Travel to LAX with 2 Yr Old Twins and Infant-flight and Car Seat ?S

We have traveled quite a bit with our kids, which are now 3 and 5. For the car seats- we never brought 2 on at the same time, but one can be a challenge with carry-ons, etc.
I would suggest maybe just bringing one and having them rotate in it- or try to borrow or rent the car seats that have the wheels- there is a website that rents baby gear for travel- I am sure if you google it you can find it. ( I don't remember the name)

As for air pressure- just make sure that you have water or milk in a sippy cup so that they can both drink during take off and landing and a bottle for the baby.Make sure you have lots of snacks( goldfish, cheerios, etc) in case your flight gets delayed. And lots of wipes!

Good luck!

We just recently did the same trip with two kids. We brought our daughters convertible car seat on, and they said they were not allowed. Hers is the Graco cheapo one though. We have the Nautilus too, but I am not sure if that would work. We didn't try it. I just know that they can't use a convertible kind. I think I found it on the faa website under travel for family, something like that. We had the absolute worst trip home you could ever imagine. It was horrible. Both of the kids had total meltdowns because they were very tired and didn't understand the rules, and didn't really care! It was rough. Everyone hated us!

Oh, another thing to make carting around car seats easier, there is this sort of strap thing that I saw on Amazon that allows you to attach your car seat to a suitcase for easier pulling. Might help.
Good Luck.

Hello S.,

Traveled many times with a youngster - but only ever with one. I'd check your car seats through. There is no charge for them and you'll have the car seat they are used to on the other side. It maybe more luggage but well worth it in my opinion.

Positively,
M.

I traveled a few times with our kids when they were little. LAX was one of the stops on the way. I always purchased seats for them.(On one event a steward tried to give our son's seat away to another passenger due to overbooking. I was furious and showed that I paid for the ticket.)
The car seats fit just fine. If you need a little more room, you can leave the arm rests up or not place the seats right next to each other. It works just fine.

Have a safe trip.

We flew with our two kids (5 months and 2.5 yr at the time) to Hawaii and we did take our son's gigantic Britax carseat with us on the flight. The baby was in our lap, of course. We figured it was such a long flight that we wanted his carseat because he was used to napping in it (which he did). It was a pain to haul on the plane, but we didn't want to rent a carseat for 4 weeks. More recently, we flew to Long Beach and they lost our carseats. We did end up using rentals for the first 2 days before they located ours and brought them to our hotel for us. The rental seats were fine and seemed pretty clean.

You can probably gate check your stroller, but call Alaska and double check that you can gate check a stroller that large. I did have an issue where I called Hawaiian Air and told them I had a very large double jogger and asked about gate checking it. They told me it was fine to gate check, but when I got there, they didn't allow me to gate check it after all. I had JUST bought the stroller and did not have it in a protective bag, so I was concerned that it would be damaged. It ended up being fine.

We are not big on giving sugar treats or watching much TV normally, but on a plane, all rules go out the window. Red licorice works well for ear pressure (like using gum, but safer for little ones). You can give them a piece if they are complaining about their ears. Sippy cups of water are good as well. portable DVD players have been a life saver. I swear my son watched 10 episodes of Curious George when we flew to Hawaii. It's hard for them to stay still for so long.

Double check online what you can and can't bring for food for the little ones. Last time I flew, it was at dinner time and I brought bagels, yogurt and fruit with me to feed my kids. ATF hasseled me about the amount of "liquid" I was bringing on with me and took my one of the yogurts and the container of cream cheese (which is apparently a liquid)...I had to fly home with 2 hungry kids.

Bring a baggie of Clorox wipes to wipe down your trays, armrests, and anything else the kids are going to touch. You don't want anyone to come down with a cold or flu while on your trip.

Best of luck to you.

K.

I've traveled twice to Chicago from Seattle with kids. Once when my son was 9 months and the other time when my son was 3 and my daughter was 19 months. We held her in our lap and our son sat in the seat. We found that the only allow carseats on the plan if they are FAA approved. We brought a booster seat on board, but they wouldn't let us use it. We checked our daughters convertable car seat in a protector bag with our luggage. I've heard the rental car seats are pretty yucky... you can take your chances or bring your own.

