Car seat on plane or rent a seat when we arrive?

[Anonymous]

Is it better to fly with your car seat (DD will be 10mos and will be using the Britax Diplomat) or just rent a car at the destination with a car seat. The flight is to Montreal (so an hour and 20 min roughly) and the plane is a small put-put plane so i am not even sure the seat will fit. Has anyone rented a car with a car seat?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I prefer to have my children in car seats on airplanes - it is safer.

[Anonymous]

We've rented cars with carseats with mixed results. The carseats are never as nice as the one you have and may be outdated and/or dirty. Installation can be a nightmare with older models as well so plan on spending a fair amount of time in the rental lot making sure it is properly installed. We now take our own and it makes life easier. If it won't fit on the plane, then check it with your luggage or at the gate and hold your child in your lap.

[Anonymous]

I've heard many mixed results about renting a carseat. A friend reserved one through Hertz in Orlando, and Hertz "ran out". Her husband ended up having to buy one while they all sat at the Hertz office -- total nightmare. I'd bring your own.

[Anonymous]

We always take our carseat. The Britax Roundabout fits even on the two by two planes.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone. We have a Britax diplomat, does anyone know if it will fit on a plane seat (a small plane)?

[Anonymous]

If it is a small plane, I wonder if it will be a tight fit. Maybe you could bring it and check it at the gate if it doesn't fit. They have these gate check bags for strollers and carseats that you could bring along. We've flown both ways. Once, he slept in the carseat. The other times we ended up holding him anyway.