Are children automatically seated with parents on flights?

A parent who purchases airline tickets for a family should receive a guarantee from the airline that it will seat the parent and child together without fees or a last-minute scramble at the gate or having to ask other passengers to give up their seat to allow the parent and child to sit together.



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On most major airlines, kids must be at least five years old to fly alone, yet recently, infants as young as 11 months have been seated away from their parents.

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Some parents assume they will automatically be seated with their kids. Others may end up separated from their families if they are rebooked due to a cancellation. Regardless of the reason, airlines are not legally required to seat families together.

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Most U.S. airlines will permit children who have reached their fifth birthday to travel unaccompanied. Kids ages 5 through 11 who are flying alone must usually travel pursuant to special “unaccompanied minor” procedures. On some airlines, these procedures are required for unaccompanied children as old as 14.

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Those flying with families and wondering “does Delta seat families together?” are in luck. Delta does its best to seat families together, even after check-in.

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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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United Airlines United is also among the few airlines committed to helping families sit together on flights. United's family seating policy guarantees families with children under age 12 in certain cabins can sit together for free, regardless of fare type.

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Does Delta split families? Delta Airlines: Delta's basic economy fares don't let passengers select seats ahead of boarding. Delta says that while it strives to seat family members together upon request, there's no guarantee that children will sit near their parents.

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An adult must take the child to the departure gate and stay until the flight is airborne. When you get to the gate, tell the gate agent you have an unaccompanied minor traveling on the flight. We'll board your child early so they can meet the flight crew and learn about the plane's safety features.

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If you want a window seat, then suppose you choose from left to right (looking toward plane's nose): kid, kid, parent (aisle), parent (aisle). if in the middle then it's parent, kiddo, kiddo, parent. Mirror image it if you want the other side of the plane.

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United Airlines Is Making It Easier for Families to Sit Together — Here's How. The airline has introduced a new seat map and updated their policy for families traveling with kids. Alison Fox is a Travel + Leisure contributor. She has also written for Parents.com, The Wall Street Journal, and amNewYork.

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In fact, most regular airlines now charge for seat selection anyways. It's often around $10-$30 per seat per flight segment, so if you cave in and pay for that, it can add up quickly. You shouldn't do it. No matter which airline you're flying on, don't ever pay to select a seat.

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Most airlines assign booked seats before your flight; see Planning your flight. A few airlines do not assign seats (e.g., Southwest), but do assign you a boarding group based on how early you confirm your flight on-line within 24 hours of the flight.

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If you're traveling with a 2-year-old, they do need their own seat on the plane. Once you're on board, you can certainly hold your toddler on your lap if needed.

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Child safety seats are not required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). However, both the FAA and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly encourage the use of a car seat or other child restraint system when flying with babies or young children.

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The boarding order starts first with active U.S. Military and passengers needing assistance. Second, Delta One and First Class passengers board. Third, Diamond Medallion Members. The fourth boarding zone is for Delta Premium Select customers and people with car seats or strollers.

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When one or more of the passengers on a reservation are 13 years of age or younger, Frontier will guarantee adjacent seats for the child or children and an accompanying adult (over age 13) at no additional cost for all fare types subject to limited conditions specified below.

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