Can I bring my buggy or car seat on the plane 2023?

Which airlines will let you take your buggy up to the plane steps
Which airlines will charge you extra for taking a buggy – and other baby equipment
What the child baggage allowance is with each airline

See the policies for the following airlines:

British Airways
easyJet
Emirates
Jet2
Ryanair
TUI Airways
Virgin Atlantic

As of June 2023, here's what you need to know about bringing your buggy on a flight...

1. If you're flying with British Airways

Can I take a buggy for free? Yes. Any infant or child travelling on British Airways can take up to 2 'essential extras', even when travelling on the hand-baggage-only (Basic) fare. 'Essential extras' include a pushchair. (For details on other permitted 'essential extras', see What other baby equipment can I take for free?, below)

What about a double buggy? There are no separate rules for double buggies and there is no maximum weight for buggies on British Airways flights.

Can I take the buggy to the boarding gate? Or up to/onto the plane itself? You can take your pushchair to the boarding gate, where it will be collected and added to the hold – or, if it's a compact-fold pushchair that is small enough to stow in the overhead locker, you can collapse it and take it into the cabin. If your buggy is put in the hold, for some destinations, British Airways do offer a Return to Aircraft service – which means your pushchair will be brought to you plane-side when you arrive but this only applies to certain pushchairs (for more details, see What else do I need to know? below).

What other baby equipment can I take for free? As well as pushchair, you can check in 1 of the following (or 2, if you're not taking a pushchair): a car or booster seat; a travel cot; a baby back carrier; a travel cot; a baby back carrier.

What baby equipment can I take in the cabin? You can take a car seat on board if you've booked a seat for your infant or child and intend to secure the car seat into it for the flight. Compact-fold buggies that will fit into the overhead locker can also be taken on board with you.

Does my child get a baggage allowance? Yes but what that means depends on the age of your child:

Children with their own booked seat (including infants) get the same hold baggage allowance as adults, plus their essential extras, such as a pushchair and a car seat. They can also take a standard-size Trunki suitcases on board (in fact, British Airways even have their own Trunki design).
A lap-sitting infant is allowed a hand-luggage bag for in-flight essentials, which is included in your allowance. Infants also receive free checked baggage, which includes 1 standard 23kg bag in the hold, for all cabins. This does not apply, though, when you and your infant are on a hand-baggage-only (Basic) fare, where there is no free checked bag allowance.

Do note that you can't combine your baggage allowances, so make sure you double-check the individual allowances for each member of your family, plus the size and weight limits for hand baggage.

What else do I need to know? The Return to Aircraft service – where you can collect your pushchair at the aircraft door on arrival – is super-handy if you have a sleeping or tired child but it's only available at some destination (ask at Check-in whether it's available at yours) and your pushchair had to meet certain size and design criteria:

Your buggy must be a full collapsible and a single-piece pushchair. In other words, you must be able to collapse it without taking the seat unit or carrycot off.
It must be also be slimline, with a maximum dimension of 38cm x 117cm x 38cm.

If your buggy fits these criteria and Return to Aircraft is offered at your destination, your buggy will be tagged with an orange Return To Aircraft label, with your customer information included, before being placed in the hold. You can then collect it on arrival at your destination.

See more on British Airways Baggage Allowances

2. If you're flying with easyJet

Can I take a buggy for free? Yes. For every infant or child, you can bring a pushchair. (For details of other baby equipment you can take, see What other baby equipment can I take for free?, below).

What about a double buggy? All buggies are allowed, including double buggies.

Can I take the buggy to the boarding gate? Or up to/onto the plane itself? If you don't want to check your buggy before you go through security, Easyjet will collect it from you before you board the plane and put it in the aircraft hold. It will be available to collect at the baggage reclaim when you arrive at your destination. If you have a compact-fold pushchair that is small enough to stow in the overhead locker (not exceeding 56cm x 45cm x 25 cm, including handles and wheels), you can collapse it and take it into the cabin with you. Do note, though, that, to do this, you'll need to purchase a 'large cabin bag' when you book your flight, not an 'under-seat bag'.

What other baby equipment can I take for free? For every child, 2 child items can be stowed free of charge in the aircraft hold. These include a pushchair (as we've seen, above), travel cot, car seat, a booster seat and a baby back carrier.

What baby equipment can I take in the cabin? As well as a compact-fold buggy (as long as it's small enough, see above), your child can take a standard-size Trunki suitcase (46cm x 20.5cm x 31 cm) on board. This will need to be placed under the seat in front of them. Larger-size Trunki suitcases will need to go in the hold and may incur a fee.

If you have purchased a seat for a baby (rather than opting to sit your baby on your lap during the fight), you can take – in fact, you must take – a car seat on board and strap your baby into it for take-off and landing, and any time the crew ask you to. Only forward-facing seats are allowed on board and the crew must be able to ensure it's secured safely to the aircraft seat.

