Tips? Air Travel with Carrycot, Car Seat, and Snap N Go

[wrldtraveler]

Hi all!

I'm looking for tips from the experienced parents on this board. My husband and I will be traveling for the first time with our LO in September (LO will be 3 months old).

We're planning on bringing the carseat with the snap n go (mac easy traveller) and our Bumbleride carry cot to use as a travel bed. We're only visiting with the in-laws so decided against bringing our Indie.

Is it too much trouble to bring the carrycot? Should I explore other travel bed options? We'll be shuttling the LO between several different houses and felt that the carrycot would be a good solution to having a bed no matter whose house we were in.

I'm going to try to collapse the carrycot -- any tips on a bag I could buy in order to check the carrycot?

As a side note, if there's anyone who's traveled with the Mac Easy Traveller, what bag did you get to gate check it? Just the generic red stroller bag or a specific Mac bag?

(Of course any other tips for first time air travel with an infant are greatly appreciated)

TIA!

[vonfirmath]

I travelled with a Graco Snugrider (a different snap and go) and didn't use a bag to check it

We did lose the cupholders on that ride -- I had not realized they snapped off. But the stroller was fine. So take anything off the stroller that can come off and put it in your carry on

It might be easier/cheaper to buy a pack and play on the other end. Carry it from house to house. Then store it with a relative for a future trip. You can get pack and plays for $60-ish and they are made to be folded up/come with a bag/most airlines let you check them for free (if that is what you would prefer)

[jacksmoma]

i'd say just bring the indie- that way you can use it with the carrycot for long outings/walks (remember not good for baby's neck or spine to be in that car seat for more than 30 mins at a time..) or use it as a snap n go with the car seat. that's what's so great about the indie- can be car seat carrier, bassinet, or as a stroller in flat recline for a 3 month old. that's what i would do but i am a bit crazy as i am planning on traveling with my brand new bob across county :)

[amom526]

We traveled by plane with our carseat, Indie, and carrycot. We collapsed the carrycot and just put it into a large dufflebag suitcase, surrounded by clothes. It did completely fine. We used our indie with the carseat in the airport and it was GREAT. I used mommy hooks and literally packed that thing full of stuff.
On the way there, we used the Indie travel bag at gate check but it was way too much of a pain. For the way back we just collapsed it and checked it and it came out the other end fine, although I knew we were taking a little risk.
If you plan on going back to this place again, I second the advice of buying a pack n play on the other end.

[mackmama]

I'd bring the Indie and carseat plus either the carrycot (collapse it and pack it in a duffel) for sleeping or a pack'n'play. It's better for baby not to be in carseat for very long, so I think you'll be happy to have the Indie. We just traveled (3 different plane rides), and no one let us check our pack'n'play for free. It was so nice having the PNP though and was very easy to setup/collapse at our different locations.

[wrldtraveler]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I think we'll try the carrycot this time around (better to get more use out of it before he outgrows it) and have grandma buy the pack n play for our trip there at christmas. Putting the carrycot in a duffel is a great idea. I think we have one that's just big enough.