On the plane we brought our portable dvd player (which was a life saver), new little toys I bought at the dollar store, and dum dum lolly pops for the take off and landings (for ear pressure). When my son was a baby, I just fed him a bottle during take off and landings to help with the air pressure.

One thing I forgot to mention is that with a stroller - it's really nice when you fly because you can keep the kids in it all the way up to the door of the plane. They then tag it and you get it back the moment you are off the plane. Very handy. Plus, you can board first when you have kids.

Good luck! Sorry this is so long.

wow that sounds like a lot of work :).
I traveled to Mexico with one two year old and I brought her car seat. I think looking back I would have rented a car seat (if that would have been an option) or bought a gogo babyz car seat travelmate http://www.gogobabyz.com/product-i14550-c26-g6-b0-p0-gogo... it is like a little wheelie thing that takes the place of a stroller and lets you roll kid through airport on their carseat. I was going to get one of those but I though I could do the same thing with a suitcase carrier dolly thing. I tried to do it with bungies and it DID NOT WORK! It is definately worth buying these if you are bringing your own car seats because I was SOOOOO jealous of people who had them. while I was trying to lug my seat around and keep my two year old from running around.
If you don't buy these and are just going to be walking around with 2 year olds and suitcases and carseats and baby I would highly recommend the little monkeybackpacks with leashes. YES I KNOW leashing your kids doesn't seem nice but the kids LOVE the backpacks and it is much safer for an area like an airport to have them leashed to you because 2 year olds can run off so fast and you have 2 of them and a baby to take care and one kid could disappear in the blink of an eye. I used one of these with my kids in airport and in crowded places in Mexico and thought I would encounter rude stares but what I got was lots of people asking where I had bought them so they could buy one. Good LUck!

You might want to check the car seats and use a safety airline vest for the older ones. I used a wrap (which has to be off to go through security) and my little one did great in it.

We often will ask about an empty seat for the car seat and sometimes we get lucky and get a spare seat for the baby. In this case you will want the infant seat at the gate in case you get to use it.

Go to the dollar store and pick up some inexpensive age appropriate toys. Seal a few in a zipper type plastic bag and have about 5 or 6 of these on hand. Give each child a bag of toys and when they get tired of those, seal it up and swap them out for a different bag. If a toy or two gets lost, it isn't too hard on the wallet at a buck a piece.

Also, a dvd player for the 2 year olds is a must. Even if you don't normally let them watch tv, you will appreciate how calm and quiet they can be. And probably more so if they don't get tv much at home. It will be a novelty for them.

If you are visiting family or friends, see if they have a spare car seat or two or can borrow from friends. Also, have them pick up small packages of diapers and wipes in the correct sizes. This way, you can save space in your luggage. Also, have them pick up some toddler/baby snacks/food. If you aren't visiting someone, then find a store on the way to your destination and purchase these items. You will only need to pack enough for the plane ride and airport times/travel times.

Have a great vacation,
D.

If it is in your budget, I suggest buying two of these.

http://babyproducts.about.com/od/travel/gr/sitnstroll.htm

These have been life savers when I have traveled with two kids requiring car seats in the plane and at my destination. If can also help eliminate the need for large bulky strollers.

Best of luck

Do you really want to rent car seats and deal with someone else's mess or them not being as safe as you want? If you are worried about size/width we have radian 65 by sunshine kids. It is a little narrower plus it doesn't have the side wings. we've flown with the radian and like it.
I am looking into the sit and stroll to lessen what we take and ease time in airport.

