Stroller gate check

[travelmum42]

Hi, I’m flying with two kids, couple months and a toddler. We have the uppababy vista, would potentially have the car seat for the baby and the bigger seat for my oldest. I want the stroller past security and plan to gate check. However, we have travel bags for everything. So it would be gate checking a toddler seat in the uppababy travel bag, the stroller frame in the travel bag, and the car seat in the travel bag. upppababy will replace anything damaged while traveling, hence the importance of their travel bags. Stupidly so (or IMO at least), their stroller bag doesn’t work for the seats that work with the stroller so it has to be three bags. Can I gate check three stroller/seat bags? Thanks! 

[DancingDavidE]

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@travelmum42 wrote:

Hi, I’m flying with two kids, couple months and a toddler. We have the uppababy vista, would potentially have the car seat for the baby and the bigger seat for my oldest. I want the stroller past security and plan to gate check. However, we have travel bags for everything. So it would be gate checking a toddler seat in the uppababy travel bag, the stroller frame in the travel bag, and the car seat in the travel bag. upppababy will replace anything damaged while traveling, hence the importance of their travel bags. Stupidly so (or IMO at least), their stroller bag doesn’t work for the seats that work with the stroller so it has to be three bags. Can I gate check three stroller/seat bags? Thanks! 

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Yes, two items per kid. That's normal to have a stroller bag and a car seat bag per child.

I have also checked a graco pack and play although we did that curbside, didn't need it in the airport although the language may be updated now to say one stroller and one child restraint device. 

If the toddler doesn't need their items in the airport you can curbside or ticket counter check their seat and only gate check the stroller and baby seat which then you can get at the arrival gate for use getting out of that airport. The toddler seat will show up at regular baggage claim, probably in the oversize section though and not on the main carousel. (But if you've been through this before with the toddler it will be familiar.)

Plus if the toddler is ticketed that child gets two free checked items as well, which could be additional baby items if not using up the allowance with regular luggage, or if you don't have two items yourself.

[travelmum42]

I see I wasn’t clear/provide all the details. I will counter check one car seat (oldest), luggage, and lotus crib. I want to gate check the stroller and one car seat (baby). It just breaks down into 3 pieces. Then we would have three carry ons as well. I’m not worried about the counter checked or the carry ons as we are within limits. It’s just if the stroller becoming three pieces is a problem. 

[DancingDavidE]

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@travelmum42 wrote:

I see I wasn’t clear/provide all the details. I will counter check one car seat (oldest), luggage, and lotus crib. I want to gate check the stroller and one car seat (baby). It just breaks down into 3 pieces. Then we would have three carry ons as well. I’m not worried about the counter checked or the carry ons as we are within limits. It’s just if the stroller becoming three pieces is a problem. 

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Definitely clear if the lotus crib gets counter checked as a luggage item. Then your luggage totals four pieces. Then you would still have three remaining baby gear items after checking the toddler car seat.

No one will worry about it when they see you with three items and two kids at the gate. 

If you did have four luggage items, the crib and the toddler car seat, and then also the three pieces of baby stroller and car seat you'd have to explain that the two items together are one stroller, and that each kid is allowed a stroller and a car seat.

I think you'll be fine.

Remember to go to the gate counter and get a gate checking slip for each bag before boarding time is scheduled so you are ready to line up and drop that item in the jet bridge.

Last thought in a worst case - if the uppa bags are small, you can put both pieces of the stroller inside of a Southwest blue bag safely packed inside of their own uppa containers. 

Southwest Stroller Bag (swathestore.com)