I have Cosco Easy-Elite All-in-One convertible car seats for both my kids, and I love them. They were each under $100 and are comfortable, durable, and easy to install. They are not heavy or bulky, and they fit beautifully in my sedan. My daughter is 4.5 and has been using hers since she turned 1. I have used other, more expensive car seats in other cars and have not seen the benefit of them, to be honest.
We have traveled from NYC to Australia 3 times with our daughter. First time she was 6 months and we did lap infant. We got the bulkhead seats with a bassinet. It was a lot of work but it wasn’t so bad. The next two times we got her a seat at 1.5 and 2. She still could have been a lap infant at 1.5 but we felt she was too big for the bassinet so we got her a cheap car seat (Cosco) and that worked quite well. She slept most of it and we had a car seat for Australia!
He probably won’t fit in the doona. Infant seats can not rear face, even on a plane. I would bring a cosco seat and use it on the plane. That’s what we did when we took our 18mo to Europe. She did end up being held for sleep but she was in her seat otherwise. Good luck!
We used it rear facing. Easier to keep her from kicking the seat in front. Movies did not hold her attention at that age so we didn’t attempt it. We have since used it forward facing on planes as well.
I’d bring it. I have kids here, and the subway can be hard…no working elevators or filthy ones. Lots of stairs with bad weather and tired kid. Taxis also go super fast from the airport to the city. The car services might have car seats, but there’s no guarantees about their condition, size, installation and availability. I have a cosco for when I take my kids out…it sits (awkwardly) right on my travel stroller.
Clear-as-Day
