Traveling with Toddler--rent a Car Seat or Bring Our Own?

i guess I am the only one, but one less piece of luggage is always better for us!

we rent the carseats and have never had any issues with them!

AVIS will charge you $12-15 dollars a day--you can buy a perfectly good Cosco seat from Wal-Mart for $50-60. I have looked into rentals and was told that they are replaced on a regular basis and steam cleaned along with the upholstery. However, you do have to sign a liability waiver. Make sure you inspect the seat before installing it.

As for the plane, you have three choices.

1) Check it. Most airlines allow at least one "exception" piece of luggage per ticket without extra charge. Buy a zippered canvas bag or double wrap and tape it in heavy duty plastic bags.

2) Gate check it. You'll drop it off right as you board and pick it up when you get off. Gate checked luggage is (generally) handled a little more delicately than the general baggage.

3) Have him use it on the plane--this is NOT required and most flight attendants cringe when they see you coming down the aisle with it. He will have to have his own ticket--the limit is 2 years or 40 lbs for a lap rider. However, I discovered that the belt buckle can end up right in the middle of my daughter's back when it was properly tightened. She threw an unholy fit until I figured out that I had harnessed her down tight against that buckle.

It is also tight for the person next to the seat. It has to be placed in the middle or window. If it is in the middle, someone from your party has to take the window seat...you can't block someone else's egress in time of emergency.

I've been travelling with my daughter since she was 8 weeks old. There was only a short period of time when her seat was actually useful. I find that she is much more cooperative sitting with a belt "like a grown-up". It isn't like a shoulder belt in a car...the belt CAN be adjusted to fit them as intended.

Air travel is still many times safer than travel by car. If the plane goes down, do you really want to be trying to get that harness undone? The regular belt is adequate to hold them in place for normal turbulence that you may encounter.

With a baby, it was one thing to board early. With a toddler...I am the LAST one on the plane. You can end up sitting there for 30 minutes or more before take -off. If your seats are all together and pre-assigned there is no reason to board early...there is plenty of space under the seats for your carry-on. The plane isn't leaving until the last person gets on...do you want to be waiting for them while your toddler is screaming his head off because he wants out of his seat?

I would bring one from home. You can check them at the curb when you get to the airport. They are required to check them free. I have never had a problem with it.
The one time I did rent car seats, it was $20/seat per day. If cost isn't an issue, then maybe that would be an option for you. The car seat that is provided is just a regular, generic car seat.

Added: You are in no way REQUIRED to have your child in a car seat on the plane. You can do it if you want, but I have always found it way easier to just sit them in their own seats.

I always bring my own. I have an FDA-approved carseat, but if yours is not approved, you can still check it at the gate for no cost. I know mine is clean and safe and I understand how to install it properly. For future flights, I also have a Gogo Kidz that makes traveling with a carseat much easier. Good luck.

I always brought my seat... It is like stroller check in, that way you know what you are getting when you get to your destination .... Safe travels!

you can check the car seat without having to pay or carry it on the plane so I would bring it.

I'm traveling in 2 weeks and went through the same thing about renting a car seat. The car seat rental would of been $25 and with coupons I currently have I can get a Evenflo Tribute for around $40, so I decided to get the Evenflo and that will be our travel car seat. I have a Britax that is too big to travel with and I'm afraid it will get broken, but with the Evenflo, I'm not so worried. Most airlines let you check the car seat for free or you can use it in the plane seat. What I like about getting the new car seat is I know that no one else has used it and the condition that it will be in. The Tribute is regular $60 and I think I would pay the $60 if I didn't have coupons. We are also going to need to rent a car for a week at Christmas time and we know that it will cost close to $100, so it's more cost-efficient to get our own.

My advice would be to bring your own seat for two reasons:

1) Your son is used to sitting in a seat and will do better on the plane if he's in his carseat than belted in like an adult (since you have to get him his own seat now anyway).

2) The carseats at rental car companies are used and generally bottom of the line. I'm sure they're safe enough, but who wants "safe enough" for their kid? The last user may have had the harness adjusted at a different height than your lo needs, so you'll have that hassle when you get there. Also, other kids may have thrown up, peed etc in the seat and those smells may linger.

If you bring the carseat on the plane, you install it in LO's seat just like in a car (but it has to be the window seat), then buckle him in as usual. You can board during family boarding and have some time to get settled.

HTH
T.

We always brought our own, but this last time we drug the booster seat through the airport only to find out it is not FAA approved so we couldn't use it. I never looked into renting one because we always wanted the seat for use on the plane. I have seen them at the rental car facilities and think next time we may try it.

Updated

We always brought our own, but this last time we drug the booster seat through the airport only to find out it is not FAA approved so we couldn't use it. I never looked into renting one because we always wanted the seat for use on the plane. I have seen them at the rental car facilities and think next time we may try it.

We had a very similar situation, but our child was still a baby. You should bring your own, that's what we did. You are also required to have your toddler in a car seat on a plane and that will be another rental if you don't bring your own. Check your airline's guidelines and requirements when it comes to bringing your own car seat on the plane. If you are able to have your child on your lap, you can check in the car seat free of charge. I don't have much faith in car rental companies. God Forbid, but who is to say the car seat they give you hasn't been in a wreck before? Cleanliness isn't #1 priority for car rental companies either... it's usually a quick wipe down, vacuum and car wash. Another plus is you know how your car seat works (so you know your child will be safe) and your child is already accustomed to it.

I always take my own car seat...I feel safer knowing that my son is familiar with the seat and just knowing it's not just any ol' car seat from the car rental carrier.

Since we belong to AAA, we got a free car seat on our last trip. It looked new and it was fine.

I have done both and would opt to bring my own for any future trips. I learned that the airlines may ship the car seat for free, same with strollers and other baby items. Just ask them first. As for the rental, it was the dirtiest bucket I have ever seen. It was late at night and they told me that is all they had. My kid didn't even sit up in it. I put her in it and she about folded in half. Absolutely nothing I would ever purchase for my child. Bring your own!!!

I would bring my own car seat and have it checked at the gate. I rented a car seat when traveling to Hawaii with my 3 year old. The car seat was so dirty and yucking that I didn't even want to put my daughter in. I had to place a towel on the seat before placing my daughter in it. At that time, I wish I brought my own car seat.

I watched a special on the today show about GERMS and let me tell you after the tests they did on car seat rentals I would NEVER put my child in a rented carseat.

I just got done taking a trip from Ca to Va and I took my son's car seat on the plane. If you are already buying a seat for your child then I would suggest taking it with you. Also once at the gate you have the option of checking it at the gate so that it is right there once you are off the plane.

Good Luck!