Inside the 10 Biggest Airlines and Their Family Policies

Congress has just made life a whole lot easier for traveling families. Here's how the biggest airlines in America treat parents.
By Eric Reed ,

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.

Loading ...