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I'm planning to fly domestically in the US with my 3-year-old son. Airlines strongly suggest to take a car seat on board and to let the kid sit there. I like the idea, especially since we will take a car on at the final destination, so we need to bring a car seat with us anyway.

My question is: it actually possible to fit a car seat into standard economy class seat in the aircraft? I measured our car seat; it is about 19.5" wide, and most car seats (except of those for newborns/infants) are approximately that wide. At the same time, seat width in economy class is only about 17-18" wide. (for example, on United). Is bringing a car seat with us realistic at all? Does anyone have any experience?

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    I saw a lot of people gate-checking car seats, but I have never seen anyone actually using one in flights. Are you sure?
    – littleadv
    Commented Sep 25 at 6:26
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    That's what I thought @littleadv but the FAA does have a page recommending the use of car seats on planes faa.gov/travelers/fly_children. It does specify that the seats have to be suitable for use on planes though, so maybe not all are
    – matt freake
    Commented Sep 25 at 6:59
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    We usually took at least 1 infant car seat on the plane with twins--I think they're narrower though. They were in the air when they turned 3 on a flight from LAX to Dubai (and then to Joburg). We didn't take any seats with us, but they were tall for their age. We borrowed car seats from family in ZA. Southwest has a pretty good write-up.
    – mkennedy
    Commented Sep 25 at 15:55
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    Would it be possible they meant a very simple booster seat without a back rest. For an example, see this image commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44144942. I've seen people carrying those.
    – corvus_192
    Commented Sep 25 at 17:46
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    @littleadv: Chiming in because I used one (full seat for a 14 month old, not just a booster). The airlines I've used them with had clear indications of what seats they would accept, both sizewise and in terms of safety features. We were stopped to confirm that the seat complied with the terms, but then we used it on the plane. Not every car seat will fit, but a lot of them do (we bought one for the specific purpose since he was growing out of his old one anyway)
    – Flater
    Commented Sep 26 at 6:32

3 Answers 3

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I personally have brought a Cosco Scenera Next on Southwest flights. Did it when bringing my little one on a work-related trip in fall 2023, and intend to do it again for Thanksgiving this year.

Flight attendants told me I had to put it at a window seat so it wouldn't hinder anyone else in the event of an evacuation, but otherwise nobody gave me any trouble for it. I used it rear-facing with my 2-year-old last year, but we'll see whether the same kid is as tolerant of it this time around.

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    Here's the one photo I have of this setup, in a 737 (because it's Southwest—I forget what model), rear-facing, with a starboard ground spoiler visible out the window: media.justinmyers.net/2024/0825/car_seat_2023.jpg
    – myersjustinc
    Commented Sep 25 at 20:06
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    I've flown with a Britax Advocate Clicktight on Delta flights with no issue. Again, car seats have to go in the window seat as said in the answer, but it worked great.
    – Tristan
    Commented Sep 26 at 16:00
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We’ve taken our 2½-year-old son on six flights so far, all domestic flights within the US, all coach, and used his car seat for each one. Fitting the car seat has never been a problem. The FAA recommends using an approved car seat for all children.

The car seat does have to be approved for aircraft; it seems to me that a lot are but you’ll want to check. We’ve only done it with our quite-young child; car seats for older children (which are more like booster seats) probably don’t work (and probably aren’t FAA approved anyway).

You are required to use the window seat for the car seat (since, if it was between someone and the aisle, it would trap that person). You also may not be able to fit the car seat in a rear-facing position—ours fit rear-facing on JetBlue, but not on Delta, where we used it forward-facing.

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Short answer: Yes.

Longer answer: Yes, but there are models that are specifically made to fit into plane seats and clip into the seat using the seat belt and sometimes a seat belt extender. For this reason the seats must have an independent harness to hold the child (as most seats do) and can not be used in "booster" configuration as this usually requires a shoulder belt and doesn't have the independent harness.

Your car seat must show that it has met the approval standards for use on an airplane, this must be indicated by a tag/label that says:

This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft,

which means that the model has undergone testing to meet the required standard. The FAA has standards for this, and airlines also accept similar standards from places outside the USA.

You can find more information about the standards, what sort of conditions apply and similar details in this advisory PDF from the FAA.

Some salient points about approved devices from linked document:

Section 10.C: CRS Restrictions. No aircraft operator may permit a child to occupy a booster-type, vest-type, harness-type, or lap-held CRS during takeoff, landing, and movement on the surface, except when the CRS has been approved by the FAA through a TC, STC, TSO, under § 21.305(d) (2010 ed.), or under § 21.8(d). Booster-type, vest-type, and harness-type CRSs approved by the FAA through a TC, STC, TSO, under § 21.305(d) (2010 ed.), or under § 21.8(d), may be used during all phases of flight.

Section 10.F.1: A CRS with a base that is too wide to fit properly in a seat with rigid armrests can be moved to a seat with moveable armrests that can be raised to accommodate the CRS in the same class of service.

Section 11: 11. SEAT DIMENSION DISCLOSURE. Consistent with the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, § 121.311(k) requires air carriers conducting part 121 operations to make available on their Web sites the width of the narrowest and the widest passenger seats in each class of service for each airplane used in passenger-carrying operations. This rule facilitates the use of a CRS onboard an airplane and provides greater information to assist a caregiver to determine whether a particular CRS will fit in an airplane seat.

Section 13 (summary of points):

• The CRS should have a solid back and seat,

• The CRS should have internal restraint straps installed to securely hold the child in the CRS, and

• The CRS must have a label showing approval for aviation use.

Personally I've flown on many international and domestic flights with children in a child seat from Diono (IIRC, one of the Radian models) and never had a problem with use on the plane in any configurations (forward/rear facing) nor any problems checking in, at the gate, etc. The Diono one was also folding which meant much less hassle getting it onto the plane and while moving/waiting around the departure/arrival areas. Good for giving them a familiar environment to nap in while waiting around too. The main downside was that at a certain age the seat enables them to reach the screen, so be prepared for lots of turning that on and off on-board.

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    This is a great amount of detail—thanks for providing it! I'll also flag that all of section 10(f) is especially helpful reading; not only does it say a car seat can be moved to another seat, but it says the airline must allow you to do so if there's a suitable seat available in the child's ticketed class of service.
    – myersjustinc
    Commented Sep 26 at 21:50

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