BUSY???? --- I would think another word -- perhaps controlled chaos might also apply. You are amazing. I have done a ton of traveling in the last 2 years - but with older guys ( a 2 and a half --- and a 4) --- The airlines are quite helpful - The bulkhead seats are nice because the twins could stand in front of you and move back and forth between the outside edge of the 'isle' seat and the window- BUT you'll have to be assertive about asking the stewards to get down from the overhead luggage 'rack' what you need as there is no storage available under the seat for the bulkhead- but I did find it really helpful for little guys who wanted to stand and walk back and forth in front of Mom and Dad--- Blessings-
J.
aka- Old Mom

Bring your own car seats. I've heard the rental ones are super junky!

There are these special seat belts http://www.flyingwithkids.com/cares_airplane_harness.htm
I always take the car seat but with 2 it might be easier to use these. They are not cheap. I would (and many people disagree with me) never take my child on an airplane unrestrained, ever! Just as I would never even drive to the corner store if my kids weren't in the car seat.
When traveling with my daughter I carry the car seat on my back like a back pac and stick her in the stroller so she cant run away. You can use the stroller to carry all your stuff. Then you can gate check the stroller.
I give my daughter gum for the take off and landing but 2yr old might be too young for that. It helps to give them a bottle to suck on.

Good luck...
R.

We've flown with a toddler and newborn. Depending on the size of your two-year olds (less than 40 lbs), I'd actually purchase the Cosco Scenera car seats for use on the trip. They're $45 each, lightweight, and come with a plastic carrying case with handle. This would be less expensive than renting and possibly safer since you know the history of them (NEW) and can easily adjust the harness straps before your trip. They fit nicely on the plane, too. After your trip, they can be backup carseats or resold for at least half or more of what you paid for them! http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_constra...

hi S.- I flew from Portland to SF (and back up from Burbank this summer with my 2 year old and our Britax Marathon seat. (My husband didn't go, so it was just myself and the toddler.) It was nice having the seat for him so that he was comfortable like he is in the car. But it was a bit of a pain lugging it around. I was able to loosen the straps and wear it as a backpack, but had to take it off getting on the plane as the aisles were too narrow. With 2 parents, it might be easier, but if you have to deal with 2 seats, carry-on luggage and 3 children, that might be a bit tough.

Bottom line - I found it helpful to have the seat despite the hassle of carrying it, but if I was on a shorter trip (I was there for 12 days with lots of driving planned), I would have just rented a seat when I got to CA.

Air pressure...didn't seem to be a problem for my toddler - he snacked and/or drank water as we were going up and coming down, so I think that helped.

Good luck!

I have traveled a lot with all three of my kids. My suggestion is that unless you want the kids to sleep on the flight, I would rent the car seats at your destination. It is easier for the kids to sleep in their own car seats, because of the familiarity of them. I found that my kids enjoyed having the freedom of the big seats and could use the tray table to play on. Sometimes the car seats block the tray tables, so they can't play on them. Another thing to consider is that LAX is a large airport and you may have to walk a long way and carrying large car seats with three kids in a stroller may be very difficult.

I hope this helps you make some decisions.
Annemarie

I just went to LAX with my 2.5 yr old and my 8 month old earlier this month.

You can bring the carseats on the plane if you, but you may feel that it is a hassle to lug them all the way through security and the airport, although it is OK to do so, and is safer for them to be in one. That said, we didn't bring the car seat on the plane and our 2.5 yr old was fine - just had to tell her a lot of times not to take off the seatbelt when she was sitting there. But, we also made that decision as we didn't need a carseat when we got to LAX, since we were borrowing one there. If you do decide to lug them, maybe get a roller bag or backpack bag designed exactly for this purpose? The are a few cheap ones on amazon, etc.

As for the stroller, if you have a double you might want to bring that, and do baby bjorn with the baby too - that is an option. They do have you break down the stroller and put it through the security scanner thing. Note: strollers & car seats will not be charged the checked luggage fee, regardless if you check them at the gate or ahead of time.

For the kids, if you have a portable DVD player that helped us a lot, plus lots of favorite snacks - (goldfish, etc). I got my 2.5 yr old a backpack and filled it with 3 books, 2 dvds, snacks, and stickers and we had more than enough things to keep her occupied. She still takes a nap from 1-3, so we did an early flight (9am) and I liked it because we arrived just before noon, and we got to our destination about 1:00 and she could still have her nap. In order to make the 9am flight, we got nearly everything in the car the night before and just got them up, put them in their clothes, brought breakfast in the car and went.

