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Seeing new things, having new experiences, visiting relatives, jumping from freezing temperatures to sunny beaches in an afternoon … There are plenty of great reasons to fly with kids. But for anyone who says “getting there is half the fun,” I’m guessing they haven’t been to an airport with a toddler.
Even as a professional travel writer and mom of “big” kids, I still stress about finding seats together, getting delayed, and having something to eat on the flight. That’s why knowing what airlines are truly family-friendly, and, let’s face it, just friendly in general, is important.
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At the very least, you want an airline that’s going to guarantee your 4-year-old isn’t sitting with strangers while you’re stuck in a middle seat in the back of the plane. In the best-case scenario, though, there are a host of airlines that go out of their way to make flying comfortable and actually fun – not just for the littlest members of your traveling party, but for the grownups, too.
“Pretty much any airline is able to accommodate families,” says David SlotnickOpens a new window, the senior aviation business reporter at The Points Guy and dad to a 1-year-old son. “Most of them will let you preboard, if you ask, so that you can have time to stow your bags and get everyone settled into your seats, and most will let you gate-check a stroller, so that you can pick it back up as soon as you step off of the plane.” But, he cautions, there are things that some do better than others, like free checked bags and guaranteed seat assignments, that really make a difference when flying with kids.
How we chose the best airlines for families
As a travel writer with more than 20 years of experience, I’ve circled the world and reported on everything from Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World to safari lodges in Africa. I’ve flown with my son both alone and with my husband hundreds of times to dozens of locations (last stop, Spain, next stop, Japan). And I can tell you we’ve had great experiences – the whole family upgraded to lay-flat business class seats returning home from London on United – and terrible flights – Air France canceling our flight home from Paris and rescheduling us 18 hours later. And I’ve learned some valuable lessons along the way.
In addition to this personal experience, I utilized the BabyCenter Community to see what airlines have come through for families flying with their little ones in tow and spoke to nearly a dozen travel-savvy parents who among them have logged more miles in the sky than many travel professionals. From these conversations, I was able to learn what parents prioritize when looking for an airline.
Based on this combined research, all of the airlines below:
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Offer pre-boarding for families with young children so you’re not fighting to cram your bags into an overhead bin while simultaneously installing a car seat.
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Ensure families sit together – to say this is a hot-button topic would be an understatement; the Department of Transportation (DOT) even created an Airline Family Seating DashboardOpens a new window to track airline policies.
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Offer a range of amenities – including the ability to warm up bottles and borrow baby gear, like strollers, in the airport.
For additional insight into flying with babies and kids, I spoke to the following family travel experts:
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David Slotnick,Opens a new window the senior aviation business reporter at The Points Guy website and dad to 1-year-old son.
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Alexis Bowen, co-founder of ElsewhereOpens a new window by Lonely Planet, a travel site connecting local experts and travelers, and a mom to a baby girl.
As far as general carriers in the United States go, JetBlue comes out on top for several reasons. First, there’s the variety of free in-flight entertainment options to keep the kids entertained, including free WiFi, live TV, and movies at every seat, not to mention copious free snack options that include cookies, chips, and an addictive snack mix. Plus, JetBlue has the largest legroom in coach, which helps with everything from letting kids stretch to giving you room to maneuver your car seat into place.
JetBlue also guarantees families sit together no matter how much you paid for your tickets, which is (almost) priceless. All of its planes have changing tables — a win for when you need to change a diaper mid-flight. Finally, families who know how to work their points will appreciate how easy it is to pool and redeem rewards.
Heads up: JetBlue recently raised their domestic checked bag fees: Your first checked bag will now cost $35 if you commit online more than 24 hours in advance, and $45 within less than 24 hours’ notice. (International baggage is free.) JetBlue does not charge to check your car seat.
Parents say: “JetBlue let my husband board early with our seat harness, diaper bag, and carry-ons so he could get our row set up before I walked my toddler on board with our regular boarding group. This was game-changing since I could give my 2-year-old a final diaper change before the long flight without missing our chance to get our things onto the plane before everyone else.”
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Best domestic airline for on-time performance: DeltaOpens a new window
Many parents I spoke to raved about Delta’s service, so it wasn’t a surprise that Delta was the top-rated domestic airline on Bounce’s 2023 Airline IndexOpens a new window. Delta had the highest percentage of on-time arrivals (82%), one of the lowest cancellation rates at 2%, and also the lowest level of passenger complaints at just 2.66 per 100 customers. (For comparison, Frontier had 10 times that number of complaints.).
Delta was also named the Most Reliable Airline in the U.S. by AirAdvisorOpens a new window. In other words, if you want to get your family to your destination without delays, Delta is your airline.
Another top-selling point that many parents shared with me was Delta’s peanut allergen policy. With advance notice, Delta will refrain from serving peanuts on your flightOpens a new window.
Heads up: There are limited snack options on short domestic flights.
