Decisions, decisions, decisions! J.L. Childress is Here to Help You Decide Which Car Seat and Stroller To Take on Your Adventure, And How To Keep It Protected

J.L. Childress offers a wide variety of car seat and stroller travel bags…more than anyone else! With our many years of experience helping families decide how best to travel with their little ones and what gear they need to make their adventures as stress-free as possible, we would love to help you make decisions for your family’s next adventure.

Decision #1: What to Bring

Deciding what to bring is either easy or hard…easy if you decide to bring it all, or hard if you’re trying to pack less and consolidate as much as possible. Things to consider: the age of your children, any legal requirements of your destination and your own level of comfortability in having your gear with you, as renting a car seat or stroller is always an option. Most of the time, you will need a car seat for your child no matter where you’re headed unless one is waiting there for you, and you’ll usually want a stroller or at least a stroller frame for your infant car seat at your destination.

Your car seat selection is dictated by the age of your child. Infant car seat, then convertible car seat, then booster seat. The older they get, the less you need (whew!). For infant car seats, the Doona and Evenflo Shyft are making a traveling family’s life easier my combining your needed car seat and stroller into one (though the price tag is a lot to handle). For convertible car seats, there are lighter (i.e. less heavy) options that many families choose to purchase specifically for traveling. As your child gets old enough for a booster seat, there are travel booster seats that are incredibly compact, and even inflatable ones! Whether you use the gear you already have or purchase new items specifically for traveling, the options are endless and you’ll be able to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Assuming you’re starting your adventure with bringing both a car seat and stroller on your travels…head to Decision #2!

Decision #2: How to Travel With It & Decision #3: How to Protect It

There are SO many ways to travel with your gear if you’re taking a flight to your final destination. You can bring it with you onto the plane, gate check it as you board your flight or check it as luggage before going through security. There are pros and cons for each decision, and for each piece of gear. Things to consider: if you purchased a seat for your child or not, the airline’s policies regarding bringing items onboard, gate checked and luggage checked, if you have a connection and will be needing your gear mid-travel, expected weather and your overall comfortability with checking luggage and praying the airlines keep track of it.

Once you decide HOW to travel with your car seat and stroller, the next decision of how to PROTECT it immediately follows.

If you choose to bring your gear with you onto the plane:

[Car Seat] Make sure you have a seat reserved for your child and your car seat is airline approved. We recommend sending one parent onto the plane early so they have time to properly install the car seat before others board the plane. Since you’re bringing your car seat through security and all the way to the plane, you’ll want to get something like a Car Seat Travel Strap, Car Seat Travel Cart of Wheelie Car Seat Travel Bag to easily transport your car seat through the airport.

[Stroller] Most airlines will only allow a stroller on the plane if it’s a compact-fold, single stroller and fits in the overhead compartment. Make sure you don’t already have a carry-on that needs to go in the overhead bins as well, or you might exceed your allocation. Make sure to check your airline’s policies regarding bringing strollers on board as well, as all airlines are different.

If you choose to gate check your gear as you board the plane:

[Car Seat] If you have an infant carrier that’s attached to a stroller or stroller frame, you can use the stroller to transport the car seat through security and the airport, all the way to the airplane gate. If you have a larger, convertible car seat or booster seat, consider a Car Seat Travel Strap or Wheeled Car Seat Travel Bag to easily transport your car seat. Then bring along a Gate Check Bag for Car Seats to properly cover, protect and identify your car seat when you gate check it as wet weather, grease and more can very easily get on your valuable car seat and no one wants that!

[Stroller] Wheel your stroller all the way through security, then right as you board take out your Gate Check Bag for Strollers to properly cover, protect and identify your stroller. We have multiple options for umbrella strollers, single strollers, double strollers and more…as well as multiple colors to choose from and standard & deluxe versions. Keep in mind that you can also use our thicker and fully padded bags for gate checking your gear if you want even more protection, or if you might gate check on one flight and check as luggage on another. As always, make sure to check your airline’s policies regarding gate checked items to ensure your plans will go through without a hitch!

If you choose to check your gear as luggage prior to going through security:

[Car Seat] Most airlines allow you to check your car seat and stroller as luggage for FREE! Check your airline’s policies on their website in advance, as these policies are always changing. If checking your car seat as luggage, we recommend protecting it with a fully padded bag such as our Deluxe Padded Backpack Car Seat Travel Bag or our Spinner Wheelie Deluxe Car Seat Travel Bag. Baggage handlers and conveyer belts can be rough and you’ll want as much protection as possible for your valuable car seat. Since checking your car seat is free, we have in the past recommended to parents to stuff their car seat bag with extra diapers, blankets, outer wear, etc. however airlines have started to crack down on this so stuff at your own risk 😉

[Stroller] Checking a stroller as luggage is a great way to get this this big, bulky item out of your hands as you navigate your travels. We definitely recommend a heavy-duty, durable travel bag like our Single & Double Stroller Travel Bag to properly protect your stroller. For checked car seats and strollers, they might be sent to oversized baggage instead of being returned to you on a conveyer belt with the rest of your luggage, so don’t worry if you don’t initially see your gear. Find where the oversize baggage is delivered, and you should be all set!

Don’t forget! These decisions aren’t “all or nothing.” You can bring your car seat onto the plane and check your stroller as luggage. You can check your car seat as luggage and gate check your stroller. The options are endless! Do your best to think through your travel plans and how your family will travel best, then execute accordingly.

Happy Travels!