car seat -> airport -> airplane

Hi all,
 
We are thinking about flying this year. It would be 6 hours fly. DH wants to use rental car seat and i'm not so into it. However the logistic of dragging the car seats thru the airport is a concern.
How do you handle the car seats at the airport and some carry-on? Ours are almost 4 (by june).
What type of carry-on luggage/bag do you have for them?
 
Thanks much for the feedbacks always!
 
 

 

What kind of carseats are you talking about?  Like full sized convertible ones?  We just checked them and used CARES harnesses on the flight.  Now a-days, we would probably just buy new ones since my two are in the cheap car seat range now. 

 

I second the CARES harnesses and checking in the carseats.  Look at the Age 5-11 section for our story about rental car carseats.
 
At 3-4 yrs, they had their own backpacks with toys, books, snacks, jackets etc and I had extras in my backpack and rolling carry-on.  From about 5 onward I put them in charge of one or both rolling carry-ons plus their own backpacks.  They like the responsibility.

 

If we bring the carseats, I'm thinking to bring the Graco carseats (not convertible ones).
 
One of the travel websites talked about checked in carseat damaged the carseat. hence the hesitation with check in. Some suggested about checked in the carseat at the gate to reduce the check-in damage. If we check in the carseats at the gate, we still have to drag them thru the airport.
 
Bex: about buying  new ones at the destination, that is a good idea. I'd like to get new one than rental too, But how can we get them to leave the airport (we don't have anyone picking us up.) 
 
Thanks much for the feedbacks Bex and Tarcoulis!

 

You many have already made your decision by now. But buybuybaby and babyrus has rolling carseats. They don't look took expensive. they are for the bigger kids that are your kids size. I don't know the brand but they look pretty cool.

 

Thank Kim ! I still havenot decided yet. Definitely will go to those places to check those rolling car seats out.

 

I checked mine with no problems. And then took my at the time 2 and a half year old twins on a 14 hr flight to our new home in japan. I didn't use harnesses either. Good luck on the flight! I had both kids puking on me at landing.