As for the air pressure, it did not effect the 8 month old as much as I was anticipating. I tried to nurse her on take-off and landing, but couldn't time it right. She ate while we taxied on the run-way and finished just as we took off, then wasn't hungry for the landing. I gave her a pacifier and crossed my fingers - it went fine.

One thing you may want to ask about if you bring the car seats on the plane, is seat placement. I know that if you have one car seat, it MUST be in the window seat so that it doesn't obstruct the exiting of any passengers in an emergency. With twins, I am not sure if you could put them next to each other or not. You may want to call Alaska about that one.

Hope that helps!

We have a extremely spirited 2 1/2 year old daughter whom finds in hard to sit still especially when traveling. It has really helped us to scheduled our flights or long drives during her nap and sleep times. In the past we have tried to start the sleep routine before we got on the plane. Last time we put her in her jammies right before we boarded the plane. This has really helped us keep the peace during our trip.

We also use the Monkey backpack with the "leash" (for lack of a better word)in the airport. I too always dread the looks from others but we have to do it to keep our daughter safe and close to us in extremely crowded areas.

She sits in our Britax Marathon carseat while she is on the plane and has done quite well in it. My husband and I discussed not bringing the car seat on the plane as a friend suggested but we just felt that our daughter (she is under 40 lbs.) would not be safely strapped in her seat in case of severe turbulence etc.. especially if a child under two is held on the lap.

You could spend the $100.00 (car seat rental) towards a seat for the little one and bring our car seats. Most airlines offer reduced rates for children under two. It is worth checking out. Call ahead too to see if they can help get you to your gate with assistance to and from the plane.

Here are some links I thought might be helpful:
http://life.familyeducation.com/travel-safety/safety/4818...

http://www.carsafety4kids.com/airplanesafety.html#01
I hope this helps.

Check the car seats with luggage. It is free with most carriers and you will be happy you have their own on the other end for the rented car. But please save yourself major hassle and struggle on the airplane and just put the twins on either side of an adult.

I took the car seat once and it was the biggest pain! If you really have issues there are two things on the market that help keep kids safe and "locked in" to their seats. Baby Bair is a safety vest that connects the kids to your seat belt and CARES is a harness that connects the kids to their seat. I would invest in the CARES which is rated safe for take off and landing (the Baby BAir is not).

My daughter has flown at least 3 times a year across the country and only had pressure issues once. It was during the time she did not understand she needed to swallow. Provide alot of food or candy that needs chewing and swallowing. We used suckers, licorice, even gum. If they use a sippy cup, make sure that is full with their favorite drink(dont be fooled, you can bring it through security, just let them know what it is and they may test it with a litmus strip) I still travel with juice for my daughter and she is 4! It helps with the ears at take off and landing.

Also, pack a few new toys from the dollar store that are easy to play with on the plane. Dont let the kids see them until they are on the plane,surprises are fun. You can even wrap them in some colored cellophane (make sure security can see them without having to open everything in case they are curious)

Good luck. Just remember, almost 2/3 of the plane are parents and have had the same experience. try to stay calm and leave plenty of extra time to get through security and load the plane early to get settled. It will all be over before you know it!

Have a great trip

Hi S., I have traveled quite a few times by myself with my now 4 year old. I just brought my conv carseat with me and checked it with my luggage. They will put a big plastic bag around it and send it to the bottom of the plan with your other bags. Then you only have to worry about carting it with all of the luggage and kids to the ticket counter and then picking up the luggage to the pick up car. I liked this better you then don't have to cart them through the airport and they don't take up as much room when sitting on the airplane. I have brought it on the plane as well it was just heavy and inconvenent. You can bring your strollers to the gate with you and that is always nice it is a way to keep the kids from running away from you and you can load them up with all the carry on items. Good Luck! E.

