Lap Infant, Car seat or Bassinett: Which Should You Choose in 2025?
Trying to choose between a bassinet, car seat or baby carrier?
If you’re wondering which is the best option for flying with a baby, then you’re in the right place.
I’ve taken dozens of flights with babies under 2, and have experience with both, carrying them on my lap and keeping them in a car seat.
Children under the age of 2 are permitted to travel for free, as long as they’re a ‘lap infant.’
I’m going to help you decide which option is best for you:
- having your child under 2 years old on your lap for the duration the flight
- booking a bassinet (has weight and age limits which vary by airline)
- putting your child in a car seat, as airlines recommend
A lot of factors will go into this decision; your finances, personal preferences and comfort level.
So, let’s jump in!
Baby in Your Lap – Yay or Nay?
I’ve taken over 10 flights with babies under 2 years old, and all of them but one my kids rode in my lap.
I didn’t find out until my youngest was 2 years old that the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) “strongly discourages” the practice of flying with a baby in your lap.
They recommend you pay for an additional seat regardless of their age, and that your baby sits in an FAA-approved car seat for the duration of the flight.
We’ll get into FAA-approved car seats later.
For now, the takeaway is that while keeping your baby on your lap is affordable, it’s not technically the ‘recommended’ advice by the aviation industry. (I’ve still done it – and you’re not a bad parent if you choose to have a lamp infant) but it’s worth it to keep in mind.
Ultimately, the decision is yours whether you want to keep your baby on your lap, and there are many pros and cons of each option.
Here are your pros and cons of having a lamp infant.
Baby in Lap – Pros and Cons
Pros
✅ It can save so much money. Depending on how many flights you take when your child is under 2, we could be talking thousands of dollars
✅ Many babies and toddlers prefer their parent’s laps anyway. Some parents are thankful that they don’t pay for an extra seat that their child isn’t going to be using
Cons
❌ It’s tough to hold your baby for that long. You can do it hands-free if you put them in a baby carrier, but they will not allow you to have your baby in the carrier for take-off and landing
❌ It’s not the ‘safest’ way to fly, according to the FAA
❌ It’s a bit more stressful on the parent. Depending on how long the flight is, not having your hands free for the entire length of time is tough (especially if you’re travelling as a single parent and don’t have another parent to switch off with)
Lap infants aren’t secured by a seatbelt, which is the main safety issue.
I was horrified by a story I heard where there was some severe turbulence on the plane which caused it to drop mid-air. Anyone who didn’t have their seat belt on was thrown up and hit their head hard overhead. Your baby doesn’t have a seatbelt, so if this were to happen, you may not be able to hold your baby firm enough. This is very unlikely to happen, but it’s worth acknowledging the small risk of what could happen. If you decide to go with lap infant, it’s a good idea to keep in mind how you may secure them firmly in case of severe turbulence.
My Personal Tip for Flying with a Lap Infant
Here’s what we did last time we flew with a lap infant. We held her in our arms for the takeoff and landing (which the airlines require), and then the rest of the time, we put her in a baby carrier.
Being in a baby carrier on the flight holds them securely in place (like a seatbelt) and protects against turbulence in the unlikely event that the turbulence is severe. As long as you have a seatbelt on too, both you and baby should be totally secure and safe in your seat.
So, that is what I would do if you decide that having them as a lap infant is the right choice.
But first, let’s explore your two other options too….
Should You Book an Extra Seat and Bring A Car Seat?
Airlines will tell you that having your baby sit in a car seat (and booking them their own seat to do so) is the safest option.
Even if your child is under 2 years old and could fly for free, they still recommend that you book them a seat, and have them secure in the car seat for the duration of the flight. You can read about it here.
Let’s be honest though, many parents don’t do this.
It can be a heated and controversial topic (as some people say that you are risking your child’s life if you don’t book them an extra eat) but at the end of the day, your choice will come down to many factors.
I’ve done both – lap infant, and car seat. Let’s weigh the pros and cons so you can decide which is best for you.
The FAA recommends that all children use a restraint on board the aircraft, from birth to 40 lbs. (Just for reference, the average 40 lb child is 4 years old!)
Baby in a Carseat Pros and Cons
Pros
✅ Being in a car seat provides extra protection in the vent of extreme turbulence and landing accidents. These things are very unlikely to be an issue, but some parents would feel more comfortable being as safe as possible.
