Quick points: Save miles on infant and child award tickets with these 3 programs
Traveling with little ones can be costly. Saving enough miles for one or two award seats can be difficult enough — but when you have a family, you suddenly need miles for three, four, five or more seats.
Most airlines allow you to bring a lap infant under the age of 2 on board free of charge when flying within the United States. However, when traveling internationally, airlines typically generally charge 10% of the adult price for that privilege. Fortunately, some frequent flyer programs have more family-friendly policies than others.
Today we'll take a quick look at some of the best airline programs for planning award travel with infants and children.
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Best programs for lap infants
Air Canada Aeroplan
Air Canada Aeroplan offers by far one of the most generous lap infant policies.
Aeroplan requires just $25 CAD or 2,500 miles for a lap infant to fly with you, even on long-haul premium cabin flights. You can also book your lap infant right on Air Canada's website with a paying adult, so you won't have to call.
You can transfer points to Aeroplan from American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Bilt and Marriott Bonvoy.
Related: How Aeroplan’s Family Sharing prevents ‘gaming’ while letting you rack up rewards faster
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Another good option for lap infant awards is Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
Lap infants on Flying Club award bookings are charged the following rates:
- Economy: 1,000 miles per sector, plus taxes/fees.
- Premium Economy: 2,000 miles per sector, plus taxes/fees.
- Upper Class: 5,000 miles per sector, plus taxes/fees.
You can transfer miles to Flying Club from American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, Bilt and Marriott Bonvoy.
Related: Save money on lap infants by booking awards through Virgin Atlantic
Honorable mentions
Asiana Club, British Airways Executive Club and Korean Air SkyPass charge 10% of the adult award price plus taxes/fees for lap infants. Depending on the cost of your award ticket, these can be solid booking options as well.
Related: Avoid spending hundreds of dollars to fly holding your baby: tips for lap infant award travel
Best programs for kids
Most airlines do not offer discounts for children's award tickets. After all, if a seat is occupied by a child, it can't be sold to a full-fare adult.
There's one notable exception, however.
Air France/KLM Flying Blue
Flying Blue recently launched its Flying Blue Family program, which allows families to pool their points and save 25% on all non-promotional award tickets for children ages 2-11 in any cabin.
While 25% might not sound too significant, the savings can add up.
For example, a one-way business class flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) on July 11 costs 75,000 Flying Blue miles at the time of writing. The child ticket, however, prices at 56,250 miles. While children will still have the pay the same taxes and fees that the adult pays, the nearly 20,000-mile discount is terrific.
You can transfer points to Flying Blue from American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One, Citi ThankYou, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Bilt and Marriott Bonvoy.
Related: How to plan a multigenerational family trip
Bottom line
Traveling with your family can be a special — albeit costly — experience. Some airlines charge more than others for lap infants and child awards, but there are programs like Aeroplan, Flying Club and Air France/KLM Flying Blue that allow you to save.
If you're traveling with infants or children, you should familiarize yourself with an airline's policies to ensure you're getting the best value from your awards while limiting your out-of-pocket expenses. We recommend that you do this before transferring your credit card points, so there are no surprises during the booking process.
To further maximize your family's travels, check out our guide on pooling miles.
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles50,000 Bonus MilesAnnual Fee
$250Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent/Good
Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees