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Graco
The Graco FastAction Fold Travel System combines a stroller and an infant car seat for around $200 -- and it's the lightest on this list.
Ironic, isn’t it, that a 10-pound bundle of joy requires about the same size bag as a 200-pound business traveler -- not to mention a stroller and a baby seat? Travel systems aim to consolidate some of that bulk by combining everything into a single buggy. This option also promises some savings over purchasing the components separately, a boon for parents when the government pegs the cost of raising a child to the age of 18 near $300,000 for a middle-income family. Safe, high-quality travel systems start at well under $300.
Below are Cheapism’s top picks for affordable travel systems.
- The Graco FastAction Fold Travel System (starting at $200) comprises a stroller, an infant car seat that can accommodate a child up to 30 pounds (a slightly cheaper 22-pound version is available as well), and a base for securing the seat in a car. On-the-go parents who have posted reviews of this travel system online appreciate that the stroller folds up easily with one hand. It’s also the lightest on this list: The car seat weighs 7.5 pounds and the stroller 22. (Where to buy)
- The Chicco Cortina Travel System (starting at $270) is also available in two different versions that carry children who weigh up to 22 or 30 pounds, although the larger one generally tops $300. The car seat earns an above-average rating for ease of use from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In reviews, parents agree that the seat is simple to install and also admire this travel system’s quality, sturdiness, and styling. (Where to buy)
- The Graco Stylus LX Travel System (starting at $244) is the heftiest among these picks, but reviewers say it handles well and, like the other Graco model, requires only one hand to fold up. Reviewers like the cushy fabric on the car seat, which has a 30-pound capacity, and report that the stroller appears to provides a comfortable ride. (Where to buy)
Parents can continue to use these travel systems even after their children outgrow the included infant car seats. The strollers themselves carry toddlers up to 50 pounds. They feature seats that fully recline and conveniences such as cup holders for both parent and child.
All the travel systems on the list above include important car seat safety features, including a five-point harness that secures small passengers over the shoulders, around the hips, and between the legs. The seats are designed to lock into place in a car using the LATCH system, which is required in vehicles manufactured within the past decade. (The acronym stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children.) The NHTSA warns that a car seat must be installed properly in order to protect a child effectively. All the car seats on these travel systems meet government safety standards and rate at least average when it comes to ease of use. Be sure to check the NHTSA website before you buy for complete ratings and up-to-date information about product recalls.
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Leave a Comment:
I'm not exactly sure how the article relates to the headline. Seems like the article is just a review of infant travel systems and not how to keep a baby safe on an airplane in an expensive manner. I clicked on your headline expecting something complete different.
Over and above the fact that the headline has nothing to do with the article.
New parents would be better served to figure out the best car seat for them (fits their car, fits their child, and they will use correctly every time) and then figure out the best stroller that works for them and their lifestyle. It really isn't necessary to get a system that will shortchange one or the other just to have them work together.
The car seat will be used for a significantly shorter time than the stroller and it makes no sense to settle on one of them just to get the other. You are probably looking at less than a year of using the two together, but at least 3-4 years of using the stroller by itself!
For my first child, I got an 3 in 1 seat that could do rear facing, forward facing and belt positioning booster. When my son was born, we got him a baby bucket seat that would clip onto the existing stroller. The only reason I got that seat is because I knew that my daughter would be into the booster seat age and size by the time he outgrew the infant seat and he could take her old seat. There are some advantages to the infant seat if you do a lot of errands where the baby might fall asleep, but for the price I'd rather have a seat that lasts a lot longer than 30 lbs.
Pretty much the big expense of keeping baby safe on a plane is that you need to buy a seat. Most airlines will gate check the stroller and the seat does not count as a carry on. There really is no way to reduce the expense of buying baby a ticket. Lap sitting a child is not safe for the child and physically exhausting to whichever parent has to hold the kid.
The article has nothing to do with the headline. Babies DO need to be restrained in child safety seats on an airplane. The coffee pot gets better protection than a lap baby and that does need to change. As far as travel systems go, most of the strollers that come with them are poor quality and will not fit the needs of a family in the long term. Finding a car seat that fits your needs, fits your child, fits your car, fits your budget and can be used properly every single time your child is in the car should be the first priority. A good quality stroller that will fit the family's long term needs can be chosen separately. Do your research before choosing a seat. Visit www.car-seat.org to see what Child Passenger Safety Technicians and advocates are saying about the seats out there before purchasing or placing a seat on your registry. Your chid's safety is worth the extra effort.
Whoever wrote this article must have misinterpreted what an infant "travel system" is. This is not something that is just for use on the plane. It is a carseat and a stroller that go together.
They also misinterpreted what 'not expensive' means. I thought they were going to tell us about a $10 harness for airplane seatbelts or something.
Just a note, pretty much every car seat on the market in the US is FAA approved, so whatever seat you have should work on the plane. The one downside is that because airplane belts buckle in the middle, you may lose some hide unbuckling the seat. And they sell inexpensive backpacks you can pack yours in and I'm sure there are some straps you could use has a harness if you have too much stuff to carry it. The backpack was a lifesaver when I flew two kids from Europe to the east coast and then later on to California all by myself.
Be mindful of airline weight restrictions for gate checking stollers. My daughter recently discovered when flying with her 9 month daughter, that American has a 20 lb weight limit on gate checking a stroller. She really needed the stroller to hold the car seat because she was flying by herself and had a three layover and plane change in Dallas. Luckily the woman at the luggage checking let her go forward with her stroller that was 2 lbs over weight. Flying out to San Diego American hadn't said anything, so it was a an unpleasant surprise to find out there was a problem on the return trip. Needless to say it is back to Southwest for future trips for my daughter.
Be mindful of airline weight restrictions on gate checking strollers. My daughter recently flew American and was told at baggage checkin. her stroller to hold the car seat weighed 22 lbs and she couldn't check it at the gate. American's limit was 20 lbs. Because she was traveling by herself, had to change planes in Dallas and had a three hour layover in Dallas she was counting on using the stroller to hold the car seat while she was in Dallas. The woman at check in relented, thank goodness. But what was confusing is she hadn't been told of the restriction when she flew out.
If the plane goes down I doubt these measures will matter.
Many of the travel systems come with a stroller that may be too heavy to check at the gate on the jetway. You may want to consider purchasing a stroller with aluminum frame and optional infant car seat adapter to fit the stroller. These strollers may prove more useful and enjoyable in the long run!
Oh, heck, I lived overseas and traveled a lot with my two when they were babies. We used a sling (big piece of cheap batik cloth) to keep the baby attached to me or the hubby on the plane - cost about 3 bucks. We used a cheap umbrella-style stroller to schlep the kid(s) around the airport. Knocked all over Asia, the US and Europe with just those two things.