So those with kids.....how have you handled the airport situation? We're flying to Orlando (I found super cheap flights...$288 total for 3 of us). And we're renting a car. Doesn't look like a need to use the car seat on the plane (my son's just over 40lbs), but he will need his car seat for the rental car. Do you guys check the car seat? Carry it on? Gate check it? Or just rent one and not deal with the hassle? I see online a lot of people don't check the car seat at the front desk because of the risk of damage or the risk of it not showing up. I'm thinking I'll gate check it, but I've never gate checked anything before. Do you pick it up right after you get off the plane? Or does it show up at the baggage carousel? I'm entering into a new world here...

 

We just bought a travel bag for the car seat and just checked it at the counter since it's free of charge. We rarely travel with connections so I've never been worried about them losing it and the bag seems to protect it from any real damage. Plus it has straps like a backpack and wheels so it isn't too difficult to carry.

 

 

So those with kids.....how have you handled the airport situation? We're flying to Orlando (I found super cheap flights...$288 total for 3 of us). And we're renting a car. Doesn't look like a need to use the car seat on the plane (my son's just over 40lbs), but he will need his car seat for the rental car. Do you guys check the car seat? Carry it on? Gate check it? Or just rent one and not deal with the hassle? I see online a lot of people don't check the car seat at the front desk because of the risk of damage or the risk of it not showing up. I'm thinking I'll gate check it, but I've never gate checked anything before. Do you pick it up right after you get off the plane? Or does it show up at the baggage carousel? I'm entering into a new world here...

If the kid is young enough that they are stroller age, I recommend buying a Go Go Baby car seat roller. It is a set of small wheels attached to a plate and luggage-like handle, that you strap to the car seat, essentially turning it into a stroller. When you get to security, just lower the telescoping handle and throw it on the conveyer just like a roller bag. Then gate check it. The kid can roll around in it, or you can roll it like luggage.

 

Got a four flight to SoCal tomorrow with a 3 year old and a 3 month old. That should be exciting.

 

And it's barely gonna be in the 60s all week, I was expecting pool weather.

To anyone that wants to travel internationally I really recommend checking flights the next six months. It's $450 r/t to Brazil right now, $700 to China. My friend got very cheap tickets to iceland.

 

We are doing a 2 week trip around Asia in March, starting in Tokyo, then Beijing > Shanghai > Hanoi/Halong Bay > Hong Kong.

 

Very excited and consuming everything possible on it right now. I imagine I'll eat 5 weeks worth of food in those 2 weeks.

So those with kids.....how have you handled the airport situation? We're flying to Orlando (I found super cheap flights...$288 total for 3 of us). And we're renting a car. Doesn't look like a need to use the car seat on the plane (my son's just over 40lbs), but he will need his car seat for the rental car. Do you guys check the car seat? Carry it on? Gate check it? Or just rent one and not deal with the hassle? I see online a lot of people don't check the car seat at the front desk because of the risk of damage or the risk of it not showing up. I'm thinking I'll gate check it, but I've never gate checked anything before. Do you pick it up right after you get off the plane? Or does it show up at the baggage carousel? I'm entering into a new world here...

If it's going to be a short term rental (http://kidsflysafe.com/

Got a four flight to SoCal tomorrow with a 3 year old and a 3 month old. That should be exciting.

 

And it's barely gonna be in the 60s all week, I was expecting pool weather.

High of 80 or so today in OC. Just switch locations from the desert to the coast.

High of 80 or so today in OC. Just switch locations from the desert to the coast.

 

I will run that idea by the in-laws.

 

Actually flying into San Diego instead of SNA this time, managed to find an incredibly cheap flight into there for some reason.

I will run that idea by the in-laws.

 

Actually flying into San Diego instead of SNA this time, managed to find an incredibly cheap flight into there for some reason.

I haven't looked at like a 3 day forecast, I'm a day-to-day kind of guy with the weather, but its basically cold (by CA terms) at night (40-50's) and been mid 70's to low 80's for the past week or so.

To anyone that wants to travel internationally I really recommend checking flights the next six months. It's $450 r/t to Brazil right now, $700 to China. My friend got very cheap tickets to iceland.

 

We are doing a 2 week trip around Asia in March, starting in Tokyo, then Beijing > Shanghai > Hanoi/Halong Bay > Hong Kong.

 

Very excited and consuming everything possible on it right now. I imagine I'll eat 5 weeks worth of food in those 2 weeks.

 

Interesting. I just looked into London in March with a couple day stopover in Iceland and it's about $700. Not bad at all.

Interesting. I just looked into London in March with a couple day stopover in Iceland and it's about $700. Not bad at all.

 

Where are you guys looking for cheap airfare?

I haven't looked at like a 3 day forecast, I'm a day-to-day kind of guy with the weather, but its basically cold (by CA terms) at night (40-50's) and been mid 70's to low 80's for the past week or so.

