Do you find these prices for flights and hotels as outrageous as I do? The “good old days” are long gone. A family of four used to be able to go on a vacation in Mexico for less than a thousand dollars.
As I still have to get over saying goodbye and the delicious shrimp tacos I had at swim-up, I will take any discounts for families I can.
Here is a listing of discount airlines (and some are even free! Child fares.
First, here are a few money-saving tips for flying with kids.
Don’t think you need to pay more to book seats with your friends.
Even with basic economy fares, some airlines offer complimentary seating selection.
Do you want my opinion? You probably don’t want my advice, but I will give it to you anyway. Call the airline once your booking is made.
United has been very generous in reserving our seats for us. They even offered us priority seats for our flight to the German Weihnachtsmärkte later in the year! Woohoo!! !
If airlines don’t offer this, I reserve the seats to avoid having our children not sit together. You can see the table where I have noted which airlines do this.
Warning: Despite what you may think, airlines do not always place young families in the same seat. Some people won’t or even give up their seats, if that means being Mary Poppins in a couple of hours. We’ll see you on the other side, kiddo. (Kidding. (Kidding.
This screenshot is from the US Department of Transportation Customer Service Dashboard and shows which airlines offer free seating for families. United offers free seating for families at the time of booking. The chart below shows the results of my research on the other airlines.
Do you know the US Department of Transportation advises airlines that they should do everything possible to accommodate families? There are still some airlines that do not. It would be more logical if they were as generous as United and not later rearrange other passengers.
Tipp 2: Many international airlines will allow an infant under the age of 2 to travel on your lap for a 10% discount of the fare charged by adults. It could be for free if it is a domestic flight.
You still need to pay taxes.
According to TPG if you’re flying internationally, consider Alaska, Southwest or jetBlue. They only will charge tax for the infant on your lap, and not 10%.
Check the map of available seats before booking a seat for your child. If there is space, bring along a car seat. At check-in and the gate, tell them that you would like to have a free seat for your child. You might be lucky. Check the car seat in the entrance if you can’t find it.
Note: From a safety perspective, it is highly recommended that the car seat be checked with your luggage in its original box at check-in (who still has that !?).?). It is usually checked in or carried on as a car seat backpack to keep it clean. These and many other useful items can be found in my essentials for family travel.
Use discounts and other freebies to attract children and babies.
Most airlines provide discounts to children between the ages of 2 and 11. discount rates vary, and not all routes are eligible for them.
I looked into which airlines offered discounts. You can start your search for cheap flights on Google Flights, and then use this table to further narrow down the results.
Airline Discounts for Families
It’s always worth checking with the airline if you are unsure. You can also contact them via Twitter or the “chat feature” on their mobile app if you are unable to reach a person.
Some airlines will only accept bookings over the telephone for child fares.
The discounts only apply to the base fare, not taxes. Don’t worry if the cost difference you expected is not as large as it appears.
Do you know that many airlines have special menus for children and babies? Because I did not. Most airlines require that you order one ahead of time.
Enroll your children to earn Miles
There are other people who earn miles here. Every flight our kids take, they get closer to getting a free ticket. Join the United Card and get 20,000 miles for free! Earn 60,000 miles by signing up for the Explorer Card. This will take you from Europe to back home!
Each member of the family should have a frequent-flyer account with each airline you use. According to TPG, Emirates is one of 25 airlines which allow users to pool their miles. Emirates is our favourite family airline!
Save some money now and plan your next vacation! The money that you will save by not flying will be used to purchase essentials for traveling with children .