Using a Car Seat on an Aircraft
6 min readSources checked
Airline and government rules change. Check your airline's current rules before you travel.
Quick answer
A car seat that is legal in a car is not automatically accepted on an aircraft. Check the certification label, the manufacturer's aircraft instructions, the width of the seat and the operating airline's policy before you travel.
The child needs their own ticketed seat to use a car seat on board, and the restraint has to be approved for aircraft use, appropriate for the child's size, and installed in the direction the manufacturer states. Most of the difficulty is in the label and the belt path, and both are easier to settle at home than in a boarding queue.
Scope: Choosing, verifying and installing an approved child restraint on Canadian and United States flights. Airline and aircraft restrictions still apply, and this guide does not tell you which restraint to buy.
Part of: Flying with a Baby, Flying with Kids
What changes by airline
- Whether the airline accepts this exact restraint on this aircraft
- Which seats and rows the restraint may be installed in
- Whether the row has an inflatable seatbelt or an unusual layout
- How wide the aircraft seat is at the armrests
Official rules: Canada
Canada: check the label first
On a Canadian aircraft, Transport Canada accepts several certification standards. A Canadian restraint normally carries the National Safety Mark and the applicable CMVSS standard. Some Canadian seats carry a separate label stating that they are not certified for aircraft, and that warning overrides the general mark.
A seat made to United States standards must carry the required wording showing that it conforms to federal motor-vehicle standards and is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft. European, Australian and New Zealand restraints need the specific aircraft qualification labels Transport Canada describes. A familiar-looking approval mark is not by itself enough.
Photograph the label before the trip and keep the instruction manual offline. Worth knowing: a worn or unreadable label can create an argument at boarding that a product webpage will not necessarily settle.
Official rules: Canada and the United States
Canada and the United States: what is not an aircraft restraint
Booster seats rely on a shoulder belt, which an ordinary aircraft passenger seat does not have. Transport Canada and the FAA do not approve ordinary boosters as child restraints for taxi, takeoff and landing.
Baby carriers worn on an adult's body are carrying devices, not approved aircraft restraints.
The CARES harness is a separate aviation child restraint accepted under specified labels and size conditions. The FAA describes the approved CARES device for children able to sit upright in their own seat, up to 40 inches tall and weighing 22 to 44 pounds. Counterfeit harnesses exist, so check the exact approval label rather than relying on an online listing.
Official rules: United States
Confirm the aircraft seat
Ask the airline where the restraint may be installed. Transport Canada recommends a window seat so the device does not block another passenger's route to the aisle. It must not be in an exit row or create an obstruction, and some premium seats, inflatable seatbelts or unusual cabin layouts cannot accept a particular restraint.
Measure the car seat at its widest fixed point. A narrow aircraft seat can make a large restraint difficult to install even when the product is approved.
On a flight covered by United States rules, the FAA says that if a ticketed, approved restraint does not fit in one location, the airline is responsible for accommodating it in another seat in the same class of service. The airline may still choose the safe location.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
Install it correctly
Follow the restraint manufacturer's aircraft instructions. Use the aircraft lap belt through the approved belt path, and install the seat rear-facing or forward-facing according to the child's size and the product label.
On Canadian aircraft, Transport Canada says a top tether used in a car is not authorized for aircraft installation and should be secured out of the way. Do not improvise with a luggage strap, an extension or a belt path the manufacturer did not approve.
Ask for a seatbelt extender only if the airline and the car-seat instructions permit it. In many installations the aircraft buckle can end up behind the child's back or against the shell. Learning the belt path at home is easier than solving it while other passengers wait in the aisle.
Once installed, keep the restraint secured for the flight. The child should be properly restrained whenever the seatbelt sign is on, and during any other period the crew directs.
Official rules: Canada and the United States
Canada and the United States: car seat or lap infant
Canadian and United States rules permit many children under two to travel on an adult's lap, subject to airline and itinerary rules. Both Transport Canada and the FAA recommend an approved child restraint in a separate seat, because it provides better protection during turbulence and in an emergency.
That makes this a safety choice as well as a fare choice. Before buying, confirm that the airline accepts the exact restraint and that the child's ticket is entered correctly.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
If you check the car seat instead
Inspect it at arrival for cracks, missing parts or damage. A protective bag keeps the pieces together, and it does not prove the seat avoided an impact. Follow the manufacturer's advice if the seat is damaged or was involved in a significant handling event.
Do not arrive with a car seat for onboard use and no backup plan if the certification label is missing. The airline cannot accept a passenger's verbal assurance in place of a required approval.
General advice: applies wherever you fly
Checklist
Checklist
- Confirm the restraint has an accepted and readable aircraft label
- Read the manufacturer's aircraft installation instructions
- Buy a separate seat for the child
- Check the airline and operating aircraft restrictions
- Measure the restraint at its widest point
- Request a permitted seating location, usually by the window
- Practise the lap-belt installation at home
- Secure the top tether as instructed for aircraft use
- Keep the manual and the label photograph offline
- Inspect the restraint after any checked-baggage journey
General advice: applies wherever you fly
Next step
Find and photograph the restraint's aircraft certification label before choosing the flight or the seat.
Official sources
Rules and amounts change. Before you rely on anything marked as an official rule, check the source. These are the official pages we used.
- Advisory Circular AC 605-003: Child Restraint Systems and Other Seating Devices · Transport Canada
- Resuming Travel with Your Family Soon · Transport Canada
- Kids Corner · Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- Families · Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA)
Next step
Flying with a BabyRelated guides
- Flying with Kids: An Age-by-Age GuideIdeas that can help at each age, from infants to teens, plus Canada's family seating rules, the U.S. DOT seating dashboard and the AAP's advice on ears and car seats.
- Travelling Abroad with a Child: The Consent LetterWhen a child travelling without one or both parents should carry a consent letter, who signs it, what to include, and how to avoid delays at the border.
- One Adult Flying with Two Young ChildrenThe Canadian rule that decides whether one adult can fly with two infants, how to confirm the seat plan before paying, and how to manage the airport with one free hand.
- How to Choose the Right Seat for Your Travel SituationAisle, window, bulkhead or exit row: how to choose an airplane seat based on who you're flying with, and the U.S. rules that limit some choices.