How do I install chicco keyfit 30 on airplane

Taking my 8 month old on her first flight soon. We have purchased her a seat so she can safely fly in her chicco keyfit 30 car seat. Two questions: do I install her rear facing like in a car? Do I bring the base? We will be using a rental car upon landing and I'd like to have the base for that so can it be used on the plane as well? Thank you! Flying southwest...any tips or tricks to help make things smoother are greatly appreciated.
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You will have to install it without the base on the airplane which is very easy. It needs to be rear facing, check the manual for more detailed instructions, but basically feed the seatbelt over the top of the seat tucked into the notches on the sides and pull it tight.

The safest way to get the base to your destination would be to carry it on and stow it or pack it in a bag.

You could test out installing it without the base and if your comfortable with how tight you can get it installed you can leave the base at home completely.

Do you need the base at your destination? My brother and SIL used my nephew's Keyfit a year ago baseless on the airplane and in San Francisco. I showed my brother how to install it with a lap belt (we had taken the train) and I think I installed it in the rental car. Take your manual and practice beforehand in different cars if you can.

My nephew was almost one at that point so the carrier convenience was rarely used.


If you want to take the base they may make you gate check it (not something I'd want to do) or you can pack it in a suitcase and make sure it's wrapped well. Personally I'd just take the seat.



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When I flew with my daughter in an infant seat, I took the base in a checked bag padded with clothing. At the time, I wasn't comfortable enough with the baseless install to imagine doing it several times a day. However, now that I have more practice, I find it almost as easy as clicking in the seat to the base and I would definitely never go through the hassle of bringing the base again.

I would read your manual carefully and practice the baseless install at home. Then try using only the baseless install for a day. If you can go baseless for a day at home and it's not too difficult, leave that base at home! If you are just not comfortable without the base, then I would pack it carefully in a suitcase padded with clothing. The nice thing about southwest is that I think your checked bags are free? That's a huge bonus when trying to bring extra stuff. Don't forget that if you have bought a seat for her, you get all the benefits (checked bags, carry-ons) of that seat as well as your own.

Oh, and the install on the plane is crazy-easy. Feed the airplane belt through the baseless install belt guides, buckle it, and pull the tail tight. Give it a good shake at the belt path to make sure there isn't any movement of the seat, and you're good to go.

Have a great trip! Flying with an infant in their own bucket seat is the easiest travel you'll ever get to do with kids, so enjoy it! My favorite part was that I could put my purse and diaper bag under the seat in front of her car seat and stretch out my own legs!


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Thank you so much for all of your helpful advice. I tried to install the car seat baseless a few times today and it is not secure at all. Not sure what I'm doing wrong because it seems very straightforward but it's not a good install. I followed the manual directions. Unless I can get a better install I will have to carry the base on. Why can you not install the car seat on the plane using the base? Any tips on baseless install.
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Unregistered said:

Thank you so much for all of your helpful advice. I tried to install the car seat baseless a few times today and it is not secure at all. Not sure what I'm doing wrong because it seems very straightforward but it's not a good install. I followed the manual directions. Unless I can get a better install I will have to carry the base on. Why can you not install the car seat on the plane using the base? Any tips on baseless install.
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You can't buckle the base in with the plane seatbelt and then be able to put the infant seat in and secure. The base may not be even FAA certified like the seat is?

How are you checking to see if the infant seat is secure? You would check for movement at the beltpath only. Of all the infant seats I have used, I found the keyfit to be the easiest to install baseless. I stuck it on the seat, put the belt through the path (lap portion only, not shoulder IIRC, but check the manual), then pushed both kind of down into the seat and toward the seat back as I tightened and locked the seat belt.