I personally would bring my car seats on the plane. I fly with my two active sons who are 2 and 4 years old. I have tried to fly without carseats before, and I was miserable. My 4 year old can easily undo the seat belt. In fact it becomes a game. My two year old is so wiggly that I am constantly resettling him on my lap. I treat plane rides just like riding in the car. They must stay buckled up in their carseats. That settles them, and they are used to this. Plus they are more likely to fall asleep in a familiar position. And I am less stressed which benefits everyone. You need to make sure you carseat fits the regulations. It usually says so on the tag. It isn't easy getting two kids and two carseats on board. But when I check in, I explain my situation and someone from the airline comes with a cart. I put all my carry-ons and car seats on the cart. The airline employee follows me with the cart through security and to my gate. Once there, I explain my situation the the gate attendant. The attendant usually will let me on the plane first to set up the carseats and the kids. They also will move your seats to roomier seats if they can. You just have to ask for help. Let them know your situation. They usually are very helpful. I also remember the airlines that cater to mothers and children and will fly with them again and again. Hope this helps!

I have flown with 2 small children. I checked their carseats before the flight. 2 reasons for this:
1. its just one more thing to worry about on the flight and they take up so much room. It was just easier to let them sit on our laps or in the seat (3 year old and 1 year old).
2. We contemplated "renting" car seats from the car rental place: HOWEVER, they stated (and we checked with all the rental companies) that you can "reserve" carseats but they are not guaranteed. Worse case synerio is that you get there and have to purchase car seats!
so, Its really up to you, but for us, it worked best just to take carseats, but check them with our luggage. We had a great trip! I hope you do to!
P.S. I was concerned about air pressure to, but my kids did fine. In fact, my one year old fell alseep each time the flight took off and woke up after landing (3 legs up and 2 legs back)...maybe you will get lucky there!

Hi S.,
My husband & I just got back from a week long trip to Phoenix (2-1/4 hr flight) on Alaska Airlines with our 16 mos old and older two children. We took our stroller & Britax car seat with us. We didn't pay for a seat for our 16 mos old, but talked to the gate attendant as soon as we arrived (2 hours early) & asked if it was possible to block a seat for him so we could use his car seat. The blocked seat doesn't automatically give you the seat, but makes it the last seat given out. We lucked out and got a seat for our little one both ways.

We took all of our gear to the end of the gate. We used the stroller to carry the car seat & some bags. We parked the stroller at the end of the ramp to board the plane. They tag it with an orange ticket with your flight & seat info & put it in the cargo area for you and then it's there waiting for you as you deplane. They let families with small children board early, which helps a ton to try and get all the gear on! And we just waited for everyone to get off the plane before we got off. We didn't need the help, but the attendants also offered to help us get our stuff off the plane.

Good luck with your trip!

~ R.

I only have one child (2.5 year old) but have done tons of flying with him. I'd say... forget the carseat. They are such a hassle to carry to and through the airport... and I can't even imagine it with 2 car seats... plus 2 more kids than I have. If you need car seats while you are in LA, you can either rent them or just bring yours to the airport and check them (they don't count as chargeable baggage). It'll give the kids so much more room to move around and play on the plane. We always set up a bunch of toys on the seat and let my son stand up and play at his own seat. As for toys... nothing with wheels. Doodle Pro's are good for drawing. Also, stickers... tons of stickers.... and snacks that they aren't normally allowed to eat. AND if they watch tv at all... BRING A DVD PLAYER.

The stroller you can check at the gate (for free) and be able to either lug kids or stuff through the airport.

Good luck!

