Whilst our seating system will always try to seat families together, seats are allocated on a first come first served basis so the earlier you check in the more likely you are to be seated together.

EasyJet has a policy that aims to seat families together, but in 2026, it is not a 100% guarantee unless you pay for seat selection in advance. The airline uses an automated system that tries to seat children with at least one adult from their booking. According to their 2026 guidelines, they will ensure each child under 12 is seated "close to" an adult, which may mean across the aisle or in the row behind, rather than directly adjacent. To maximize your chances of sitting together for free, you should check in as early as possible (online check-in opens 30 days before departure). If the system splits your group, the cabin crew will usually ask other passengers to swap seats once everyone has boarded, but this is entirely dependent on the goodwill of fellow travelers. For total peace of mind, many families choose the £7–£13 seat selection fee during booking to secure side-by-side seating before the flight fills up.

That’s an excellent and very common concern, especially for families traveling on a budget airline. Here’s the detailed breakdown of easyJet’s policy and what you can do to ensure your family sits together.

The Short Answer

Yes, easyJet can and often does split families up if you don’t pay to select seats in advance. Their standard, free seating policy is based on a first-come, first-served system at check-in.

How It Works & Why Families Get Split

1. Free Seating (Standard): When you book the cheapest fare (“Standard” fare), you do not get to choose a seat for free. You are assigned a random seat at online check-in (which opens 30 days before departure). If your family checks in separately or late, you will likely be scattered around the plane.
2. Family Seating Policy: easyJet does have a policy to try and seat children under 12 with at least one adult on the same booking. However, this is not guaranteed and relies on:
   • Availability: They can only use unsold seats to do this. On a full flight, options are extremely limited.
   • Check-in Time: It works best if the entire booking checks in together as soon as online check-in opens (30 days in advance). Even then, it’s a best-effort system, not a promise.
3. Paid Seat Selection: This is the only way to guarantee your family sits together. You can pay to select specific seats during the booking process or anytime up until check-in.

How to Ensure Your Family Sits Together

You have three main options, listed from most to least effective:

1. Pay for Seat Selection (Guaranteed) Upfront Saver: The cheapest way to select seats. You choose from all available seats during booking for a lower fee