May 17, 2014, 3:00 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
Infant and lap child fares and fees on international travel, including award & upgrades
On AA there is no charge for a lap child on domestic flights. In most instances for international travel the cost will be 10% of the adult fare in the cabin of travel (be aware in some instances / on some other airlines, it can be 25% of the cost of an adult ticket). From aa.com:
Are you traveling with an infant?
Passengers are considered infants if aged over 2 days and less than 2 years at the beginning of their journey. To travel with an infant, you must be an adult passenger aged 16 or older. Adults can travel with up to two infants and in these circumstances, can purchase an additional seat at a child fare.
Although infants can travel as early as 2 days after birth, you'll need to provide a medical certificate for infants traveling within 7 days after birth. Please contact Reservations for more information.
On U.S. domestic flights:
Infants not occupying a seat travel for free. If you prefer to book a seat for your infant, a child fare will apply.
You must call AA on the phone to add a lap infant to an existing reservation. The lap infant will NOT appear in the online reservation and receipt.
Travelers with a lap infant may check in online, for domestic flights only, and the boarding pass will be annotated with the words "WITH INFANT" immediately after the traveler's name.
On international flights:
Infants not occupying a seat benefit from a 90% discount on most adult fares
If your infant turns 2 during your trip, we'll provide you with a complimentary seat on the return flight. If the return journey is not on American Airlines, please contact the other airline to check if a seat must be purchased. (Infants and children must provide passports with any required visas; all children not traveling with both parents may be required to have a Letter of Consent signed by both parents.)
You must call AA on the phone to add a lap infant to an existing reservation, and will need to pay the fare at that time. The lab infant and fare WILL appear in the online reservation and receipt.
Travelers with a lap infant may NOT check in online for international flights and must check in at the airport.
NOTE: AA will not generally block a complimentary spare seat to be used by an infant or lap child. If seats are available at the airport, it might be possible to be assigned seating to include an adjacent empty seat if the flight will depart with sufficient empty seats.
Bassinets: These are portable, not bulkhead fastened, floor bassinet boxes. Not all aircraft may offer these, and generally are restricted to bulkhead seats.
See the bassinet thread here."]here.
See more here on aa.com.
For AA policies on required documentation for children, see here.
and
This thread regarding the use - and prohibition, on some aircraft - child safety seats.
For older threads on this topic, see:
N.B.: This thread is restricted to discussion of AA (and AA awards, upgrades) ticketing rules for infants. Please do not use this thread to discuss opinions on safety issues associated with travel with lap children versus infants with their own purchased seats. Those discussions should be carried out in the
Travel with Children forum, where many opinions have been shared and are welcome. Thank you for your cooperation.
Travel with Children forum, where many opinions have been shared and are welcome. Thank you for your cooperation.
Are you traveling with an infant?
Passengers are considered infants if aged over 2 days and less than 2 years at the beginning of their journey. To travel with an infant, you must be an adult passenger aged 16 or older. Adults can travel with up to two infants and in these circumstances, can purchase an additional seat at a child fare.
Although infants can travel as early as 2 days after birth, you'll need to provide a medical certificate for infants traveling within 7 days after birth. Please contact Reservations for more information.
On U.S. domestic flights:
Infants not occupying a seat travel for free. If you prefer to book a seat for your infant, a child fare will apply.
You must call AA on the phone to add a lap infant to an existing reservation. The lap infant will NOT appear in the online reservation and receipt.
Travelers with a lap infant may check in online, for domestic flights only, and the boarding pass will be annotated with the words "WITH INFANT" immediately after the traveler's name.
On international flights:
Infants not occupying a seat benefit from a 90% discount on most adult fares
If your infant turns 2 during your trip, we'll provide you with a complimentary seat on the return flight. If the return journey is not on American Airlines, please contact the other airline to check if a seat must be purchased. (Infants and children must provide passports with any required visas; all children not traveling with both parents may be required to have a Letter of Consent signed by both parents.)
You must call AA on the phone to add a lap infant to an existing reservation, and will need to pay the fare at that time. The lab infant and fare WILL appear in the online reservation and receipt.
Travelers with a lap infant may NOT check in online for international flights and must check in at the airport.
NOTE: AA will not generally block a complimentary spare seat to be used by an infant or lap child. If seats are available at the airport, it might be possible to be assigned seating to include an adjacent empty seat if the flight will depart with sufficient empty seats.
Bassinets: These are portable, not bulkhead fastened, floor bassinet boxes. Not all aircraft may offer these, and generally are restricted to bulkhead seats.
See the bassinet thread here."]here.
See more here on aa.com.
For AA policies on required documentation for children, see here.
and
This thread regarding the use - and prohibition, on some aircraft - child safety seats.
For older threads on this topic, see:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...-upgrades.html 2010-2015
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...paid-fare.html (2008)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...it-my-lap.html (2006)
dstan
AA Forum Co-Moderator
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...paid-fare.html (2008)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...it-my-lap.html (2006)
dstan
AA Forum Co-Moderator
Guide: Infant / lap child fares & fees for AA travel, including award & upgrades
May 26, 2018, 4:43 am
#181
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: AA BA CO DL UA US
Posts: 815
Thanks. With a day left, shouldn't upgrades for elites clear already? Or are upgrades done right up to the last minutes in the gates?
May 26, 2018, 8:40 am
#182
Join Date: Aug 2015
Programs: AA PLT PRO, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plt. Premier
Posts: 587
May 29, 2018, 9:12 am
#183
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 8
AA miles award travel with infant - Need Help ASAP!