The first time I traveled by air with my son I checked with his pediatrician and he said what makes babies cry is ear pain, he suggested nursing during take off and landing, with the constant swallowing it kept his ears open. I would imagine it would be the same for your two year olds to have something to drink during those times. Since you will get to pre board I would ask the flight attendants if they have any tips as well. I would rent car seats, having so much to haul thru the airport could be nightmare! Especially LAX. Bring your own snacks for your kids and some special toy they haven't played with yet and the flight will go quickly.

bring the stroller to the gate. that will help you get everyone and everything there. you can check it at the gate so you have it immediately when you get off the plane. i would bring your carseats as well. you can either bring them on the plane, which i suggest so everyone is fitted properly in their seats. it also keeps them in their seats.the other option is to check them at the gate if you decide not to bring them on the plane. Don't check them or your stroller with your luggage. i've heard lots of stories of those things not making it to their destinations. board the plane early when they will let you and get off the plane last in LA. that way you won't feel stressed holding others up while you deal with yours. bring snacks and some entertainment for everyone. it's a short flight, but you never know when there will be delays. if one of you can handle the kids while the other boards the plane and hooks everything up you can run them around before boarding. Seatac has a great play area between the A gates and the C gates. Get to the airport early so you are not stressed over time. it will take you longer to get through security with all your stuff, but they are good about sending families off to another line so you are not holding everyone else up. most important- don't worry about other people! it won't be as bad as you think. have a safe trip.
oh- don't rent the car seats. they are not good car seats that they rent. they look like they have been through the ringer. you don't know if they have ever been in an accident! we only made that mistake once. the rental was dirty and not the right size. they had nothing else to replace it with so we were stuck.

We have 27 month old twins and a 5 month old. We flew to Arkansas from Seattle a couple of months ago. We did bring the car seats on because we wanted the boys to be strapped in and we knew they would wiggle out of the airplane seats. I would bring them OR get something else that will keep your twins contained in their seats, as other posters have suggested. Gate check the stroller-that's what we do, although we bring our light double MacLaren rather than our big heavy triple Valco, and we just put the baby in the Ergo carrier. If you decide against bringing the carseats on the plane, I would still bring them and check them as baggage rather than rent on the other end. Just my 2 cents!

Hi, I haven't yet traveled by air with my 5 year old, but I do travel frequently for business - 5 or 6 times a year. Here's what i've observed and read. First the car seats. Call your rental car company and find out what brand/style car seats they have and how old they are. There was a 20/20 or other news magazine program a few years ago where the car rental companies had seats that were expired by 8-10 years and didn't have the instruction manuals. The peace of mind in taking along your own seats might be worth the price of renting them. The big drawback here is that you have to lug them around.

The air pressure in the plane can be uncomfortable. The successful parents have had their kids playing with a toy and eating or drinking something as the plane is taking off and landing. Keep in mind that you won't be abe to have the tray down, and that any bags etc need to be stuffed under the seat in front of you. To prepare the 2 year olds for what could be a bumpy landing, let them know that when the plane lands on the ground its going to be pretty bumpy and will be a fun ride. If you're happy and looking forward to it, they will too. (If you're terrified and holding on to everyone, they'll be scared and miserable.)

If your airline does pre-boarding, take advantage of those couple extra minutes to get on to the plane and get your little ones settled. Also give big smiles, and say hello to the flight attendants and captain if he or she hasn't gotten settled yet. The flight attendant can be your best friend or an ol' grouch. With a smile and "hello" you set the tone for a good flight.

Don't count on the twins sleeping on the plane. If they nod off, great, but if you're counting on a nice long nap, you'll be disappointed.

Have a safe flight and a great trip. My husband and I are originally from the LA area and have a lot of family and friends there. The weather in October should be pretty comfortable. Unless the Santa Ana winds are active, it shouldn't be too warm, over 85 or so, and it isn't late in the year enough to get cold.

