Inside the 10 Biggest Airlines and Their Family Policies
Editors' pick: Originally published July 22.
Family fliers got an unexpected gift recently when Congress renewed the Federal Aviation Authority's authorization bill. Included in the legislation was a series of benefits designed to make air travel a little bit better for those back in economy class.
Some of the new regulations will help everyone, such as those intended to speed up security checks or refund baggage fees for luggage lost for more than 12 hours.
However, one change in particular has caught the eye of parents, because it's going to make their lives one heck of a lot easier. According to new regulations, airlines will be required to seat families with children together at no extra cost. Specifically, any child under 13 will be entitled to "a seat adjacent to the seat of an accompanying family member over the age of 13."
Airlines are up in arms. In a world where an increasing number of carriers charge for seat reservation fees, this is going to cost them real money. Travelers, on the other hand, can finally stop worrying about whether they'll have to rely on the kindness of strangers not to have to scatter their children about the plane.
Because, let's face it, traveling with a family is never easy. So in honor of the FAA's new system, here are the family policies for America's 10 biggest carriers.
Rules for infant travel (under two years old):For any infant less than seven days old you'll need a doctor's certificate for flight.
Rules for children: Any child over two years old needs his own, full fare, seat. No one under five years old can travel unaccompanied.
Lap Seats: Up until two years old you can carry your child in your lap. This is free for domestic flights and costs 10% of the ticket for international journeys.
Only one lap child is allowed per adult. You must purchase a seat for each additional infant.
Children's Entertainment: None specific.
Amenities: American has changing tables in the bathrooms on all wide-bodied aircraft (meaning, most airplanes aside from small commuter craft). On particularly large planes the airline offers bassinets on a first-come, first-served basis, but only in economy.
Food: American doesn't offer bottles or specific children's meals, but the company will heat a bottle for you.
Boarding priority: None.
Strollers: Each ticketed customer is allowed one stroller that he can gate-check if it's under 20 pounds.
Pregnancy: If you're due within four weeks of the flight, American may ask for a doctor's certificate clearing you to fly.
Rules for infant travel (under two years old): No infants are allowed under seven days old.
Rules for children: Any child over two years old needs his own, full fare, seat. No one under five years old can travel unaccompanied.
Lap Seats: Up until two years old, you can carry your child in your lap. This is free for domestic flights and costs 10% of the ticket for international journeys. Infants between the U.S. and Canada or Mexico only have to pay taxes.
Only one lap child is allowed per adult. You must purchase a seat for each additional infant.
Children's Entertainment: None specific.
Amenities: United offers changing tables on certain, larger aircraft. For some international flights the airline offers bassinets on a first-come, first-served basis, but only in economy.
Food: United doesn't offer bottles or children's specific meals and cannot heat bottles for passengers.
Boarding priority: Families traveling with children under the age of three have priority boarding.
Strollers: Strollers may be gate-checked for free. "Large, non-collapsible" strollers must be checked at the ticketing counter.
Pregnancy: If you're due within four weeks of the flight, United may ask for a doctor's certificate clearing you to fly.
Rules for infant travel (under two years old): Infant fares are available for all children under two years old with a seat. Children under 14 days old require a medical release
Rules for children: Children's fares are available for ages two through 11.
Lap Seats: Up until two years old, you can carry your child in your lap. This is free for domestic flights. On international flights you will be charged relevant taxes and fees.
You must provide a birth certificate for each lap child.
Only one lap child is allowed per adult. You must purchase a seat for each additional infant. Special infant fares are available for these passengers.
Children's Entertainment: None specific.
Amenities: Southwest offers changing tables on certain aircraft.
Food: Southwest doesn't offer bottles or specific children's meals, but the company will heat a bottle for you.
Boarding priority: Priority boarding for families with children under the age of four.
Strollers: Each ticketed customer is allowed one stroller that he can gate-check.
Pregnancy: No specified rules.
Rules for infant travel (under two years old): No infants are allowed under three days old.
Rules for children: Any child over two years old needs his own, full fare, seat.
Lap Seats: Up until two years old, you can carry your child in your lap. This is free for domestic flights. On international flights you will be charged relevant taxes and fees.
Only one lap child is allowed per adult. You must purchase a seat for each additional infant. Special infant fares are available for these passengers.
Children's Entertainment: None specific, although "at least one kid age-appropriate movie" will be available at every seat on flights longer than two hours.
Amenities: JetBlue offers changing tables on all aircraft. It does not offer bassinets.
