Does United Airlines let families board first?

We do allow pre-boarding for families traveling with children less than two years old. A gate agent will announce when it's time for you to board. If you're flying with children under 12, we have new tools that make it easier for them to sit next to an adult in your party for free.



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Depending on their ages and which airline you have chosen, some airlines invite families to board in front of everybody else, while others allow those with kids to slide in somewhere between elite passengers and regular coach-flying folk. Why don't all airlines offer the same policy?

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United Airlines
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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The current U.S. airline family boarding policies are: Alaska Airlines: Families with children younger than 2 can board at the beginning of the process, before first-class and elite customers. American Airlines: Families with children board before first-class and elite members upon request only.

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Can an airline sit a child away from a parent? They can. Often, the cheapest ticket options for an airline don't include seat selection at time of purchase. Seats can be selected at check-in, and it's very possible that those seats are not together.

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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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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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To keep flights orderly and boarding smooth, airlines calculate that it makes sense for small children to board early with a parent and get settled before the anxious masses wanting an on-time or early departure.

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection recommends that any child under the age of 16 traveling without both legal guardians should have a notarized Child Travel Consent signed by both legal guardians. Having your Child Travel Consent notarized decreases the chance of travel authorities questioning its validity.

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The easiest way to unlock priority boarding, including if you're in basic economy, is with an eligible co-branded United credit card. For example, with the United? Explorer Card, you and any companions on the same reservation will be invited to board in Group 2.

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Customers who have purchased Basic Economy and are traveling in a group won't be able to sit together unless advance seat assignments are purchased and seats are available. If you're traveling with a child under 12, we have new tools that make it easier for them to sit next to a family member for free.

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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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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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A parent or guardian must escort an Unaccompanied Minor to the departure gate 45 minutes before scheduled departure and must remain in the gate area until the flight is in the air.

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Children traveling alone For safety, we require children age 5 – 14 traveling alone to use our unaccompanied minor service. This service is optional for children age 15 – 17, but if requested, then the fee applies. The unaccompanied minor fee is $150* each way, plus applicable taxes†, in addition to the ticket price.

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