YOU WILL NEED TO PURCHASE A TICKET FOR YOUR CHILD IF YOU:Have a child that turns 2 during the trip. Prefer the child sit in a seat with an FAA-approved child safety seat. Already have a child that will be sitting in your lap, regardless of age.
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Ticket fares for babies and childrenOn domestic flights, infants under the age of two often fly for free if seated on their parent's lap, and some airlines charge a (discounted) fare. On international flights, airlines often charge 10% of the adult ticket price.
Although TSA does not require a baby to have identification documents when traveling with their parents, they may be asked by the airline at check-in to prove their child is, in fact, under 2. The easiest way to prove a child's age is by presenting their US birth certificate.
Parents/guardians should remove infants and children from strollers and car seats and carry them in their arms through the walk-through metal detector. Infants may be carried in a sling/carrier through the walk-through metal detector. Children will not be separated from their parent/guardian.
Infants or children under 2 years of age can travel on the lap of an adult for free (within the United States) or at a reduced fare (for international travel).
A child between the ages of three days old until their second birthday is considered a lap infant. There is no cost to add lap infants to a reservation. If the child has their second birthday between the outbound and return flight, a seat will need to be purchased for the return flight.
Diaper bags, soft-sided cooler bags with breast milk, child safety seats, strollers and medical or mobility devices don't count toward your personal item or carry-on.
Infants up to age 2 are eligible to fly free on the lap of a paying adult. However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends infants travel in an airline-provided bassinet or a properly secured car seat, most of which are certified for airplane use.
Personal item should be of proper size to fit under the seat in front of you. A jacket, umbrella, diaper bag, duty free items, and assistive devices (wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, strollers, child restraint seats, etc.) do not count towards your carry-on allowance.
Your child's height and weightYou can choose to keep your baby or toddler in your lap if she's under 2. But children 2 and older have to sit in their own seats. In that case, both the FAA and AAP strongly recommend using a car seat or approved harness (booster seats aren't allowed).
Children 12 and under may accompany an enrolled parent or guardian in the TSA PreCheck lanes without restriction. Children 13-17 may join enrolled adults when traveling on the same reservation and if the TSA PreCheck indicator appears on the child's boarding pass.
Standard strollers, folding wagons, and car seats can be used to get to your gate and then checked for free. They'll be returned to you on arrival. Collapsible strollers can be stored in-cabin. Car seats can be used onboard your flight too.
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.
Infants under the age of 2 years who are held by an adult are not allowed any hand luggage. Other children who occupy a seat are entitled to the same baggage allowance as adults. You are allowed to bring a stroller or a baby basket on board in addition to your carry-on.
Friends or acquaintances may tell you that age verification is not required for your lap child, but that is absolutely not true. While children don't need an ID for TSA, to fly as a lap infant and document to the airline that they are indeed under 2 years old, you need to be prepared.
But what about the snacks!?!? Dried fruits, nuts, granola bars, cereals, cracker, pretzel and cookies are all good options. Creamy items such as jams, peanut butter and yogurt however, are limited to travel-sized containers that are 3.4 ounces or less per item and will need to fit into a quart-sized bag.
The best time to fly with kidsWhile you can't always fly at the optimal time (based on your child's age, that is), it's great when you can. The best times, most agree, are between three and nine months, when kids aren't yet mobile, and any time after age two or three.