Flying private with children

Flying privately with children removes the security line with a stroller and the walk to the gate. It does not remove the rules on where a child sits, which are short, and the FAA has published plain guidance on them. Here is what applies on a charter, and what to tell the broker so the aircraft is set up before you arrive.

Can you fly private with a baby?

Yes. Under 14 CFR 135.128, which governs charter operators, a child who has not reached the age of two may be held by an adult sitting in an approved seat, as long as the child is not using any restraining device. Or the child may sit in an approved car seat, called a child restraint system, in a seat of its own.

The FAA’s advice is to use the car seat. Its Kids’ Corner page, updated August 18, 2026, says the safest place for a child under two is in an approved child restraint system or device, not on a lap, because arms cannot hold a child securely in unexpected turbulence. The FAA strongly urges an approved restraint for the whole flight.

Age	Where the child sits	Car seat	ID for a domestic trip
Under 2	On an adult’s lap, or in an approved car seat in its own seat	Not required by the rule; the FAA recommends one	TSA does not require ID under 18
2 and older	Its own seat, with its own seat belt	Optional, if labelled for aircraft	TSA does not require ID under 18
Any age, international	As above	As above	A passport for every passenger

Do you need a car seat on a private jet?

Not by federal rule, but the FAA recommends one for a child under two, and from the second birthday every child needs a seat of its own. 14 CFR 135.128 says a seat belt may not be shared by more than one person who has reached their second birthday, so a two-year-old cannot share a parent’s seat.

A charter operator may not refuse a parent’s car seat if the child has a seat, a parent or designated adult is travelling with the child, and the car seat carries the right label (135.128(b)(2)). The operator decides which seat it goes in.

Which car seats are allowed on a private jet?

Hard-backed car seats that carry an aircraft label, and the FAA-approved CARES harness. For a seat made to US standards after February 25, 1985, 14 CFR 135.128 requires two labels, one of them reading, in red, “THIS RESTRAINT IS CERTIFIED FOR USE IN MOTOR VEHICLES AND AIRCRAFT”. Seats approved by a foreign government or built to United Nations standards qualify if they are marked as such.

The FAA’s figures for the CARES device are a child up to 40 inches tall, weighing 22 to 44 pounds, able to sit upright in their own forward-facing seat. It is certified for aircraft only, not cars.

What is not allowed for taxi, takeoff and landing:

• Booster seats, under 135.128(b)(1).
• Vest and harness restraints other than approved devices such as CARES.
• Lap-held restraints and baby carriers, which the FAA also lists as prohibited during ground movement, takeoff and landing.

Where does a car seat go in a private jet cabin?

On a seat that faces forward. 14 CFR 135.128 requires the restraint system to be properly secured to an approved forward-facing seat, so if the cabin has seats that face backwards or sideways, the car seat cannot go in those. Inside that rule, the car seat itself faces forward or backwards as its label says for the child’s size, according to the FAA.

Tell the broker the number and ages of the children when you ask for a quote. The operator can then confirm that the aircraft has enough forward-facing seats for the car seats and the adults who need to sit near them. What size private jet you need covers seat counts by aircraft.

Do children need ID to fly private?

Not for a domestic trip, as far as TSA is concerned. TSA’s identification page says it does not require children under 18 to provide identification when travelling within the United States, and tells travellers to ask the carrier about its own requirements. The operator still needs every child’s full name for the passenger list.

For an international trip every passenger needs a passport, children and babies included, and the details go to the operator before the flight. See flying private internationally and, for what happens at the FBO, do you go through TSA on a private jet.

Does a baby on a lap count as a passenger?

Yes, for the passenger list and the weight, but not for a seat. The operator needs the baby’s name like anyone else’s, and the baby’s weight and bags count towards the aircraft’s limits. A baby on a lap does not take a seat, which can matter on a light jet with every seat full.

Strollers, car seats and bags of baby gear take baggage space, and a light jet has as little as 46 cubic feet. See how much luggage you can bring.

What should you tell the broker when flying with children?

Four things, at the time of the quote:

1. The age and approximate weight of each child, so the operator can plan seats and weight.
2. Whether you are bringing car seats, what kind, and that they carry the aircraft label.
3. The stroller and baby gear, which go into the baggage count.
4. For international trips, each child’s passport details, at the same time as the adults’.

If you would like a family trip planned with the seating confirmed before you fly, call +1 (862) 485-3510 or request a quote and put the children’s ages in the notes.

Sources

• 14 CFR 135.128, Use of safety belts and child restraint systems (eCFR, Title 14)
• FAA: Kids’ Corner, child restraint systems, CARES and lap children
• TSA: acceptable identification at the checkpoint, including children
• Paramount Business Jets: private jet rental cost, priced per aircraft