks for the replies. Did you use your child's car seat on the plane or just buckle them in to seat belt?
mpl35
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something for their ears. Kidscan't always equalize the pressure. They make special ear plugs that help. Or a snack they have to chew on can help. Starbursts are good. Make them yawn.
DannyDuberstein
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Only used the car seat when they were toddlers and so small that buckling into a regular seat was still pretty awkward, ie 1-2 years old. Stopped around age 3 or so, if I recall. That said, if you want to use it in your rental car and cant fly your bags for free, bringing it on for them to sit in is a way to get it to/from for free.
BQ2001
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United and Southwest (and I'm sure pretty much all the others) will allow you to check one stroller and one car seat for free per child, no matter how many bags you have, so don't worry about having to pay for that. Just get a car seat backpack to make it easy to get from the car to the ticket counter and then to rental cars. We just got this one from Amazon and it was great this morning dropping my wife off at the airport. Super easy to carry it and push a stroller.

Never taken the car seat on the plane, but if you do it needs to say "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft" or they won't let you take it on. For a stroller, I recommend just getting an umbrella style one and gate check it. Much easier to break them down and put them through the x-ray.
DannyDuberstein
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That's right. I do think most allow it for free. It's been several years since my kids were young enough to be toting car seats and boosters with us on our trips. We bought a similar large, specialized bag for the car seat, and you could fit one of the booster seat bases in it too so that both the kids were covered with one bag. So we typically used that to travel in those years when the kids were big enough not to need it on the plane, but small enough that we needed it for the rental car.
histag10
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Our flights are usually pretty long, and naps are taken during them. Having the carseat is nice for naps. That said, with an older child, it will be a tight squeeze with leg space for them, especially depending on how big their carseat is.

To help with getting around, we used the Britax Car Seat Travel Cart. Worked great, and folds up nicely/easily and fits in overhead bin. I also got a car seat travel tray, since the plane tray wont set down right on their lap with a car seat.
texagpilot
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Not for OP. but just did 2 Southwest trips in last few months with 9 month old. For infants and toddlers, gate check car seat and stroller (for free) with travel bag over them. That way you can use stroller to get thru airport to gate easier. And you also get it as soon as you depart plane. Get to terminal early (1.5 to 2 hrs) and go to full service deck to check baby in, will need copy of birth certificate. Have formula bottle ready for takeoff and landing to help with ear pressure.
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