We traveled on a verey long trip to Florida in Jan. 08. At the time my kids were 1yr and 3 1/2yrs. We decided against flying with carseats because it would be more to have to carry on and off the plane. It worked out well for us because my 1 year old was on our laps and the 3 1/2 year old wasn't confined to a carseat. He was able to lay down and sleep or curl up on the seat to get comfy and watch a movie. We checked our carseats into baggage (with covers over them). As for the stroller, we kept it with us (double stroller). You can take it with you to the end of the breezeway and they will put it in the belly of the plane at the last minute. For the air pressure, we made sure they were sucking on a sippy cup, or bottle, while we were taking off. Our pediatrician also suggests Benadryl 30 minutes before you get on the plane. This will help keep the ears clear and also help them sleep. If they will not take a sippy, or bottle while taking off, try a sucker (for the older twins). We used Dum Dums. Anything that makes them do a sucking motion will help with the ears. Whatever you do, do it again while landing. Good luck! I hope that you find some helpful advice on this!

i'd bring your car seats. i think a familiar seat helps the kids and you know how to operate/install it. i brought a britax roundabout on the plane before and had no problems. (with two it will be harder to get them to the plane tho- they get heavy. i'd rent one of those airport carts and check everything else but your kid's entertainment/diaper bags) are you wearing the little one in a front carrier at the airport? i think that would help b/c with two active ones and a bulky cart full of stuff the two of you will have your hands full.
good luck with your travels!

Hi! I've been on 9 flights with my 15 mth old and it's always a challenge because you really just never know how it's going to go but keep in mind that you want to make traveling as fun and enjoyable as possible! The last flight I was on I saw a woman carrying her carseat which was huge for her son who had his own seat. It looked so big and uncomfortable to carry. Plus if your husband is stuck carrying those 2 carseats you are responsible for everything else. You can bring you car seats and check them with your suitcases and the airline will not charge you for them as bags. You can gatecheck the stroller so that way you have it with you all throughout the airport. If your twins are good at sitting in seats then I would recommend not bringing the carseats on the airplane. Just bring them and check them as baggage. They are too big and inconvenient to carry around throughout the airport and if you check them you can pick them up once you get your bags. Bring lots of snacks and a good thing to entertain the kids with is bandaids(sounds weird but it keeps them busy) Sounds like you will have your hands full so good luck and have a great trip!!!

I have two children, now 6 months and 3.5. We have been on planes many times, I have taken them by myself twice...so I don't have three, but I have done two without help! Just to give you a feeling about how often we travel, it is at least one time per month, sometimes more...and we took both to Israel (6 hrs to Phili and 11.5 to Israel) this summer. My 3.5 year old sits in the Britax Marathon on the plane - he ALWAYS falls asleep in it. He is very mellow, but he has never been given a choice to sit in the regular seat, and has never asked...I don't give my kids any kind of medicine (some people give benedryl) and I don't have a DVD player...If he were in the regular seat, I think that he would want to unbuckle the seatbelt and move around...he doesn't have that option (and is fine with it) when he is in the carseat...so, while it is a hassle, I would recommend bringing the seats for the older two. I gate check my infant carrier and stroller (only a single at this point). To help bring the bigger carseats, can you pile them on your stroller and have the twins walk through the airport? We use something called GoGo Babyz (wheels that attach to the carseat, turning it into a stroller, but we don't need a full size stroller for the 3 year old when we get to the places we go).

We have never had air pressure issues - I wouldn't even bring it up to your kids, but maybe have something handy in case they start to cry during take off and landing (pacifier or sippy cup usually does the trick). I bring a lot of toys, post-it notes are great, books, cars, things that can get lost...

Good luck!

Take the car seats! We always took our rather large car seats when flying with our granddaughters, and had no problem. You will be boarded first before others, so will have no problem taking them down the aisle, and will have help doing so.

Do make sure you take snacks to feed the twins during take off and landing when the air pressure will make their ears hurt. This way the swallowing of the snacks will take care of the pressure building up, that we all yawn to relieve. Be sure to have the baby just hungry enough (but not hungry enough to be fussy!) that she will feed during the same time to relieve her ear pressure. This is usually why we hear crying babies on planes, no one tells the mother to feed them something to make them swallow to relieve the pressure during the take off and landing.

Unless it's a full flight, the airline will do all it can to keep an open seat for the infant beside one of you also. It'll be a real experience for the twins, and you'll all do fine!

