How to Ensure Your Family Sits Together on Flights Without Paying Extra

Traveling with family can be a joyous yet stressful experience, especially when it comes to ensuring everyone sits together on the flight. Understandably, other passengers are often reluctant to switch seats, especially if they paid extra for their preferred spots. Booking window or aisle seats for your family might give you a better chance of keeping everyone together, as few people want the dreaded middle seat–especially when stuck between a mom and her crying child. However, if the mere thought of asking a stranger to switch seats sends your stress levels soaring, read on to discover how to avoid this situation altogether. And no, the answer isn't staying home or taking 10 hour long road trips!

From Stressful Seat Selection Nightmare...

This year, when I booked our family’s Spring Break flights, I thought I had it all figured out. I secured our tickets months in advance as soon as our travel dates were confirmed and opted for the fare class that allowed us to select seats in advance, avoiding the budget fare. To my dismay, when I reached the seat selection screen, the only available seats were scattered singles throughout the plane. This meant my family would be separated by several rows, which is far from ideal when traveling with young children.

To a Pleasant Surprise with American Airlines

Rather than selecting the scattered seats, I decided to leave the selections empty and hope for the best. I was prepared for the possibility of having to ask flight crew for mercy at check-in or worse, asking strangers to switch seats, a scenario every parent dreads.

To my surprise, American Airlines, where I booked our flight, has a policy ensuring that children aged 13 and under are seated next to an accompanying adult at no extra cost, regardless of fare type, though certain conditions apply. As our departure date approached, I checked our flight details and discovered that the airline had rearranged our seats, placing our family together in one row. It seems that some of the initially unavailable seats were likely reserved in the system for situations like ours.

Airlines That Guarantee Family Seating

American Airlines isn't the only airline with this family-friendly policy. A few others have made similar commitments, ensuring that families can sit together without extra charges. Here are the current ones:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Frontier Airlines
• JetBlue Airways

Surprised by which airlines made the list and which didn't? Same here! For the latest updates on which airlines have committed to fee-free family seating, visit the Airline Family Seating Commitments Dashboard on the Department of Transportation’s website.

Limited Conditions That Apply

While the above airlines that assign seats strive to keep families together, there are a few conditions to be aware of:

• Same Reservation: The child and accompanying adult must be on the same reservation.
• Seat Availability: Adjacent seats need to be available at the time of booking in the selected class of service.
• Aircraft Size: The policy applies as long as the aircraft isn’t substituted for a smaller one.
• Skip Seat Selection: The adult must either select seats for the entire reservation or skip seat selection altogether and not make any changes once seats are assigned.
• Seat Layout: It has to be physically possible to seat the number of young children next to the accompanying adult(s) based on the seat layout.

By keeping these conditions in mind, you can help ensure a smoother and more enjoyable flying experience for your family!

Family Seating with Southwest Airlines

Some families swear by flying with Southwest Airlines because of their unique boarding process. Families with children 6 years of age and younger can board between groups A and B. This means that even if you miss the razor-thin window to check in the moment it opens, you'll still have a pretty good chance of getting a seat next to your child. This family-friendly policy makes Southwest a popular choice for many parents.

When flying with an airline that has an open seating policy, like Southwest, the following conditions apply:

• Same Reservation: Make sure the child and accompanying adult are on the same reservation.
• Notify the Gate Agent: Let the gate agent know that you need adjacent seats before boarding begins.
• Seat Layout: Ensure it’s physically possible to seat the number of young children next to the accompanying adult(s) based on the seat layout.

Tips for Ensuring Family Seating

While these policies are helpful, there are a few additional tips to keep in mind to enhance your chances of sitting together:

1. Book Early: The earlier you book your flight, the more likely it is that adjacent seats will be available.
2. Check Airline Policies: Different airlines have varying policies, so check the specifics for your chosen airline.
3. Confirm Seating: As your departure date approaches, double check to ensure your family is still seated together.
4. Communicate with the Airline: If you're concerned, don't hesitate to contact the airline directly to explain your situation and request assistance.

Traveling as a family should be enjoyable, not stressful. With airlines increasingly recognizing the importance of family seating, it’s becoming easier to ensure that your family can sit together without additional costs. By planning ahead and utilizing the resources available, you can focus more on enjoying your trip and less on the logistics of keeping your family together.

Hopefully, more airlines will follow suit and make family seating a standard part of their customer service commitments. For more family travel tips, be sure to subscribe to our blog and follow us on social media. Safe travels, everyone!