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Travel and outings with kids

FAA-approved car seat

A child car seat labeled as certified for use in both motor vehicles and aircraft, so it can be used in a child's ticketed airplane seat.

What It Means

An FAA-approved car seat is a child restraint certified for use on aircraft as well as in cars. It carries a label reading "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft" in red lettering, or it has been approved by a foreign government and bears that government's label or marking. A child riding in one needs a ticketed seat, and the car seat is installed the way its maker's instructions say.

Try It: Can This Seat Go on the Plane?

Pick what you plan to use for your child on the plane and see what the FAA's rules say about it.

On the plane

Yes, in the child's own ticketed seat

The red wording reads: This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.

Install it facing the way its label says for your child's size. It generally goes by a window, never in an exit row.

How People Say It

  • "Check the car seat's stickers for the red aircraft wording."
  • "Is that seat FAA approved or just for the car?"
  • "We brought the car seat so she has her own spot on the plane."

The Breakdown

What the rule says

To be used on a U.S. airline, a car seat has to be certified for aircraft. Its label reads "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft" in red lettering. A seat approved by a foreign government also qualifies when it carries that government's label or marking. Installation follows the maker's instructions, facing forward or backward as the label says for the child's size.

Who it applies to

Any child riding in a car seat in their own ticketed seat. A lap infantLap infantA child under 2 who flies on an adult's lap without a seat of their own. The FAA allows it but recommends a ticketed seat and an approved car seat. See more has no seat to install one in, so buying the child a ticket is the only way to be sure the car seat can be used on board.

Not allowed during taxi, takeoff and landing

  • Booster seats
  • Backless child seats
  • Baby carriers

During the cruise part of the flight, FAA rules don't ban lap-held devices such as baby carriers and harness vests, but each airline sets its own policy on them.

The CARES harness. The Child Aviation Restraint System is FAA-certified for children who weigh 22 to 44 pounds and are up to 40 inches tall. It works with the airplane's own seat belt.

What to check before you fly

  • The red aircraft label, or a foreign government's approval marking.
  • A ticketed seat for the child.
  • Your airline's seat widths. U.S. airlines flying under the FAA's Part 121 rules must post the narrowest and widest passenger seat in each class on their websites.
  • Where the seat goes. A car seat generally sits by a window, never in an exit row or anywhere it would block the way out.
  • The maker's installation instructions.

If it doesn't fit. When an approved car seat with a ticket doesn't fit the assigned seat, the airline is responsible for placing it in another seat in the same class of service.

Official source. FAA Advisory Circular AC 120-87C, "Use of Child Restraint Systems on Aircraft," and the FAA's child safety pages for travelers, checked September 29, 2026.

Good to Know

The FAA strongly urges keeping a child in an approved car seat or device for the entire flight, because a parent's arms can't hold a child securely in unexpected turbulence. Airline policies on the details differ, so read your airline's car seat page as well before you fly.

FAQ

How do I know if my car seat is FAA approved?

Look on the seat's labels for the words "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft" printed in red. A seat approved by a foreign government counts when it carries that government's label or marking.

Can I use a booster seat on a plane?

The FAA doesn't allow booster seats during taxi, takeoff or landing. Backless child seats and baby carriers fall under the same rule.

What happens if my car seat doesn't fit the airplane seat?

If the car seat is approved and your child has a ticket, the airline has to place it in another seat in the same class. Check the seat widths your airline lists on its website before you fly.

Do It in Buhata

Reminders

Set a Buhata Reminder a week before the flight to check the car seat's red aircraft label and your airline's posted seat widths.

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Related Terms and Categories

  • Lap infant

    A child under 2 who flies on an adult's lap without a seat of their own. The FAA allows it but recommends a ticketed seat and an approved car seat.

  • Flying with a baby

    Air travel with a child under 2, which starts with one choice: a lap infant on an adult's lap, or a ticketed seat with an FAA-approved car seat.

Travel and outings with kids

Sources

Federal Aviation Administration, "Which child restraint systems does FAA approve for use on aircraft?"; Federal Aviation Administration, "Child Safety: Keep Your Little One Safe When You Fly"; Federal Aviation Administration, Advisory Circular AC 120-87C, "Use of Child Restraint Systems on Aircraft"

Last updated .