How to Choose Travel Car Seats for:
Economy airplane seats(According to Reddit)
Who is this for?
Parents flying on budget or standard airlines with narrow seating.
Unique demands
Standard car seats are often 18-19 inches wide, which will not fit between the armrests of a standard economy seat (typically 16-17 inches). This use case prioritizes width over all other features.
- FAA approval sticker
- Narrow width (under 17 inches)
- Lightweight for carrying through terminals
- Simple seatbelt path for airplane belts
Prioritize
Slim footprint: Must fit between airplane armrests without forcing the child to sit at an awkward angle.
FAA Certification: Required by flight attendants to allow the seat to be used during takeoff and landing.
Deprioritize
Heavy-duty side impact pods: These add width that prevents fitting in narrow 16-17 inch economy seats.
Rotating bases spinning features: These add significant weight and bulk that make carrying through the terminal difficult.