Does my child get a baggage allowance? Yes but what that means depends on the age of your child and the kind of ticket you have purchased:

Infants with booked seats and children over 2 years old have the same cabin bag and hold luggage allowance as adults
Lap-sitting infants don't have a separate baggage allowance but you can take an additional baby changing bag on board (max size: 45cm x 36cm x 20 cm).

What else do I need to know? You can pool baggage weight allowances among family members on the same flight. Also, anyone travelling with children under 5 will be boarded early to give you time to get settled.

See more on Easyjet's baggage policies

3. If you're flying with Emirates

Can I take a buggy for free? Yes, as long as it's fully collapsible.

What about a double buggy? Yes, double buggies are allowed; there are no weight or size restrictions for pushchairs.

Can I take the buggy to the boarding gate? Or up to/onto the plane itself? You may take your buggy to the boarding gate, where it will be collected and transported as checked baggage in the hold, and returned to you via baggage reclaim at your destination. If you have a single, compact-fold pushchair that fits into an overhead cabin locker (double buggies must go in the hold) and if there is available space, you can take it into the cabin with you – as long as you're not also bringing a car seat on board (you may only bring 1 of these 2 items into the cabin).

What other baby equipment can I take for free? As well as a pushchair, you can bring a car seat and a travel cot/carry cot. They can all be checked into the hold; you can take the pushchair or the car seat into the cabin, providing they meet Emirates' requirements (see above and below).

What baby equipment can I take in the cabin? You can bring an infant car seat into the cabin but this is instead of – not in addition to – a compact-fold pushchair. If you want to bring a car seat on board, you'll need to book a separate seat for your child and pair a child's fare. The car seat will also need to be approved for use on an airline and there are weight restrictions on rear-facing seats (see Emirates' stipulations).

If your child has their own seat, they can take also take a Trunki, Zinc Flyte, Kiddi Case, FOME or Jet Kids ride-on suitcase on board, provided it meets size requirements and is stored in an overhead locker. Leg rest devices aren't permitted on board Emirates flights.

Does my child get a baggage allowance? Yes but the exact details will vary according to your destination and class of ticket, so you should check carefully before you travel. As a rule of thumb, children over 2 have the same allowance as adults and infants usually have a baggage allowance of up to 10kg (22lb), which is included as part of the infant ticket price. Infant tickets include 1 piece of hand baggage, regardless of cabin class.

What else do I need to know? If you want to offload your pushchair at check in and not have to worry about it, Emirates provide a complimentary stroller at most check-in desks to help you journey through the airport more easily. When it's time to board, you can drop the stroller at the boarding gate.

See more on Emirates' baggage policies

4. If you're flying with Jet2

Can I take a buggy for free? Yes, if you’re travelling with an infant or child, you can take a pushchair, as long as it's collapsible and its weight – combined with the weight of any other baby items you're travelling with (see What other baby equipment can I take for free?, below, for what's permitted) – doesn’t exceed 10kg.

What about a double buggy? Double buggies are fine – as long as they don't exceed that 10kg weight limit (and remember, that weight limit include any other equipment you're bringing).

Can I take the buggy to the boarding gate? Or upto/onto the plane itself? Yes, you can take a pushchair to the plane, where it will have to be collapsed and loaded into the hold by ground staff. You can collect it from the baggage reclaim carousel at your destination.

We should add here that Jet2 doesn't officially allow pushchair into the cabin but we have taken a compact-fold pushchair that fits in an overhead locker on board (as hand luggage) with no problems at all.

What other baby equipment can I take for free? You can check in 2 baby items, such as a collapsible pushchair, a car seat or a travel cot free of charge, as long as the total weight of these items doesn’t exceed 10kg. If you check in a car seat over 10kg, you'll be charged an excess baggage rate of £12.

What baby equipment can I take in the cabin? You can take a car seat for a travelling infant (aged 0 to 2), providing your child has their own seat and the car seat meets Jet2's suitability criteria, it can be taken onboard.

Does my child get a baggage allowance? This depends on the type of ticket your child has:

If they have their own seat, then they'll get the normal baggage allowance of 1 free 22kg bag.
If they're a lap-sitting infant, they don't get their own baggage allowance, but you can an extra 10kg yo your own baggage allowance, free of charge.

What else do I need to know? No single item of hold baggage may weigh more than 32kg. Any baggage that exceeds your total weight allowance will be only be carried subject to availability and will incur an excess baggage fee of £12 per kg.

See more on Jet2's baggage policy

5. f you're flying with Ryanair

Can I take a buggy for free? Yes, as part of your allowance of 2 items of baby equipment free of charge per child (for more on what these items can be, see What baby equipment can I take for free?, below).

What about a double buggy? That's fine; there are no separate rules for double pushchairs and is no maximum weight maximum for buggies.

Can I take the buggy to the boarding gate? Or up to/onto the plane itself? You can take your pushchair up to the aircraft steps. When you land, your buggy will usually be available at the aircraft steps (provided local conditions permit this). If not, you can collect your pushchair at the baggage carousel or the oversized-items window at the arrival lounge. If you have a single, compact-fold pushchair that fits into an overhead cabin locker and is within the permitted measurements of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm, including handles and wheels, you can be take it into the cabin.