✅ It allows parents to travel hands-free (provided your little one stays in the seat of course!) Unless your baby is under a year old, you’re not likely to get a bassinet – so the carseat is another good option
Cons
❌The cost. You’ll need to pay for the additional seat instead of take advantage of the free option
❌ Needing to carry the car seat through the airport. It’s an extra piece of luggage/equipment to worry about.
❌Some airlines won’t let you bring your car seat unless it’s an FAA-approved car seat. We didn’t know this, and we brought our car seat, not realizing it wasn’t on the approved list. We were told we couldn’t use it! (We ended up using it anyway, but had to lie the next time someone asked us if it was FAA approved.)
❌ Unless you need a car seat at your destination, then its an extra piece of luggage just sitting in your room
If you don’t want to bring your car seat on board but want to have it at your destination, the other option is to check the car seat, and have it in cargo. Read more about whether to check a car seat, or to bring it on board.
What About A Baby Bassinet?
Baby bassinets are generally for babies that are less than a year old, but this depends on the airline.
Most airlines offer baby bassinets, but there are a few that don’t.
All airlines have different age and weight restrictions on the bassinet. The maximum weight limit is often between the 20-25 lb mark.
If your baby is close to this weight, it’ll be iffy on whether they’ll be able to get a bassinet or not. (Many babies have already surpassed the weight limit at 6-8 months old.)
Budget and low-cost carriers tend to not carry them but you will find them on most major airlines. For those that do offer them, some charge extra and some do not.
To be able to use a baby bassinet, you need to:
- book your flight far in advance
- request a bulkhead seat. (The bulkhead is where the bassinet will be attached.)
- call in advance to reserve a bassinet – some airlines will say that they are first come first serve, but always call and check!
Some airlines allow you to reserve the bassinet when you book your flight, but others will not allow you to reserve it in advance – you simply request it when you check in for your flight.
If you’re flying with a US or Canadian airline, then a bassinet is usually something you book on a first-come, first-served basis, so you’ll want to make sure you’re one of the first people at the gate. (There’s a limited number of them, as you can imagine, so you’d want to get there early.)
Before deciding on the bassinet, you’ll have to determine whether you even want the bulkhead seat based on the pros and cons.
Bulkhead Seat/Bassinet Pros and Cons
Pros
✅ There is usually quite a bit extra legroom with the bulkhead seat. I personally loved having it, being able to stretch my legs out and not have someone in front of me recline their seat.
✅You’ll be the first to be served any drinks, food and snacks
✅ It provides parents with young babies some arms-free time. When your babe is sleeping, you can lie him or her down. I believe most of the bassinets also come with a buckle.
Cons
❌There is no under-seat storage in front of you. In regular seats, you can keep your carry on under the seat in front of you. But since you don’t have a seat in front of you with a bulkhead seat, they make you store your luggage in the overhead container. (Which sucks, especially if its a diaper bag!)
❌ They ooften cost a bit more than regular seats
Before reserving the bulkhead just so you can book a bassinet, find out the airline’s rules for bassinets so that you don’t spend the extra money just to be disappointed. I sat next to a mom with a baby in the bulkhead seat on a WestJet flight in early 2025. She requested a bassinet but was told that they were only for babies 6 months and younger. Her baby was 8 months old and not sitting up yet, and the flight attendant said she’d ask for an exception. Unfortunately, the flight attendant came back later and told her that 8 months old was too old for the bassinet, so the mom was not able to use one.
Also, keep in mind that the bassinet cannot be used for take-off, taxi, landing, or bad turbulence. You will be asked by flight attendants to hold your baby during these moments.
My Personal Opinion and Final Thoughts
I have done the lap infant thing many times:
- Flying roundtrip from Toronto to San Francisco
- Flying roadtrip from Toronto to Winnipeg round trip, three times
- Flying to from Toronto to Costa Rica
Many of these flights were before I realized it was ‘strongly discouraged.’ However, even though both my kids are over 2 now, I still see many lap infants on airplanes.
If you do decide to bring a lap infant, then bring a baby carrier as well, to hold them securely in place during the flight. Like I said, we did this last time and it worked great!
In my opinion – if it’s a longer flight (over 5 hours) then you may want to consider fighting the bullet and booking them an extra seat. It’s hard to hold a baby for that long, and there are both safety and other benefits to having an extra seat.
I hope that this article cleared up some things for you, and that you’ve been able to make the decision that makes the most sense for you!