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
#196
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
I agree that paying for the infant is required, but surprised that someone would think that 450,000 points and $1600 is a good deal for a US-ATH r/t journey for 2 adults and an infant?
#197
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
My apologies. I forgot the relevant emoji or whatever it is called. I personally think it is insane to pay 450,000 + YQ and fees + $1,600 for 2 adults + infant to get from MIA to ATH.
#199
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
If you want a lower cost, then book something like MIA-PHL-ATH on AA and AA will be able to sell you an infant fare based on AA fares
#200
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
I guess what people are saying is (i) are you happy blowing 450,000 to fly a very circuitous route purely in order to hang out in a premium cabin on an aeroplane, or (ii) do you just want to get from wherever you are in the US to ATH and back? You are flying something like 20,000 miles for a trip that could/should be around 12,500.
#201
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,107
No way would Qatar J be worth more than twice the miles and a routing like that. Half those miles with the routing, maybe, but only if someone really really really wanted to try it out. And even then, only if allowed a stopover in DOH for a night or two.
#202
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
Being 2 awards, there is no problem having a stopover in Doha
#204
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Here and there
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,551
#206
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
Given that the surcharge if flown on BA each way would have been $724 booked as 2 one ways ($478 eastbound and $246 westbound), but would have saved many hours and 115,000 points per person
It is putting an extremely low value on the miles to use 115,000 miles to save $724 - 0.63c per mile
If booked on AA on the transatlantic sector, there would not be a surcharge
It is putting an extremely low value on the miles to use 115,000 miles to save $724 - 0.63c per mile
If booked on AA on the transatlantic sector, there would not be a surcharge
#207
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
NO. The $1600 is 10% of the adult fare plus 100% of the taxes and fees. If taxes and fees are $600, for example, then the adult fare would have been $10,000 and the total price of the hypothetical adult ticket (corresponding to this $1600 lap infant ticket) would be $10,600.
#208
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Here and there
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,551
NO. The $1600 is 10% of the adult fare plus 100% of the taxes and fees. If taxes and fees are $600, for example, then the adult fare would have been $10,000 and the total price of the hypothetical adult ticket (corresponding to this $1600 lap infant ticket) would be $10,600.
Anyway, for the OP this is easy to confirm with a dummy booking for the same routing on their website. It quite clearly lays out the infant fare component and add-ons.
#209
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 301
If I book an AA economy award flight from CLT-PLS using BA Avios, am I charged 10% of the miles for a lap infant from BA at the time of booking or do I call AA after booking the adult tickets to add the infant and pay then?
FF
FF
#210
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Here and there
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,551
You do it with BA after booking. AA won't get involved in the ticketing.