Hello - I had put a reservation on hold using my AA miles. Miami to Athens Greece via Doha on Qatar. The return is Athens to Phoenix via Doha & Los Angeles on Qatar. When I put the reservation on hold the American representative did not tell me I would have to pay 10% of my infants fare (she will by my lap child and be 11 months old at the time of the flight). I went to book last night and was told from only having to pay taxes (estimated $140.00) to now needing to pay around $1,600..... As you can imagine I was quite frustrated. AA could not do anything but say I'm sorry. Any ideas on a work around? I need to book my flights by tonight at 11:59 est. So any help is much appreciated!!!!
Thanks,
Seth
Thanks,
Seth
May 29, 2018, 9:40 am
#184
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Ten % plus taxes in the cabin of the adult traveler is pretty much the standard for international infant travel.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...-upgrades.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...-upgrades.html
May 29, 2018, 9:41 am
#185
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,495
Hello - I had put a reservation on hold using my AA miles. Miami to Athens Greece via Doha on Qatar. The return is Athens to Phoenix via Doha & Los Angeles on Qatar. When I put the reservation on hold the American representative did not tell me I would have to pay 10% of my infants fare (she will by my lap child and be 11 months old at the time of the flight). I went to book last night and was told from only having to pay taxes (estimated $140.00) to now needing to pay around $1,600..... As you can imagine I was quite frustrated. AA could not do anything but say I'm sorry. Any ideas on a work around? I need to book my flights by tonight at 11:59 est. So any help is much appreciated!!!!
Thanks,
Seth
Thanks,
Seth
If you can find a more normal routing it will probably cut down on the fare a bunch, i.e. a $3000 business class fare will mean a $300 infant fare compared to $1600. Not to mention the miles you'd save by not having to book 2 awards each way.
May 29, 2018, 9:45 am
#186
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,268
Yea, infant fares are typically 10% of the adult fare. No way around it. I assume this is business class? QR does have some ok J fares from the US to ATH, however I'm guessing returning to PHX via LAX is bumping it up substantially. Have you actually priced out what a business class ticket is on your exact dates and flights?
If you can find a more normal routing it will probably cut down on the fare a bunch, i.e. a $3000 business class fare will mean a $300 infant fare compared to $1600. Not to mention the miles you'd save by not having to book 2 awards each way.
If you can find a more normal routing it will probably cut down on the fare a bunch, i.e. a $3000 business class fare will mean a $300 infant fare compared to $1600. Not to mention the miles you'd save by not having to book 2 awards each way.
price out the routing using google flights and see if there is something else available for less. Then call AA and see if there is any wiggle room by changing the routing.
May 29, 2018, 9:51 am
#187
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 8
Hello - it is for a business class seat. We really wanted to try the Qatar product. Will try the google routing. Was going to see what would happen if I just show up to the airport or book my wife and I then call up Qatar direct to add her. Any thoughts? Thanks!
May 29, 2018, 10:10 am
#189
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Hello - I had put a reservation on hold using my AA miles. Miami to Athens Greece via Doha on Qatar. The return is Athens to Phoenix via Doha & Los Angeles on Qatar. When I put the reservation on hold the American representative did not tell me I would have to pay 10% of my infants fare (she will by my lap child and be 11 months old at the time of the flight). I went to book last night and was told from only having to pay taxes (estimated $140.00) to now needing to pay around $1,600..... As you can imagine I was quite frustrated. AA could not do anything but say I'm sorry. Any ideas on a work around? I need to book my flights by tonight at 11:59 est. So any help is much appreciated!!!!
Thanks,
Seth
Thanks,
Seth
Moderator
As you can see from the Wikipost, an infant will be required to pay 10% of the fare and applicable taxes and fees regardless of whether you’re on an award.
May 29, 2018, 10:20 am
#190
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,495
QR certainly has a nice business product but no way is it worth paying double the miles for in addition to probably 10-20 extra hours of travel time each way (with an infant no less!). You're routing looks like it should be 112.5k each way (70k + 42.5k) compared to just 57.5k each way going via PHL, LHR, MAD, etc.
May 29, 2018, 10:43 am
#192
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,495
Lol. You're spending 450k miles, 24-36 hrs of travel time each way (with an infant!) and $1,600 for the infant fare compared to 230k miles, 10-15 hrs of travel time each way (with an infant!) and ~$200-400 for the infant fare. To each their own I guess 
.
.
May 29, 2018, 12:00 pm
#193
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA PLT PRO, AGR, Strawberry (Nordic Choice), Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 4,249
If you book it on BA you can use 10% of the miles of what the adult cost would be for the ticket, and buy the flight using Avios. You can use another purchase currency for the adult tickets on the same routing (AA miles, cash etc).
May 29, 2018, 12:27 pm
#194
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
It is very unlikely that the Qatar agent will sell the infant ticket and, even if it did, would still likely be > $1000
How much do you want to use 450,000 and $1600 poinrs for a trip to Athens?
May 29, 2018, 12:51 pm
#195
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Hello - I had put a reservation on hold using my AA miles. Miami to Athens Greece via Doha on Qatar. The return is Athens to Phoenix via Doha & Los Angeles on Qatar. When I put the reservation on hold the American representative did not tell me I would have to pay 10% of my infants fare (she will by my lap child and be 11 months old at the time of the flight). I went to book last night and was told from only having to pay taxes (estimated $140.00) to now needing to pay around $1,600..... As you can imagine I was quite frustrated. AA could not do anything but say I'm sorry. Any ideas on a work around? I need to book my flights by tonight at 11:59 est. So any help is much appreciated!!!!
Thanks,
Seth
Thanks,
Seth