Can I Take A Booster Seat On An Airplane?

Once you have kids, gone are the days of traveling with just a duffle bag or the clothes on your back. Flying with kids takes a lot of planning, prepping, and packing! When your kids are older, you luckily don’t need to worry about formula and diapers, but you still have to make plans for their booster seat. Renting booster seats is unsafe, checking your booster seat can seriously damage it, and going without a booster is not an option. So, how do you properly take a booster seat on a plane?

That’s what we’re discussing today! But, if you want all that essential family air travel info in one place, check out our Safe in the Sky resource. You can get 7 of our best tips for free and then grab your travel guide for:

Booster seat how-tos
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Basically, it includes everything you need for flying with kids! But let’s get into our topic of the day. Here’s what you need to know about booster seats and airplanes:

Can I Take A Booster Seat On An Airplane?

Flying is never simple—add kids to the equation, and things get even more complicated. To make things as smooth as possible (and ensure safe airplane travel), it’s best to be as prepared as possible. That’s why we’re discussing how to take a booster seat on the plane. That way, it’ll be one less unknown as you arrive at the airport!

Are Booster Seats Required On Airplanes?

No. In fact, booster seats are prohibited on planes. This is beacuse boosters require lap and shoulder belts. But since planes typically don’t have shoulder belts, boosters cannot be used on a flight. Although a few first class cabins may have lap and shoulder belts, these are still not approved for use with boosters.

If your child still uses a car seat and it has aircraft approval, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends bringing and installing it on the airplane seat. Since a rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint system has its own harness and the seat belts are only used for installation, a car seat on a plane makes your child substantially safer!

But, the airplane seat belts are sufficient to keep older children safe during the flight. However, that doesn't mean you should leave your booster seat at home. You'll need it once you reach your destination. If it's a backelss booster, it should fit in the overhead bin. If you need a high back booster, there are some that can fold and may fit in the overhead bin as well.

How To Take A Booster Seat On An Airplane

Step 1: Measure your booster seat.

Before you even book your flight, take a moment to measure your booster seat. Knowing its dimensions will help you determine whether it fits in the overhead bin or if it’s time to add a travel-friendly booster to your shopping list.

Step 2: Research the airline’s carry-on and personal item size.

Once you've booked your flight (preferably a window seat, and never an exit row when traveling with kids), check the airline’s size limits for carry-on and personal items. If your booster seat is smaller than either of those dimensions, it should fit in the overhead bin without any issues.

Step 3: Decide if you need a travel booster seat.

If your booster seat is too big for the overhead bin or you’d prefer a lightweight and dedicated option for flight, you’ll need a travel booster seat. You can use our Car Seat Finder Tool to find the best seat for your child!

Step 4: Be strategic about packing with one less bag.

Yes, airlines do allow you to store a child’s booster seat in the overhead bin. However, keep in mind it counts as one of your carry-on items (unless it’s small enough to qualify as a personal item, in which case it counts as that instead). Either way, plan your family’s packing carefully because you’ll have one less bag’s worth of space.

Step 5: Take advantage of family boarding.

Once you’re at the gate and ready to board, don’t hesitate to take advantage of family boarding. Even if you’re not installing a car seat, getting kids settled and organizing your bags (and booster seats!) takes time. Boarding early gives you the extra minutes you need to get everyone situated stress-free.

Step 6: Store the booster seat in the overhead bin.

Once you're on board, place your booster seat in the overhead bin. If it's a foldable model, be sure to fold it before boarding to make storage quicker and easier.

Best Booster Seats for Travel

If you’re ready to buy a booster seat for travel, we’ve got recs! These boosters are great for a lot of reasons depending on your preferences. There are inflatable boosters, foldable boosters, narrow-fit boosters, and even booster alternatives. If you browse everything and you’re still not sure what you need, book a one time car seat consult!

Store your booster seat in the overhead bin to get it to your destination safely!

It’s so important to travel as safely as possible, whether in a car, bus, train, or plane! But, bring your booster seat along so your child can ride safely when you arrive at your destination!

If you want all the best expert advice for traveling with kids, don’t forget to take our Safe in the Sky airplane travel course! It’ll cover everything from airport safety tips and packing lists to gear recommendations and airline policy breakdowns, all in one place! It’s the #1 resource for stress-free travel with the whole family. Enroll today and take the guesswork out of flying with kids so you can focus on making memories, not managing meltdowns.

Want to dive into even more airplane travel info? Check out these posts:

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Michelle Pratt

Founder of Safe in the Seat

Airplane Travel

Booster Seats