Cosco Kids - Scenera NEXT Convertible Car Seat (CC123CVC)

This happens to my five-year-old as well. Luckily I had overnight diapers in my bag to cushion his back the first time we used it on a plane. That stupid buckle is in the worst spot, and I’m glad it’s not an issue in the car. Recently we have used my husband’s hoodie to soften it. I’m not as concerned about using the seat properly while we fly - we mainly bring it to avoid waiting when we get off the plane or at baggage claim since we prefer late night flights.

Everything about rental car seats from OrneryPathos I would echo- you can't guarantee or assume it's safe so basically don't do it. Typically when you travel abroad your seat isn't able to be used if you move there, but everyone turns a blind eye to foreign seats as long as you are otherwise following the local laws (age requirements, rear facing requirements, booster requirements, etc). In this case, traveling alone I'd go with a very light carseat like a Cosco Scenera Next in a nice travel backpack and then use pouches or an insert to also use that same bag as your diaper bag.

We have the cosco scenera and can confirm that it is very easy for travel. Also big baby who outgrew their infant seat early. No complaints from the now-2.5yo who does occasional 2-3 hour drives in it. We don’t drive and only use it for travel, so as people who don’t do car seats very often, we’ve found it fine to install and buckle. I think my mil with mobility issues would not be able to install it, but as middle aged able-bodied adults who are often deliriously tired on travel days, it’s been fine lol

We’ve had the Cosco Scenera for 2 years and just use the seat belt straps as a handle or find a spot on the frame to carry it short distances. This type of seat is not meant to carry the child around in. You will need to keep your kid in a stroller, carrier, or leash until you’re ready to put them in the car seat if they’ll wander off otherwise. We have the Mountain Buggy Nano with the original intention of using it with car seats, and have only done it once. I can’t speak to how easy it is because we never really practiced. I vaguely remember it was ok. We just prefer to get around town with less stuff and limit lots of gear to travel days. So if we had to use the car seat, we used a carrier and backpack instead of a stroller.

We have a Cosco Scenera seat mainly for getting to and from airports, occasionally to get around the city. Our strollers are an Uppababy Vista, which can accommodate the car seat in the basket, and the Mountain Buggy Nano which has a universal infant car seat attachment system and a supposedly popular toddler carseat attachment hack. All that being said, we almost never go anywhere that requires that we lug the car seat with us at the destination. It’s too much equipment. These clever travel ideas don’t account for all the toddler stuff we have to carry around anyway, so getting either stroller perfectly packed so that they can go into a car trunk without raining out a bag’s worth of stale cracker crumbs only happens if we’re flying. What we actually do is 1) check if the destination has coat check or stroller parking to leave the car seat there, 2) figure out how to get there via public transportation with the travel stroller and/or a toddler carrier (apparently I’m often the only person that’s ever worn a 2yo because people were constantly surprised to see my giant monster of a child looming over them), or we put off going until kid is out of the car seat and ready for a booster/harness. Our wishlist of city destinations isn’t that long, just take the subway.

It’s fine, my kid has used it on long overnight road trips and slept in it without any issues.

We had this exact set up with the same car seat and stroller. We also bought a padded car seat bag from Amazon that fit the scenera that we used for checking the car seat. The bag is backpack style too which is super convenient.

When my first was born we didn't have a car, I bought a Graco snugride bucket seat without a base and used it with an adapter on our uppababy cruz. I used it in Ubers a lot and it was easy and fairly light. We did eventually buy a car when she outgrew the bucket seat and got a Cosco Scenera Next for when we travelled which could be an option for you when baby is a year plus.

Highly recommend a car seat. I didn’t bring my everyday heavy car seat when I flew with my son to New Zealand from the US. Instead, I went to Walmart and got this one. It’s super light and very inexpensive -as far as car seats go). https://www.walmart.com/ip/Cosco-Kids-Scenera-NEXT-Convertible-Car-Seat-Cobblestone-Infant-Toddler-Unisex/534841958?classType=VARIANT&athbdg=L1103&from=/search

How old is your kiddo? We have just about every version of travel car seats bc we do long haul travel a lot.  For the 0-3 crowd, the Cosco Scenera is perfect. Cheap, light, straps easily to a travel stroller using a luggage strap, so you just strap it on and strap your kiddo in, for getting around the airport. Also cheap enough to be left behind if you only need it in one direction.  For the 2-5 crowd, the WayB Pico (FF only) is really nice. Also light, though you’ll want the backpack that’s another $80+ to store it if you’re going through airports. Kind of a B to install, but really compact and nice.  For the 4+ crowd (we started at 3.5,which is a bit young tbh), the Ride Safer Travel Vest is amazing. They wear it and you clip the seatbelt into it. It also has an optional top tether just like a FF seat’s top tether, for an added layer of security.  For the 6+ crowd, the bubble bum inflatable bum booster is great. 

Grab a cheap Cosco Scenera for travel. It’s lightweight and will fit well.

Cosco car seat.  Literally lighter than my diaper bag.  While strolling through the airport put the seat in the stroller.  I'm assuming you have a double?