Food: Free snacks, including cookies and juice.
Boarding priority: Priority boarding for families with children under the age of two.
Strollers: Strollers may be gate-checked for free.
Pregnancy: If you're due within one week of the flight, JetBlue may ask for a doctor's certificate clearing you to fly.
Spirit Airlines
Rules for infant travel (under two years old): No infants are allowed under seven days old.
Rules for children: Any child over two years old needs his own, full fare, seat.
Lap Seats: Up until two years old, you can carry your child in your lap. This is free for domestic flights and costs 10% of the ticket for international journeys.
Only one lap child is allowed per adult. You must purchase a seat for each additional infant.
Children's Entertainment: None specific.
Amenities: None
Food: Spirit doesn't offer bottles or children's specific meals and cannot heat bottles for passengers.
Boarding priority: None
Strollers:Strollers may be gate-checked for free.
Pregnancy: No specified rules.
Rules for infant travel (under two years old): No infants are allowed under seven days old.
Rules for children: Any child over two years old needs their own, full fare, seat.
Lap Seats: Up until two years old, you can carry your child in your lap. This is free for domestic flights and costs 10% of the ticket for international journeys.
Only one lap child is allowed per adult. You must purchase a seat for each additional infant.
Children's Entertainment: Speakaboos, a child-specific entertainment app.
Amenities: Delta offers changing tables and bassinets on certain aircraft.
Food: Delta offers jarred baby food for infants and children's meals for those ages two to 12.
Boarding priority: None
Strollers: Strollers may be gate-checked for free.
Rules for infant travel (under two years old): No age restriction on infants flying.
Rules for children:Any child over two years old needs his own, full fare, seat.
Lap Seats: Up until two years old, you can carry your child in your lap. This is free for domestic flights and costs 10% of the ticket for international journeys.
Only one lap child is allowed per adult. You must purchase a seat for each additional infant.
Children's Entertainment: None specific.
Amenities: Alaska offers changing tables on certain aircraft
Food: Alaska offers children's snack-packs for purchase.
Boarding priority: None.
Strollers: Strollers may be gate-checked for free.
Pregnancy: No specified rules.
Rules for infant travel (under two years old): No infants are allowed under seven days old.
Rules for children: Special Kid Zone fares are available on some flights.
Lap Seats: Up until two years old, you can carry your child in your lap. This is free for domestic flights and costs 10% of the ticket for international journeys.
Only one lap child is allowed per adult. You must purchase a seat for each additional infant.
Children's Entertainment: None specific.
Amenities:Frontier offers the Kid Zone as a way for families with children to sit together at discounted rates and are placed with easy access to restrooms. Frontier offers changing tables on some aircraft.
Food: Frontier doesn't offer bottles or children's specific meals, and cannot heat bottles for passengers.
Boarding priority: Priority boarding for families with children under three years old.
Strollers: Strollers may be gate-checked for free.
Pregnancy: No specified rules.
Rules for infant travel (under two years old): Infants under seven days old require a doctor's certificate.
Rules for children: Any child over two years old needs his own, full fare, seat.
Lap Seats: Up until two years old you can carry your child in your lap. This is free for domestic flights and costs 10% of the ticket for international journeys.
Only one lap child is allowed per adult. You must purchase a seat for each additional infant.
Children's Entertainment:Some child-specific programming and games is included on the in-flight consoles.
Amenities: Virgin offers changing tables on all aircraft and diapers on some.
Food: Virgin offers kid's meals for purchase such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It also offers child-specific snacks for purchase. It can heat bottles for passengers.
Boarding priority: Priority boarding for families with children under five years old.
Strollers: Each ticketed customer is allowed one stroller that he can gate-check if it's under 20 pounds.
Pregnancy: If you're due within one week of the flight, Virgin may ask for a doctor's certificate clearing you to fly.
Rules for infant travel (under two years old): All infants under two years old must have a birth certificate or other proof of age.
Rules for children: Any child over two years old needs their own, full fare, seat. Allegiant does not allow unaccompanied minors under the age of 14.
Lap Seats: Up until two years old you can carry your child in your lap free of charge.
Only one lap child is allowed per adult. You must purchase a seat for each additional infant.
Children's Entertainment: None specific.
Amenities: None specific.
Food:Allegiant offers child-specific snacks for purchase.
Boarding priority: None.
Strollers: Strollers may be gate-checked for free.
Pregnancy: If you're due within 45 days of the flight, Allegiant may ask for a doctor's certificate clearing you to fly.