What other baby equipment can I take for free? You can take 2 times of baby equipment in total. These can be any 2 of the following: pushchair/buggy, car seat, booster seat or travel cot.

What baby equipment can I take in the cabin? You can bring a car seat on board for use by an infant or child as long as it is approved for aircraft use and has a 5-point harness. If you are using a car seat for an infant under 2, you will need to purchase a separate seat for them.

Does my child get a baggage allowance? This depends on the type of ticket you have purchased for your child:

If you have purchased a separate seat for your baby, they are entitled to carry onboard 1 small cabin bag (40cm x 20cm x25cm), which must fit under the seat in front of them. They also the option to purchase a checked bag.
If you child will be sitting on your lap or is an infant aged 8 days to 23 months seated in an extra comfort seat, there is no baggage allowance for them. However, a baby bag up to 5kg (45cm x 35cm x 20cm) can be carried by the accompanying adult in addition to their own cabin bag.

What else do I need to know? You'll need to drop your 2 free item of baby equipment at the Bag Drop Desk, which close 40 minutes before the scheduled flight departure time. If you want to bring more than 2 items, you'll need to pay an Infant/Child Equipment fee (max weight 20kg).

See more on Ryanair's Travelling with Children policy (you'll need to create an account first)

6. If you're flying with TUI Airways

Can I take a buggy for free? Yes. Pushchairs are carried for free and in addition to your luggage allowance.

What about a double buggy? We've been assured that their pushchair policy has no size or weight limit.

Can I take the buggy to the boarding gate? Or up to/onto the plane itself? Yes, as long as your pushchair folds, you can take it right up until to the plane steps, where it will be collected from you and put into the luggage hold. You'll be able to pick it up at baggage reclaim at your destination. If you have a single, compact-fold pushchair that fits into an overhead cabin locker, you can take it on board as hand luggage – as long as there is available space in the lockers. You may be asked to release it into the hold by ground or cabin crew if the flight is very busy.

What other baby equipment can I take for free? In addition to your pushchair, you can take a car seat as hold baggage for no extra cost.

What baby equipment can I take in the cabin? You have to hunt around to find this TUI policy but you can bring a car seat into the cabin to use with an infant, provided they have their won seat and they're over 6 months old. The car seat must be forward-facing and there may be restrictions on its width, depending on the size of the seats on the plane – do check before flying.

If your child had their own seat, they can bring a Trunki case as hand luggage, as long as it weighs no more than 10kg.

Does my child get a baggage allowance? If your flight is part of a package holiday, every child with a seat has a luggage allowance of 15kg to 20kg, and under-2s who are sitting on an adult's lap have a check-in luggage allowance of 10kg. These allowances can be pooled together between all those travelling on your booking, as long as each piece of luggage remains within TUI's maximum dimension and weight restrictions.

What else do I need to know? Anyone travelling with children will get priority boarding. If you are travelling with children who do not share your surname, TUI advise you bring some proof of your biological relationship to them or a signed letter giving you permission to travel with them.

See more on TUI's family travel policies

7. If you're flying with Virgin Atlantic

Can I take a buggy for free? Yes, anyone travelling with a child can bring a pushchair, as long as it's fully collapsible.

What about a double buggy? Yes, as long as it's fully collapsible.

Can I take the buggy to the boarding gate? Or up to/onto the plane itself? At most airports, you can take your pushchair right up to the boarding gate, when they'll be taken and put in the hold. At your destrination, Virgin Atlantic will have it ready outside the aircraft doors wherever possible. If you have a one of the following compact buggies, you can take it into the cabin with you and stow it in the overhead locker:

It’s worth noting that the Cybex Libelle has now replaced the GB Pockit and so should also be suitable for taking on board.

What other baby equipment can I take for free? In addition to your pushchair, you can take e a car seat, travel cot, or back carrier.

What baby equipment can I take in the cabin? If your child has a booked seat, you can bring your car seat on board, providing it meets the airline requirements and you're not sitting in Upper Class or certain Premium seats (do check before you fly and change seats if you can). To be compatible for Virgin Atlantic flights, car seats must be forward-facing and fit into a 43cm x 43cm space; check out the other requirements.

Does my child get a baggage allowance? Children and seated infants get the same baggage allowance as an adult. With lap-sitting infants, you may be able to check a suitcase into the hold for free, if the maximum weight does not exceed 23kg, and you will be allowed a small nappy bag as extra hand luggage.

What else do I need to know? If you are travelling with an infant and have booked a seat with no baggage allowance (such as Economy Light), neither you or your infant will be able to check a bag into the hold for free.

See more on Virgin Atlantic's Flying with Children policies

Helen Wright

Helen Wright is a travel writer and mum of 2. She has travelled around the world as a blogger, as well as writing for National Geographic Traveller, Lonely Planet, The Times, The Sun, Mirror, Marie Clare and Cosmopolitan