 

It's been like that for a while in the desert too but I think it changes right on Wednesday when we show up. Either way 60s is better than snow on the ground so whatever.

 

Where are you guys looking for cheap airfare?

 

I use Kayak but Sky Scanner is a good place to look too.

Also, subscribe to travelzoo. 51 weeks out of the year itis not applicable then 1 week it aligns perfectly.

 

But also we've just been using the regular kayak/bing flights etc and its just been pretty cheap in general.

Interesting. I just looked into London in March with a couple day stopover in Iceland and it's about $700. Not bad at all.

 

oh man, i loved london and scotland... when i retired i took my family up there for 3 1/2 weeks. what a great time. i think it was better than rome. but be prepared on what london folks thinks of a good meal, esp for breakfast.

 

btw, i hated paris.

 

Iceland.... ummm that would be interesting.

Flying Southwest for the first time on New Years Eve. We booked the "Wanna Get Away" ticket because it was the cheapest, anyone have experience with that?

Flying Southwest for the first time on New Years Eve. We booked the "Wanna Get Away" ticket because it was the cheapest, anyone have experience with that?

Its the same as any other ticket.

Flying Southwest for the first time on New Years Eve. We booked the "Wanna Get Away" ticket because it was the cheapest, anyone have experience with that?

 

All the time. I rarely have a complaint with Southwest. Be sure to check in 24 hours ahead of each flight. If you're in the B group for loading you'll get good seat. Anything in C and you're probably getting a middle seat.

Flying Southwest for the first time on New Years Eve. We booked the "Wanna Get Away" ticket because it was the cheapest, anyone have experience with that?

 

Buy the early bird feature. It's worth it. otherwise, try to check-in 24 hrs before as soon as it hits. Southwest is tremendous at being on time and fast and comfortable. But if you are a C you will not sit together and you'll be in the middle.

Flying Southwest for the first time on New Years Eve. We booked the "Wanna Get Away" ticket because it was the cheapest, anyone have experience with that?

 

Check in online exactly 24 hours before the flight to get the best possible boarding number. You board in number order and then seats are first come first serve.

Buy the early bird feature. It's worth it. otherwise, try to check-in 24 hrs before as soon as it hits. Southwest is tremendous at being on time and fast and comfortable. But if you are a C you will not sit together and you'll be in the middle.

 

Multiple windows all refreshing once you're withing about 30 seconds of the 24 hour check-in window!

 

If you do get early bird, don't play the silly game of just getting it for one person and then having that person save a bunch of seats. If it's just two of you though, nobody is going to care if you're "saving" a middle seat.

 

I fly Southwest all the time for work. Like DA said, the "Wanna Get Away" ticket is basically the same as the "Anytime," just without the refundable part. When it comes to the actual flight, they're identical.

Wow, thanks guys! It is only two of us and we are flying into Dulles airport with a layover in Chicago. Will we have to check in twice or will the first boarding number/group be the same for the 2nd flight out of Chicago? I would hope we can get 2 seats together but sounds like it will be a toss up. When people check in right at the 24 hour mark is it likely you will get group B?

Wow, thanks guys! It is only two of us and we are flying into Dulles airport with a layover in Chicago. Will we have to check in twice or will the first boarding number/group be the same for the 2nd flight out of Chicago? I would hope we can get 2 seats together but sounds like it will be a toss up. When people check in right at the 24 hour mark is it likely you will get group B?

 

You'll be checked into both flights at the same time, so I think you'd actually get a leg up on people that are only taking the Chicago flight. You'll get two different board numbers/groups when you check in.

 

If you're right at the 24 mark, you'll probably be in the B's, maybe even the A's if you're really lucky and there aren't a lot of A-List and Early Birds on the flight. Since it's just the two of you, as long as you check in at 24 hours, you should be able to grab some seats together.

Wow, thanks guys! It is only two of us and we are flying into Dulles airport with a layover in Chicago. Will we have to check in twice or will the first boarding number/group be the same for the 2nd flight out of Chicago? I would hope we can get 2 seats together but sounds like it will be a toss up. When people check in right at the 24 hour mark is it likely you will get group B?

 

It depends. Earlybird is very popular now, I usually do not get B on a full flight if I check in right away.

 

Also, if your plane is the same one flying from chicago, you would likely stay on the plane, so you could re-adjust seats then to sit next to each other.

It depends. Earlybird is very popular now, I usually do not get B on a full flight if I check in right away.

 

Also, if your plane is the same one flying from chicago, you would likely stay on the plane, so you could re-adjust seats then to sit next to each other.

 

We have a 2 hour delay between flights. We are leaving from St. Louis so I am not sure how full those flights get from STL to Chicago

Ah, yeah. Not sure how that works but checking into one auto-checks you into the other.