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Parents say: “Delta is hands down our favorite airline to fly as a family … My daughter’s first flight was around a year old, and I was flying solo with her. The flight attendants brought her special kids’ snacks, the pilot gave her Delta wings, and they truly went above and beyond to help me get her to the changing station in the bathroom, clean up snacks, you name it … [Delta is] just generally a very family-positive airline. They allow families to board first if desired. They easily check any luggage or strollers at the gate — and we’ve never had an item go missing or be delayed in any way! We’ve 1713276749 gone on 10-plus flights with our 4-year-old, and the times we’ve experienced delays (weather-related only), we were kept informed and felt like we were in really good hands.”
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First, let’s start with the transparent pricing on Southwest, which usually beats other major carriers on the same route. There’s no laundry list of extras, in large part because checked bags – two per person – are completely free. That means you can check your suitcase instead of dragging a carry-on, a stroller, your child, a car seat, and luggage onto a plane.
And while Southwest isn’t included in the DOT list of airlines that guarantee family seating, they do have some safety nets in place to work with their unique no-pre-assigned-seating policy. You can, of course, pay to be in the early bird group to board the plane first. However, if you have kids under 6, take advantage of the family boardingOpens a new window, which happens after the A group and before the B group, meaning you’ll be among the first people on the plane and can usually choose seats together.
Heads up: If your child is older than 6, but under 14, Southwest promises it will “reasonably endeavor to seat a child next to one accompanying passenger.” If you want your entire family to sit together and you have a larger party, you might want to pay for early boarding.
Parents say: “I like the boarding process, and I like that they have family boarding up until age 6. It’s so nice to have the extra time to get to the seats. And we usually install the extra airplane seat belts, so we like having the extra time for that too.”
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Europe’s biggest carrier ranks high for its comfortable seats and extensive in-flight entertainment system. The airline keeps the comfort going for families with special check-in areas in Frankfurt and Munich and the extensive Kinderland play area in Munich.
With the thought that well-fed kids are happy kids, Lufthansa offers in-air children’s menus taste-tested by a panel of junior chefs. Expect dishes like “pretzel face,” “tortoise muffins,” “Lu’s favorite lasagna,” and “sausage mummies.” Meals for babies – such as baby food, mini sausages, and soups – are also available on board Lufthansa flights.
Heads up: Lufthansa mostly flies to European destinations, so you can’t really use them to travel around North America.
Parents say: “Lufthansa made it very easy to travel with kids. We boarded early and settled quickly. They offer children’s meals ([which you] must request in advance) that are served prior to main cabin meals. This gave me time to both attend to them and also allow me to eat my meal in peace. An overall wonderful experience.”
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For kids, flying Emirates is a little bit like attending a birthday party in the sky: There are goodie bags, stuffed animals, toys, and even special snacks. If you’re flying with a baby, you’ll receive a kit with a reusable changing mat, diaper cream, cleansing wipes, a bib, a plush toy that attaches to the seatback, and a special collectible blanket. Bigger kids get fanny packs and backpacks filled with games and activities.
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Kids’ meals include favorites like pasta and chicken tenders served on special colorful trays, and there are snack boxes filled with cookies and fruit snacks for mid-flight munchies. Emirates even has special kid-sized headphones to watch the collection of Disney movies and other in-flight entertainment.
Parents will be happy to know that families always board first, and at the Dubai hub, there’s a special family check-in desk as well as complimentary strollers to navigate the airport.
Heads up: Emirates doesn’t operate domestic flights, so you can only use this option for international travel, and the airline is often one of the priciest options when comparing fares, although you do get what you pay for.
Parents say: “I chose to fly Emirates through Dubai as I knew their economy class section was roomier and more comfortable than most airlines and that their entertainment system would keep my son engaged throughout much of the long flight. The service on board and at the Dubai lounge were excellent – truly helpful to this single mom!”
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Factors to consider when choosing an airline for your family
If you’re deciding between a few different carriers for a trip, keep the following in mind to help you make your choice.
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Price. Let’s face it, paying for a family to fly is pricey. So finding an airline with well-priced seats, as well as perks, is definitely important.
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On-time performance. You do not want any delays, if you can help it, when traveling with kids. (I say this as a mom who was stuck for 11 hours in Newark Airport with a 6-year-old waiting for a replacement plane on an airline that only had one scheduled flight per day out of New Jersey). While weather can’t be helped, choosing an airline with a noted performance record can get you off the ground sooner.
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Kid-friendliness. Does the airline have kids’ meals? How about entertainment? Do they offer any additional toys or perks for little ones to make the trip more memorable?
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Seating policies for babies. Are there lap infant policies that let you hold your baby under 2 for free? And do they offer bassinets for infants? “When flying long-haul, booking a bassinet is a lifesaver,” Bowen says. “Prioritize airlines where bassinets can be booked in advance, as this will drastically change your experience.”
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Checked bags. “One thing I always keep in mind is the cost of checking bags,” says Slotnick. “I used to travel with carry-on only, but with car seats, clothes, diaper bags, strollers, and more, that’s much harder these days. So I try to stick with airlines that, for me, have the best checked bag options.”