Your guide to international flights with infants and children

While travelling in Australia with kids is a relatively painless process, the same can’t always be said for international flights.

All airlines have some version of an infant policy, but these vary depending on the route and class of travel. In this guide, we’ll take a broad look at some of the guidelines and policies that airlines implement on international routes from Australia.

This guide covers travelling with children and infants internationally. We’ve also compiled a guide on flying with infants and children domestically in Australia.

What should I consider when flying overseas with infants and children?

Airlines usually have different infant and child policies for domestic and international flights. These vary across airlines as well, so there’s no ‘one size fits all’ rule when it comes to flying with little ones.

As a general guide, here are some things to consider when flying overseas with babies or kids:

• Your child’s age. Airlines define infants as under two years old. Once the child turns two, they’ll need to pay a child fare. There is some ambiguity around what happens when a child turns two while they’re away, with the policies varying across airlines.
• Fares. Most airlines charge a small fare for infants on laps, usually around 10%. Some airlines charge a higher percentage based on the cabin class, so you may expect to pay more for infants travelling in Business or First Class. Child fares are usually a percentage of the adult fare when paying in cash.
• Bassinets. The majority of wide-body aircraft, such as those used on international flights, are fitted with bassinets. These need to be requested prior to flying.
• Checked baggage. Some airlines allow you to check in baby items like strollers or cots as part of your infant fare, while others provide extra baggage allowance (albeit reduced) for infant and child fares.

Comparing international lap infant fares

The most common way to calculate infant lap fares is 10% of the commercial adult fare, even if your flight was originally booked with points or miles. Most major international airlines servicing Australia use this calculation for Economy fares, including Qantas, Virgin Australia, Qatar Airways and Etihad. Some airlines charge a higher percentage for Business and First Class bookings.

If you’re adding an infant to a reward seat booking, beware of additional costs. For a long-haul Business or First Class flight, you could be looking at hundreds of extra dollars.

These airlines charge a flat 10% of the adult fare (excluding taxes) for international journeys in any available cabin class:

• Qantas, Virgin Australia, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Air New Zealand, American Airlines, Delta and United.

As an example, some airlines have different rates depending on the travel class:

• Qatar Airways appears to charge full fare for infants travelling in First Class, 15% in Business Class and 10% in Economy. If you’re travelling with more than one infant, increased fares apply (i.e. 75% for the second infant.)
• Etihad appears to charge 25% of the base fare for infants in Business and First Class (the amount remains 10% in Economy Class, plus taxes.)

Other airlines, like Jetstar, charge a flat infant fee. On Jetstar, you’ll pay $65 for an infant, per international flight with a JQ flight number. These amounts can vary with other currencies depending on which flight you’re on. 

For other airlines, we recommend contacting them directly or visiting their website for a full list of infant fares.

International lap infant baggage allowance

Infants travelling on heavily subsidised tickets usually have a cut-down luggage allowance as well.

Most airlines follow the status quo by offering some general check-in allowance and/or a number of infant-specific items such as strollers, cots or car seats. The general check-in allowance could be around 10-15kg.

Depending on the airline, you may also receive an additional carry-on allowance for in-flight essentials like formula, wipes or nappies. But always check directly with the airline you’re flying with, as some may instead require you to carry baby items as part of your carry-on allowance.

Infant bassinets on international flights

All major airlines offer bassinets for infants on their long-haul widebody aircraft. This includes Airbus A380s, A350s, A330s, Boeing 777s and 787s.

Bassinets are extremely limited and usually have to be reserved over the phone.

Adding an infant to a flight booking

Most airlines allow you to book lap infants online, which is priced automatically. If you’d like to reserve a seat for your infant at child prices, you’ll need to contact the airline.

If your infant hasn’t been born at the time of booking, you’ll need to contact the airline to add the infant to your booking once they’re born. Fees may apply in this case.

International child fares

Unlike infants, most airlines treat international child fares as the same as adult fares, although a small discount may apply. Children usually get the same adult luggage allowance, but some airlines still allow children to check in items such as strollers for free. Infants under two who have their own seat will also be charged the applicable child fare.

As a general rule, you can expect to pay around 75% of the adult fare when booking a flight for a child, on airlines that offer discounted child fares. This applies to full cash fares only.

When booking a child’s flight using points or miles, you will always pay the full adult rate for that redemption. No discounts or reduced fares apply on Classic Reward bookings made for children.

Also read: Your beginner’s guide to booking reward seats

Summing up

Overall, most airlines are similar in the way they treat infants onboard. You’ll usually only pay 10% of the cash fare, with the exception of some airlines that charge a higher percentage for lap infants in premium cabins. If you’re planning a much-needed holiday break, it might make sense to travel with your infants before they turn two.

Once they hit two years of age, they’ll need their own seat and you’ll be required to pay a child fare. This fare varies across airlines and can be around 75% of the adult cash fare, if not more, depending on the class of travel. The exception is when using points, as there are no child fares – you’ll pay the same amount of points for a reward seat, regardless if booking for an adult or child.

Infant luggage allowance also varies across airlines, with some offering extra weight, while others allow items like strollers or cots to be checked in at no charge.

For the most accurate, up-to-date information on infant and child fares on international flights, you should always contact the airline directly.

Do you have any tips for travelling overseas with kids, or any personal experiences to share? Leave us a comment below.

Also read: Best ways to use Qantas Points for a family adventure in Australia

Featured image: Vladimir Haltakov, Unsplash.

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