How do I sit with my family on United?

A new feature in our seat map makes it easier for travelers with children under age 12, including those who purchase Basic Economy tickets, to find seats together. The dynamic seat map feature can identify families traveling with children under 12 so they can choose seats together at booking.



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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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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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If, on the day of your flight, your family still doesn't have assigned seating next to each other, arrive early to the airport and explain your situation to gate agents. They may not be able to seat an entire family together, but they will most likely try to seat each child next to an adult in their family.

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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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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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If you're traveling with a toddler or infant that may fuss and kick the seat in front of you, have your three other family members fill those seats to avoid passenger complaints. If that's the case, three seats directly behind and in front of one another is your best bet.

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Choose your family's seats when booking, whether it's included with your fare or you have to pay an additional fee. If you are unable to get your family's seats together at the time of booking, call the airline and speak with a reservations agent to determine the best course of action.

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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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Getting ready. Our unaccompanied minor service is required for kids 5-14, and optional for those 15-17, who are traveling alone. Here's how to book a ticket and prepare your child for their trip.

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Although airlines allow for children under 2 to sit on a parents lap, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) recommends for all young children to sit in a FAA approved car seat at all times during a flight. Flight attendants with the AFA are pushing for FAA to update safety regulations to not allow lap babies.

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You are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes through the checkpoint. These are limited to 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item. This is also known as the 3-1-1 liquids rule.

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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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Skipping seat selection doesn't mean you won't get a seat on the flight. You might get stuck in the middle seat if you don't pay for one. Even if seat selection is free, you might want to skip it if only lousy seats are available (see the upgrade hack” below).

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At check-in. All Premier members are eligible for complimentary Economy Plus seating. Premier Gold, Platinum and 1K members have complimentary access to Economy Plus seating at booking, and Premier Silver members have complimentary access at check-in, when available.

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