I haven't delt with LAX but I recently traveled with my 2 yr old to AZ from AK. I would suggest the little tooties pops. They are the size of dum-dum but not that hard candy all the way through. It helped my little girl equalize due to the air pressure changes. When we traveled while on bottle or nursing I did that to help her pop her ears. As far as carseats on the plane we used the carseat/stroller combo that was FAA approved. was nice cause it saved space and $ with checking stuff as baggage. Good luck!

So far I have taken my daughter on plane trips to Europe and NY a few times and we are going again next week.
From my experience for start and landing nurse the baby, if she is breastfeeding (of that is SOOO convenient when you fly!) or give the bottle/paci. If the two year olds are still taking a paci (mine is) that will help or offer sippy cups.
For the toddlers bring a bunch of cheap $-store toys, pipe cleaners, small books, crayons, stickers, cheerios and other finger foods. Make sure these are things they will not miss if lost, because even with only one child it hard to retrieve everything that falls under the seats. Put EVERYTHING in gallon or quart sized ziploc bags (make little activity and snack bags) so you can just pull it our of your purse and hand it to them. That will also make it easier should the TSA decide they need to rifle through you hand luggage.
Talking about the TSA. Put easy on and off shoes on your toddlers, preferably ones that they can manage to out on by themselves - no shoes or robeez on the baby, they WILL ask you to take them off (I know from experience). Put all of your kids fluids in gallon sized ziploc bags and make sure the containers are original and still sealed (except bottled breastmilk obviously) - on our first trip they made me throw out pedialyte that I had already put in baby bottles to make it easier on myself.
Since it's such a short trip I would consider renting car seats. Make your reservation online before you leave home and call ahead to confirm that they will have the seats! They ALWAYS overbook their cars, so you want to double check!
Have a good trip!

You're already going to have your hands completely full with 3 little ones...adding 2 carseats to the mix would be insane! We only have one child, and bringing his carseat on a plane was way too much for even the two of us to handle, along with all the other carry-ons that are required when traveling with kids.

Here's an idea: if you need carseats when you arrive in LA, what about just buying a couple of inexpensive ones on Amazon and having them shipped to your final destination? This probably wouldn't cost much more than renting, and you're assured that the seats will be clean and in good repair. It will also save you the headache of lugging those enormous seats around. If you regularly travel down there, just leave them for the next trip, and if not, donate or sell them on Craigslist.

Hi S.,
We just traveled cross country with a 3 yo and 9 month old twins, so I hope I can give you some advice that worked for us! Check the stroller and the car seats at the gate. This way you will not have to pay extra for them and you are positive that they are on the plane! Bring a dvd player with their favorite videos, juice boxes for take off and landing. Make sure that they drink them at these times and you will not have any problems with their ears. Bring lots of easy snacks, coloring books, toys. Also, bring those things in their own little roller backpacks and they will feel really special walking through the airport and one less thing for you to carry. For your infant, use your infant carrier on you. This will keep you hands free, as you will need them!
Good luck, and have a great time!
L.

Car seats are good because the kids are used to sitting in them, but not a necessity, especially if you have a lot of other stuff to carry around the airport. Call 24 hours in advance and let them know you will be traveling with 3 infants and would like a bulk head seat. These are the seats at the front by the wall, and give you a lot more room when you have little ones sitting on your lap. You can check the stroller at the gate. It can seem overwhelming traveling with little ones, but take it from this old air force mama, it is never as hard as you think it will be before you set out!! Good luck, relax, and have a great trip!!

I have to second what Megan posted! I traveled last Oct. with a 2 1/2 yr old and a 3 month old along with my hubby of course. I opted to check their car seats, which was free with delta and most, and then have my older just sit in his seat! This allowed for more room for him to move around and explore his SMALL area. There were a couple of families that did that same as us and then a few with carseats and I was second guessing myself when we took off, but then to my surprise the kids in the carseats ALL ended up being fussy and crying for most of the trip and the ones in just the airplane seat were pretty good. I would NEVER bring my carseats on, too much of a hassle! Good Luck!