Travel with a baby brings a lot of questions you never considered before: How many diapers do I pack? Does my diaper bag count in my carry-on allowance? How do I fold up this stroller? Can I check my car seat for free? And the most expensive one: Do I fly with my child in my lap or buy the baby a seat? There are definitely pros and cons of both, and I’m breaking it down for you here. Should you buy an airplane seat for your baby?
Pros of a Lap Child
Flying FREE: Lap children under 2 years old fly FREE in the USA, and at a deep discount internationally. This is amazing, and such a massive savings when everything else is so expensive–$600 for a stroller? Yikes, y’all. If you can travel and not have to pay for your baby’s ticket, that’s amazing.
Built-in comfort for baby: It’s so much easier to comfort a child when they’re already in your arms. You can nurse baby on take-off and landing to fight those pressure changes, or just calm the baby in-flight. Those snuggles in the air are some of my favorite travel memories.
More here: The Best Tips for Flying with a Baby in the USA
Cons of a Lap Child
No extra carry-on allowance: Yes, you can have a diaper bag and enough food for your baby on the plane with you, but you can’t bring on an entire, full-sized carry-on with a lap child. If you want to travel carry-on only, as I prefer to do, you’ll have to fit all your clothes, toiletries, etc., plus the baby’s, into your carry-on and personal item. Baby clothes are small, sure, but they really add up!
Your hands are always full: Having a lap child means you have a child in your lap for the entire flight, whether that’s one hour or 19 hours. This is not so bad if you’re traveling with a spouse, friend, or family member, but if you’re going solo, this is something to really consider. It’s not insurmountable, but it can be overwhelming. It’s easier when you have a tiny baby, but as they grow into an almost-two-year-old, they get harder and harder to wrangle. There’s just not a lot of space to do that wrangling in one, narrow airplane seat.
Keep reading: The Best Tips for Solo Parenting on a Long-haul Flight
Pros of Buying an Airplane Seat for a Baby
You and your baby have your own, separate spaces: This is huge for those moments when you need to dig into your personal item for something. Ever tried to do that with a sleeping baby on your chest? It’s definitely easier to do that while your baby sleeps in their airline-approved car seat in their seat next to you. Also, when baby begins toddlerhood, it’s easier for you if they can get the wiggles out in their own seat, instead of in your lap. Double the seats means double the space to wiggle.
Full-size carry-on allowed: With a purchased seat comes certain privileges, like a carry-on allowance. Those baby clothes are little, but once you put them all in, plus extras for those ill-timed blow outs, they start to take up quite a bit of luggage space. And as babies grow, and their clothes get bigger, the space in your carry-on gets smaller and smaller. When you can bring your baby’s own carry-on, packing suddenly becomes less stressful and requires less strategic packing, which can be overwhelming.
Start earning baby’s airline miles: Why wait until they’re two to sign them up for airline loyalty programs and start earning miles? There is no minimum age to sign up for frequent flier numbers, so if you’re buying a seat, you may as well let your child get rewarded! Depending on how much you travel with them, by the time they’re 18, they could take an around-the world trip on those miles.
Also helpful: Tips for Flying in United Polaris with a Baby
Cons of Buying an Airplane Seat for a Baby
It’s expensive: There is no discount for buying a seat for a baby, sorry! You’ll be paying the full, adult price for your pint-sized traveling companion. Airline prices are dynamic, so you can certainly do your legwork to find a deal, but do you really have time for that with baby in tow? You could use your own miles to buy their seat, but then you’re out those miles, and they are not earning their own miles.
Baby may want to be held the whole time: This could be a problem. You pay for a whole airplane seat that doesn’t get used at all, because your baby only wants to be held. My daughter is a snuggler, so she’s usually pretty good to stay in my lap for most of our flights. Buying an airplane seat has not been the best option for us. You will have to decide what situation your baby will handle best.
Read next: The 10 Best Tips for Single Parents Traveling with a Baby
Want more? Check out my dedicated Travel Tips Page!
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