Can I check a booster seat at the gate Southwest?

Customers with children are allowed to check one stroller and one car seat without charge. This allowance applies to any type of stroller and/or car seat and is in addition to the regular baggage allowance. Customers may check the stroller and car seat at the curb, ticket counter, or gate.



Yes, you can check a booster seat at the gate with Southwest Airlines, and it is complimentary. Southwest allows families to check one stroller and one car seat or booster seat per child for free, either at the ticket counter or the gate. While backless booster seats are not FAA-approved for use during the flight (as they require a shoulder belt, which airplanes lack), you can "Gate Check" them so they are waiting for you on the jet bridge upon arrival. This is a high-fidelity strategy for parents who want to ensure their safety equipment isn't lost in the main baggage system. You simply ask the gate agent for a green "Gate Check" tag before boarding. For the best protection of your gear in 2026, it is highly recommended to use a padded travel bag, as gate-checked items are still subject to significant handling and potential weather exposure on the tarmac during the loading process.

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It's also really convenient to throw into any bag. If I don't have the option to take the car seat onboard, then I prefer to gate check my car seat because it touches the baggage handling process less and is more likely to be on my exact plane (rather than delayed).

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Car seats and strollers can be checked just like any other item (at no charge at most airlines). If you do check items either at the ticket counter or gate, get your luggage tag for them straight away. Even if you're not boarding any time soon, attach your luggage tag to your items as soon as possible.

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Customers traveling with children will be allowed to check one stroller and one Child Restraint System (CRS) or car seat per child without charge. This is in addition to the regular free baggage allowance.

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Employees may ask for age verification at any point, so please travel with a copy or original form of any government-issued ID, such as a birth certificate or passport for your child. A medical release for travel is required for any infant under 14 days old.

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Lap child policy. Who qualifies as a Lap Child? One child over 14 days and under two (2) years of age, not occupying a seat, may be carried as a Lap Child when traveling with an adult (12 years of age or older). Each adult may travel with one Lap Child.

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Although children who have not reached their second birthday are permitted to travel as lap children, the FAA strongly discourages this practice and recommends that you secure your child in an approved CRS in their own seat for the entire flight.

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When you check in with your luggage, tell the counter person that you want to gate check your stroller. They'll either give you a tag to affix, or they'll put it on your stroller themselves.

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Gate checking is the process of checking your bag at the gate to be stored in the cargo hold of the aircraft. This is different from regularly checking your bag, as the process is normally completed at a check-in desk/ticket counter pre-security, rather than at the departure gate before you board your flight.

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The FAA recommends that children under 40 pounds continue to use a car seat and that children over 40 pounds use the seat belt on the airplane seat. The AAP recommends that you continue to use a car seat on a plane for any child who uses one in a car.

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