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Flying with baby

crystalaky518
Explorer C

Hello,

 

Is anyone able to tell me what the process is of traveling with a stroller and carseat. This is the first time I am traveling with my 10 month old and I'm so clueless of what it's like to travel with a baby. She will be sitting on my lap on the flight and I'm not sure if I can travel up to boarding process with her carseat and stroller or if that is something that needs to go down with the luggages? I did not see anything about that on the website. Your help is truly appreciated.

 

Thank You in Advance

4 REPLIES 4

Re: Flying with baby

SWDigits
Aviator A
@crystalaky518 the info on strollers and car seats is in a really weird location on the web site, it's on the "Carryon Baggage Policy" page, found here: https://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/baggage/carryon-bags-pol.html

This is the applicable content from the page:

Customers traveling with children will be allowed to check one stroller and one Child Restraint System (CRS) or car seat per child without charge. This is in addition to the regular free baggage allowance.

The stroller and CRS or car seat allowance applies to any type of stroller (umbrella, full size, jogging stroller, etc.) and CRS or car seat.

The Customer may check the stroller and CRS or car seat at the curb, ticket counter, or gate. Southwest Airlines will not assume liability for damage to strollers, CRS’s or car seats.

An optional Southwest-branded reusable car seat/stroller bag is available for purchase at any Southwest Airlines ticket counter for a $17 onetime fee. Bag dimensions are 42”X20.5X12.5”.

Customer | Home airport DCA

Re: Flying with baby

elijahbrantley
Aviator A

@SWDigits provided all the official SW info!  Out of personal experience, I would add....  

 

SW makes travelling with kids pretty easy!  Just this week, we had our first trip as a family of four.  We had traveling as a family of three down pat, and adding one more was honestly not that bad.

 

We checked both car seats and one suitecase at check in. You def want to get a bag for your car seat, and you can find them on Amazon for pretty cheap, and I find you can get better quality there than with SW's bag.  I would recommend checking the car seat at check in simply because it is less to carry.

 

We gate checked our (very large) double stroller.  You will have to get a gate check tag on it, so be sure to stop by and get one from the gate agent before boarding.  You will leave the stroller at the end of the jet bridge and collect it when you get off the plane on the jet bridge.  I recommend gate checking the stroller simply because (in my opinion) there is less chance for it to be damaged going thru all the baggage system, and it is nice to have it as you go thru the airport.

 

Since the child is a lap child under two, be sure to bring a copy of his/her birth certificate, you can board either in your normal boarding position (if you are in the A group) or during family boarding (after the A group before B starts boarding).

 

Good luck!

-A List, Companion Pass holder

Re: Flying with baby

crystalaky518
Explorer C

@elijahbrantleyThank you so much for sharing your experience with me. That information is going to be very helpful! Now I do not feel as stressed/nervous as I was feeling about traveling with my 10 month old.

Re: Flying with baby

elijahbrantley
Aviator A

@crystalaky518 Happy to help! It’ll be a breeze!

-A List, Companion Pass holder