How to take toddler to airport without car seat

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got a lightweight not too expensive car seat for traveling. Then I got this thing on wheels that the car seat straps in. Put kid in that and wheeled him thru the airport like luggage. And my luggage in the other hand. Did this dozens of times

Which one?

[Anonymous]

I bought an inflatable type car seat that collapses in to a bag for this purpose. But Uber w/carseat is another option if you just need it once and not for return trips as well (because the cost of the extra car seat will equal the uber costs).

[Anonymous]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Cosco-Scenera-NEXT-Convertible-Car-Seat-Otto/41126739?selected=true

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ride safer travel vest, if they are big enough.

https://ridesafertravelvest.com

This is what we used. It's worth the cost, as you'll encounter this problem again and again -- a situation where a car seat is needed but inconvenient to carry around or unavailable. My older DC used it and then my younger DC used it all the way until they were out of boosters.

[Anonymous]

Options:

1) Install carseat in the uber/cab for the ride to the airport. When you get to the airport, use Skycap and check the carseat (car seats check for free). That way, you don't have to deal with the car seat in the airport at all with the exception of getting it from baggage claim to your family's car, at which point your family can help.

2) Have a friend drive you.

3) Drive your own car to airport and pay for parking.

Now that my kid is older, we use the Ride Safer Vest for occasional Uber rides. (Look it up on Amazon.) I love it, but it's recommended for age 3 and up and over 30 lbs -- so would only work for your kiddo if they are over that weight limit and really good about sitting up straight and staying still in car.

I'm not comfortable at all with a 2 year old not being in a car seat for the ride to the airport, but it's NBD if you don't take a car seat on the plane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are some of y’all so freaking rude?! OP has never travelled before with her kid, maybe she has no idea what to do, or what’s the “norm?”

OP, I’ve done Uber that came with a car seat before, it was very convenient (I also did not want the hassle of bringing a heavy car seat especially because I was traveling alone with the kid aka no extra hands, and used a cares harness for the plane- much easier). Have a backup plan in case the reservation doesn’t work out.

Because a toddler on your lap for any length of time, let alone 10-15 minutes, is not the norm in 2021.

Maybe she’s a FTM. Maybe she just doesn’t know. She’s reaching out for advice. Chill.

I agree people can be nicer (and I was polite in my comments) but I understand the urgency. I have been in a car accident with a child. It was a freak accident due to tires hitting an oil slick on the road at a weird angle and forcing a spin, we weren't even going very fast, but the car was totaled (wound up upside down in a ditch). Our child was in a car seat and was fine, but it was one of the most upsetting things that happened to me as a young parent. Something I couldn't stop thinking about for months after was that in the month before it happened, our kid kept figuring out how to get one arm out from under one of the harness straps. We kept adjusting and checking the tightness of the straps, but kid was a little Houdini. I literally stayed up at night thinking what would have happened if this had happened the day of the accident, for almost a year.

Point is: I think a lot of people are responding out of fear and concern. When I read the OP, I immediately thought of this accident and I cringed. Glad she is getting good advice here, but this is why people seem harsh. I want her kid to be safe! I'm sure she does too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Drive to the airport, park in long term parking. Done. Never ever ride without a seat. If anything, you should bring a seat on the plane as much safer for child to be in their car seat.

You really need to buckle up your child in a car seat on the plane. That's what the FFA recommends. The reason? The kid if thrown from the plane during a crash has a chance of surviving because they are in the protective shell. I've always taken the car seats with us. Also, in Europe I've sometimes been actually strapped to my toddler. This is in case the plane goes down over water (or on land but debris is spread about) and helps identify mother and child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got a lightweight not too expensive car seat for traveling. Then I got this thing on wheels that the car seat straps in. Put kid in that and wheeled him thru the airport like luggage. And my luggage in the other hand. Did this dozens of times

Which one?

The gogo babyz! Love it!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just freaking drive yourself to the airport.

+1
When I picked up DH from airport (work travel) about a month ago IAD still had much reduced prices on the attached garages (that you can walk to the terminal from) because their long term was closed.

How long are you going to be gone? If its only a few days it will be probably cheaper than 2 ubers to just go and park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drive to the airport, park in long term parking. Done. Never ever ride without a seat. If anything, you should bring a seat on the plane as much safer for child to be in their car seat.

You really need to buckle up your child in a car seat on the plane. That's what the FFA recommends. The reason? The kid if thrown from the plane during a crash has a chance of surviving because they are in the protective shell. I've always taken the car seats with us. Also, in Europe I've sometimes been actually strapped to my toddler. This is in case the plane goes down over water (or on land but debris is spread about) and helps identify mother and child.

Plane crashes and water landings are VERY rare. Turbulence that sends kids flying about is not.

[Anonymous]

If you order an uber or lyft, ask for a booster at least. So many of them keep them in the trunk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drive to the airport, park in long term parking. Done. Never ever ride without a seat. If anything, you should bring a seat on the plane as much safer for child to be in their car seat.

You really need to buckle up your child in a car seat on the plane. That's what the FFA recommends. The reason? The kid if thrown from the plane during a crash has a chance of surviving because they are in the protective shell. I've always taken the car seats with us. Also, in Europe I've sometimes been actually strapped to my toddler. This is in case the plane goes down over water (or on land but debris is spread about) and helps identify mother and child.

Plane crashes and water landings are VERY rare. Turbulence that sends kids flying about is not.

Whatever - the point is that the chid should be restrained in a car seat.

[Anonymous]

Parking in the garages right now at Dulles is 10.00 a day. Easy walk to the terminal.

[Anonymous]

You order an Uber with a car seat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You order an Uber with a car seat.

Not OP - I checked Uber and it states that it's an option that only available in NYC. I am missing something? How to you make the special request?