🚗 Child car seat

A car seat does not go through the security checkpoint as a carry-on item in the normal sense. In the US and Canada, an FAA-approved car seat can be brought into the cabin if you have purchased a separate seat for your child, in which case it will be screened at the checkpoint. If you are gate-checking it, airline staff will collect it at the gate before boarding and it will be returned there on arrival.

In most other regions, car seats are treated as checked baggage only and are not approved for use in the aircraft cabin. The US and Canada explicitly permit FAA-approved seats for in-cabin use when a ticket has been purchased for the child, but this policy does not extend to most other aviation authorities. If you are flying internationally on a non-US or non-Canadian carrier, check whether the airline accepts in-cabin car seats before you travel.

For in-cabin use on a US or Canadian flight, the car seat must have an FAA approval label visible on the shell, and you must have purchased a seat for the child. Gate agents will verify the label before allowing the seat in the cabin. If the seat does not have the label or the child is sitting on your lap, the seat will need to be gate-checked.

Place the seat in a dedicated travel bag designed for car seats, which provides protection against dirt, scuffing, and some impact during baggage handling. Gate-checking is generally gentler than standard checked baggage since the item is loaded last and unloaded first. Label the bag with your name and contact details, and document the seat's condition with photos before handing it over.