Flying With a Stroller: Gate Check, Carry-On and Tips
How strollers work at security, at the gate and on the plane, plus a few tricks that make flying with a baby less chaotic.
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Short answer
You can usually bring your stroller all the way to the gate and hand it over right before you board. It goes through the X-ray at security, so fold it while you wait in line. Check your airline's stroller rules before you pack, because they're not all the same.
From curb to plane
Where your stroller goes on travel day
Security
Fold it and send it through the X-ray. Empty the basket into a bin first.
At the gate
Get the stroller tagged at the desk. Then keep pushing your baby to the plane.
Plane door
Fold it right by the plane door and leave it there.
You land
It’s waiting for you on the jet bridge when you get off.
Before you go: check your airline's rules
Every airline has its own stroller rules. Look yours up before you pack. On American Airlines, each passenger with a child can check one stroller and one car seat for free (American Airlines). Big strollers, ones that don't fold and ones over 20 lb go to the ticket counter, not the gate (American Airlines).
That 20 lb limit catches a lot of full-size and jogging strollers. If yours is heavy, bring a stroller bag and plan to check it at the counter. Stroller weight, explained covers what different weights feel like.
Fold types
Which fold goes where
Small compact fold
Some are sized for the overhead bin. The crew decides on the day, so have a plan B.
Most other folds
Push it to the gate, get it tagged and leave it at the plane door.
Big or heavy
On American Airlines, strollers over 20 lb, big ones and ones that don’t fold go to the ticket counter.
Rules change by airline. Source for the 20 lb rule: American Airlines.
Getting through security
Your stroller goes through the X-ray machine, just like your bags. Take your baby out, fold the stroller while you wait in line, and empty the basket into a bin. If it's too big for the X-ray, officers will check it by hand (TSA).
You'll carry your baby through the metal detector. TSA won't separate you from your child, and you can ask an officer for help with folding and lifting (TSA). If you're flying solo, ask. That's what they're there for.
Many compact strollers fold small enough for the overhead bin. Check your airline's carry-on size rules and the stroller's folded size before you fly.
Gate check or overhead bin?
Gate-checking is the easy option. You push your baby right up to the plane door, fold the stroller and leave it there. When you land, it's waiting for you on the jet bridge (What to Expect).
Some small travel strollers are sized to go in the overhead bin. Parents with the original Bugaboo Butterfly say it fit in the bin and even rolled down the aisle on Southwest (What to Expect) and United (What to Expect) flights. It's handy when you don't want your stroller tossed around with the bags. But the crew has the final say, so have a plan B.
Bringing the car seat on board
The FAA says the safest place for a child under 2 on a plane is an approved car seat, not your lap. To use one, you'll need to buy your baby a seat. Look for a label that says "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft." Car seats usually go in a window seat and can't go in an exit row (FAA).
A car seat with wheels, like the Doona X, can roll through the airport and then buckle into the plane seat. That means one less thing to carry.
Little things that make it easier
- Practice the fold at home. Doing it for the first time with a line of people behind you is no fun.
- Pack a small bag you can grab. Snacks, wipes and a spare outfit should come with you, not ride in the stroller basket.
- Get to the gate a little early. You'll have time to tag the stroller and change one last diaper.
Shopping for a stroller you'll fly with? Start with travel strollers.
Questions parents ask
Does a small fold mean my stroller can go in the overhead bin?
Not always. The airline and the crew decide on the day. A stroller the brand sizes for the overhead bin has the best shot, but be ready to gate-check it.
Do I have to pay to bring a stroller?
On American Airlines, each ticketed passenger traveling with a child can check one stroller and one car seat for free. Look up your airline's page before you fly.
Does my baby need their own seat?
Babies under 2 can ride on your lap. The FAA says the safest spot is an approved car seat in their own seat, so buying them a ticket is worth thinking about.
About this page
Written by the My First Stroller team.
