Airline Seating for Families – Rules You Should Know

When traveling with family, travelers often prefer to sit with them, which is itself something to plan strategically. If not, then they not only sit apart, but also cause several inconveniences. If you are planning a domestic or international trip for your family, regardless of how many members you have, sitting together is one of the key aspects that you should not ignore, especially when booking in advance or closer to departure. This page will walk you through some key rules and tips that you should know about family seating, along with the list of airlines that offer and do not.  

List of Airlines That Offer Family Seating

Many popular airlines let families sit together on the plane without incurring any special service fees. The United States Department of Transportation has released a list of such airlines that allow minors to sit together with an adult; some of the most popular ones are provided below:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Frontier Airlines 
• Hawaiian Airlines
• JetBlue

Rules You Must Keep In Mind Regarding Family Seating

• Single Flight Ticket: You should always prefer to book a flight for your family members under a single ticket, especially when traveling with children.
• Age Criteria: It is essential to be aware of the age criteria when booking tickets for family members, as the required age for minors generally ranges from 10 to 14 across airlines, which might prevent your child from being seated with you if not identified as a minor. 
• Adjacent Seat: Know the definition of an adjacent seat for your career because it lets you know how your family is going to sit together, in a single row, with no aisle separation, or one in front of the other, depending on the cabin layout.
• Fee-free Seat Selection: Family seating should be fee-free per US DoT guidelines, so airlines should not charge extra for seat selection, especially when a child is seated next to an accompanying adult.

Useful Tips for Families to Sit Together on Flights

• Early Booking: Book your flight in advance so that the maximum number of seats are available for you, and you can easily select adjacent seats or seats for your family.
• Avoid Basic Economy: Prefer a Premium Economy or higher cabin so that you can get free seat selection included with your fare, which is usually unavailable on Basic Economy.
• Say No To Exit-row Seat: Avoid choosing exit-row seats for their generous legroom, as they do not permit children under 15 to sit there. 
• Ask The Agent: If you don't find a seat online, you can contact the carrier's customer service and ask them to make arrangements, if possible.
• Split Up: You can split your seating from selecting an entire row to two rows with one child and one adult. With this, you can easily communicate with each other. 
• Divide Your Group: For group bookings, you can split your large group into smaller groups and find seats at different locations.
• Keep Documentation Handy: Carry all relevant documents, such as a birth certificate, when traveling with an infant or a minor. 
• Prefer Web Check-in: You should check in online for your flight to get your seat of choice. If you can't check in online, you can also ask the airport agent for more flexibility, including at boarding.  

Final Verdict

To sum up, if your family is planning a vacation and wants to sit together on flights, keep the provided tips and rules in mind before making the reservation. Hopefully, this guide has added value to your learning, and you know what to keep in focus when booking flights. Check whether your career offer includes family seating; if yes, look for any special requirements to meet. Traveling with family is not just about being together in a place; it is about enjoying every second, and you should always crave flying again.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Which airlines allow families to sit together?

Ans: Airlines like Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier, JetBlue, and Hawaiian allow children below 12 to sit together with their accompanying adults on a flight. 

Q2. Do I need to pay extra for family seats?

Ans: No, you don't need to pay extra to sit with your family, as many airlines are committed to providing adjacent seats so that family members can sit together, as per US Department of Transportation guidelines. 

Q3. How can I book seats for families?

Ans: You can book seats for families together by making a single reservation for everyone and manually selecting seats at the time of booking.

Q4. Which flight class is best for families on a budget?

Ans: Since families span a range of ages, and comfort is important to all members, Premium Economy is considered the best travel class on a budget. 

Q5. Can children over 12 years sit with families?

Ans: Yes, children over 12 years can sit with their families, but since they are generally treated as adults for seat selection, it's best to have their seats selected manually.