Depends on the kid I guess. My child is 2 and is pretty active and moves around a lot if not strapped in. We went to Europe at 1.5 years then Mexico at 2 years and we used the Cosco Scenara seat for both. Very lightweight and she was able to nap comfortably and just chill. I got a backpack cover for it. I carry on my back and then roll my carry on with my personal item on top. We decided to carry her in our arms going in the train going from UK to France and she was crawling and tumbling all over us and moving all the time. Strapped in she would just play with her toys, use crayons in her book, etc. Those few hours were tough.

We have a couple of the Cosco ones. They stack well amd are easy to carry. Not the fanciest but seem to do the job.

Cosco scenera or journey (when they outgrow the scenera)

For our toddler we also did the Costco Scenera. We needed a car seat at our destination anyway. And it was easier having him contained in something he's used to. When he's older I intend to get the safety harness straps you can add to the plane seat. Not sure the bigger car seats will be worth attempting to use on the plane.

1) This is allowed under [FAA Regulations](https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/about/initiatives/cabin_safety/regs/acob949.pdf), but Southwest flight attendants may not allow it. 2) If both your car seats are 19” wide, I wouldn’t count on both of them fitting correctly side-by-side, even with the arm rests up. If they do, it’s going to be very tight. 3) Be prepared to lift the seats up and possibly overhead going down the aisle, depending on their width. My husband and I have flown with our twins in car seats, and we would always split up and get a window and aisle in two consecutive rows, so we could talk to each other or pass stuff back and forth if needed. If there’s only one adult, I’d try to have just one car seat on the plane. If the second child needs a restraint, I’d look at getting a CARES harness. I’d also consider purchasing lightweight Cosco Scenera car seats for the trip. They weigh <10 lbs and are pretty cheap. They’re sold at Walmart. Also figure out your plan for getting two car seats to the gate and two car seats on the plane with the kids. Many people like the carts that you can strap the car seats to and roll them through the airport. Keep in mind that once you’re on the plane, you can’t get off the plane and then get back on, so have a plan for how all adults, kids, and car seats are getting on at once. We had car seat travel bags that made transporting them easier.

Most that will be recommended for daily use aren’t the best for travelling (heavy). For example the graco extend2fit is probably the most widely recommended convertible seat but I’d never take it on a plane. We got an evenflo sonus for travel, the cosco scenera is another popular travel seat, both around $100. Convertible seats aren’t like infant seats that can detach from their base, if they do have a base for easier installation/more stability, recline options etc, it’s not removable.

The cosco scerenca (spelling might be off) is usually the go-to convertible travel seat. It's light weight, easy to install, easy seatbelt install. Otherwise... You just memorize the installation instructions and practice doing it quickly.

For my first time traveling w/ my firstborn, we were traveling to another country w/ close family friends and we both checked our carseats. Arrive in said foreign country and all of our bags arrive except the two carseats for both of our kids. Canada Air lost them in the tracking and couldn't tell us when they'd arrive. So they go in the back and pull out two brand new Cosco Scenaros. Absolute garbage but they did the job. Two days into our vacation they say the seats arrived and they're going to send a courier out to deliver them to us. I didn't believe it because we were in a remote part of Canada on a literal island...and of course they didn't come. It took about 5 days until they finally arrived and we were in a different part of Canada but when they arrived we asked "what do we do with these Coscos?" and they told us to trash them. We donated them to a shelter that was happy to receive them so all in all it worked out nicely but I honestly think I'd prefer just getting a ghetto Cosco from a rental agency every time if they sold them new for a slight upcharge. Lugging around my 500lb Nuna just isn't worth it.

He probably won’t fit in the doona. Infant seats can not rear face, even on a plane. I would bring a cosco seat and use it on the plane. That’s what we did when we took our 18mo to Europe. She did end up being held for sleep but she was in her seat otherwise. Good luck!

We haven’t had to bring a car seat but we travel frequently with a Cosco Scenera. That seat should fit easily under the bed in the room.  Don’t mind the people saying to do a rental or schedule transport, it’s 100% valid to want to bring your own seat. 

Cosco until big/mature enough for RideSafer.

Where are you going that you don't need seats at your destination? We bought a Cosco brand seat for traveling. Much more lightweight and easy to install than our usual car seats. We used it on the plane and in our rental car while on vacation.

When my first was born we didn't have a car, I bought a Graco snugride bucket seat without a base and used it with an adapter on our uppababy cruz. I used it in Ubers a lot and it was easy and fairly light. We did eventually buy a car when she outgrew the bucket seat and got a Cosco Scenera Next for when we travelled which could be an option for you when baby is a year plus.

By the time my kid outgrew the cosco scenera, he was 4.5 and we just switched to a booster for travel.

Are you planning on driving a lot or just need it to get wherever you are going? If you don't plan on driving a lot, there are driver services with car seats. What is your trip itenerary? If it is mostly SF, don't rent a car. If you plan on driving a lot, get a cosco scenera and a backpack bag to make it easier to carry. We cram other stuff into the carseat backpack when we travel so it is less to carry.

Cosco scenera rear faces, is cheap, can be used with a seat belt. Likely cheaper than renting one. Fits rear facing on every plane I’ve taken it on. Also took to Europe with no problems.

I have a Cosco Scenera travel car seat. I can flip it upside down and strap it to the back of the stroller so I don't have to lug it around. The head of the car seat kind of sits in the under basket a little for support and a bungee cord goes through the base to strap it to the top of the stroller above her head. It works out really well for me and I've used this system with Ubers and getting through airports.