No, Your Lap Infant Will Not Earn Miles for Paid International Tickets
You could say that it's financially advantageous to fly with children under 2 years of age domestically. After all, it's tough to beat free - though you're not earning mileage or other frequent flyer benefits for that small passenger. This seems pretty logical if you aren't paying for the child's ticket. Even adults don't earn elite qualifiers when you fly on award tickets. In fact, miles flown on an award ticket don't even count toward million miler progress.
No Miles For You, Baby
But, what about international travel? That's not usually free for lap infants, so I set out to discover if there was anything to be gained from a mileage perspective given that money was indeed being shelled out. Sadly, I found out your kiddo will get nothing from any of the major airlines: no elite miles, no elite dollars and no elite segments. They won't even get 10% of the miles flown, even though they're often paying 10% of the adult fare to fly along.
You'll receive varying answers from airline agents on why this is, but it boils down to the fact that if you aren't purchasing a dedicated seat, loyalty programs won't provide mileage credit. (So if it's vital that your newborn achieve Diamond status as quickly as possible, you'll want to spring for an adult fare and buy them a seat of their own.)
Lap Infants Cost How Much?
Generally speaking, an airline will charge you 10% of the adult fare to add your lap infant to an international itinerary. There's a great deal of inconsistency when it comes to how that 10% is calculated. Some carriers will charge you 10% of the adult fare on the day that it was originally ticketed, while others look at current prices to determine the infant add-on charge if done at a later date.
Upgraded tickets are even more complicated. I've personally had mixed experiences, ranging from 10% of the economy fare (ignoring the upgrade certificate entirely) to 10% of the face value of the business class fare that would have applied had I not used an upgrade instrument. Your miles may vary, but I had one agent at Delta try to charge me based on the face value of the business cabin I ended up in and another OK with charging 10% of my originally purchased main cabin fare.
If you buy a coach ticket and use a Regional or Global Upgrade Certificate (Delta), Systemwide Upgrade (American) or Premier Upgrade (United) to move into the forward cabin before adding your baby, try hanging up and calling again if you get an agent insistent on charging you 10% of the business class fare. Or, simply book the lap baby on your ticket before applying the upgrade while you are still in economy - though even then you may sometimes be thrown a curve ball.
Bottom Line
There are certainly inconsistencies when it comes to lap infant fares, but one consistent element is that little ones won't earn their own airline miles until they are in their own purchased seat.
Have you flown internationally with your baby? Let us know how your infant's ticket cost was calculated in comments or at the TPG Family Facebook group.
Learning the ropes of flying with a baby? Here are some helpful tips:
- Flying With a Baby Checklist
- Getting Ready for Your Child's First Flight: A Survival Guide
- How to Fly With Breast Milk in the United States
- The Best Airline Seats, Suites, Lactation Rooms and Lounges When Breastfeeding
- Flying With Babies and Toddlers: 10 Tips to Make Your Life Easier
- Flying With a Lap Infant? Here's 6 Things to Know.
- How to Plan Award Travel With an Infant or Lap Child
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.