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
Jun 22, 2022, 10:27 am
#331
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 73
After many calls with AA and QR, I am very sure (but I don't know for a fact) that only QR can add the lap infant to an award ticket and that the issue is QR's customer service agents. This was also confirmed by Alaska when I booked another award ticket on Qatar which I didn't end up taking.
Jun 22, 2022, 3:13 pm
#332
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,578
After many calls with AA and QR, I am very sure (but I don't know for a fact) that only QR can add the lap infant to an award ticket and that the issue is QR's customer service agents. This was also confirmed by Alaska when I booked another award ticket on Qatar which I didn't end up taking.
There should be a consistent response from agents
Jun 23, 2022, 8:27 am
#333
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, HH DIA, Hertz PC, GE + Pre✓, Amazon Super Special Prime
Posts: 1,008
A rather vanilla data point:
2 separate domestic awards - going and coming back. Called EXP desk this morning to add lap infant, after booking tickets last night.
Agent was super helpful and got the lap infant added on, as well as cross referenced our outbound and return record locators for future use.
No charge since it was domestic. Done in all of 8 minutes, spent more time on hold than talking to him.
2 separate domestic awards - going and coming back. Called EXP desk this morning to add lap infant, after booking tickets last night.
Agent was super helpful and got the lap infant added on, as well as cross referenced our outbound and return record locators for future use.
No charge since it was domestic. Done in all of 8 minutes, spent more time on hold than talking to him.
Jun 23, 2022, 2:01 pm
#334
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, WOH Globalist
Posts: 1,160
A rather vanilla data point:
2 separate domestic awards - going and coming back. Called EXP desk this morning to add lap infant, after booking tickets last night.
Agent was super helpful and got the lap infant added on, as well as cross referenced our outbound and return record locators for future use.
No charge since it was domestic. Done in all of 8 minutes, spent more time on hold than talking to him.
2 separate domestic awards - going and coming back. Called EXP desk this morning to add lap infant, after booking tickets last night.
Agent was super helpful and got the lap infant added on, as well as cross referenced our outbound and return record locators for future use.
No charge since it was domestic. Done in all of 8 minutes, spent more time on hold than talking to him.
Jun 26, 2022, 8:47 am
#335
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, WOH Globalist
Posts: 1,160
No BP in app, but mobile BP works fine
One quirky thing I've noticed the past couple months flying quite a bit with a lap infant: you can't view/obtain a boarding pass using the app, yet it's no problem to check in online and have a mobile BP emailed to you.
Jul 24, 2022, 7:12 pm
#336
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
We typically check bags when traveling with the baby anyhow so not a big deal but my wife prefers the mobile BP to paper and we've always used paper because it has the "plus infant" notation. (On DL, lap infants get their own mobile BP and OLCI etc works just fine in the app.)
Jul 24, 2022, 10:13 pm
#337
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, WOH Globalist
Posts: 1,160
Silly me for not realizing you can even check in online with a lap infant, I know we've tried it and failed but didn't realize that wasn't necessarily intended. Did your mobile BP say "plus infant" on it?
We typically check bags when traveling with the baby anyhow so not a big deal but my wife prefers the mobile BP to paper and we've always used paper because it has the "plus infant" notation. (On DL, lap infants get their own mobile BP and OLCI etc works just fine in the app.)
We typically check bags when traveling with the baby anyhow so not a big deal but my wife prefers the mobile BP to paper and we've always used paper because it has the "plus infant" notation. (On DL, lap infants get their own mobile BP and OLCI etc works just fine in the app.)
I've never had a problem checking in on the app, just can't get the BP to display in-app for the pax with the infant attached. It usually says "DCA doesn't accept mobile boarding passes" or whatever the departing airport is.
Problem is solved in 30 seconds by going to AA.com on a mobile web browser and emailing yourself the mobile BP.
Jul 24, 2022, 11:22 pm
#338
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: OMA
Programs: AA PLT 1MM, HHonors Diamond, IHG Gold, National Exec, Hertz 5-Star
Posts: 120
It's my first time traveling with an infant and wanted to know if anyone could answer this question. I've read the thread and understand that if traveling with an infant-on-lap and using an SWU, the infant would be charged 10% of the business class fare + taxes. What are the rules if the upgrade is a regular complimentary upgrade (old sticker system)? I have a three segment flight to Central America: MCI-CLT-MIA-PTY. Is it safe to assume that any domestic segments that are upgraded would incur no additional cost for the infant? What if the MIA-PTY segment is upgraded, am I charged 10% + taxes of J based on the whole trip or is a calculation done based just on that one segment?
Jul 29, 2022, 5:28 pm
#339
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: Accor Silver
Posts: 21
I called QR today to add an infant to an AA award booking and also received "Our policy does not allow adding infants to other airlines' award tickets", please call American Airlines. So unless I keep calling again until I get a 'bad' QR agent, I think it's a no-go for me and I will end up canceling and booking a paid ticket on another airline. Even if it is more expensive than buying tickets on QR, I will make it a point to take my business elsewhere based on this 'policy'.
Jul 29, 2022, 10:42 pm
#341
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,924
Etihad has absolutely no issue with this, and allows AA to issue the ticket. It’s not cheap - they have a 20% of the fare rule - BUT IT WORKS, unlike this idiotic airline.
Jul 30, 2022, 1:47 am
#342
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,578
Infants do not need to be issued on QR stock - the issue is whether AA can sell a ticket for the journey. This is not unique to QR.
At one time there was no issue. The IATA mileage based fares could be issued by AA for travel on most airlines. Might be an expensive base fare, but made infant tickets with award quite easy.
QR is far from unique with this issue
At one time there was no issue. The IATA mileage based fares could be issued by AA for travel on most airlines. Might be an expensive base fare, but made infant tickets with award quite easy.
QR is far from unique with this issue
Jul 30, 2022, 2:13 am
#343
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,924
Infants do not need to be issued on QR stock - the issue is whether AA can sell a ticket for the journey. This is not unique to QR.
At one time there was no issue. The IATA mileage based fares could be issued by AA for travel on most airlines. Might be an expensive base fare, but made infant tickets with award quite easy.
QR is far from unique with this issue
At one time there was no issue. The IATA mileage based fares could be issued by AA for travel on most airlines. Might be an expensive base fare, but made infant tickets with award quite easy.
QR is far from unique with this issue
And in this, I do agree QR is far from unique in this issue, though for a supposed five-star airline one would expect a little more.
Oct 12, 2022, 2:10 am
#344
Join Date: Oct 2022
Posts: 11
AAdvantage award ticket for inter.flight for baby in LAP
Hi,
Looking for help how to book:
My story is short: Corona is "over", baby is here, miles earned = ready to travel around the world.
Have not called to AA since 2019.
First call last week and spent 1.5 hour in queue. It was to Europe AA call.
Tried to book AUH to VIE with Etihad using AA miles. I was said it is impossible to add infant to booking, because it is not AA flight. A few more calls and could not do it. Called to Etihad, 5 minutes later they did it but also asked to pay 450 EUR for an infant.
I was really upset about the price, especially when economy adult costs less. Asked if it is possible to buy adult economy for baby with miles and take baby to bus. In theory it is possible but it is risky. Now thinking to give my bus to baby and book economy for myself: worse case I will be in economy, best case- team allows me to sit with baby and my wife in bus.
Also thinking may be to change Etihad to Qatar airlines if they are more flex with prices.
However my question will be: can you share your experience here who travelled with infant in LAP using AA miles for international flight operated not by AA?
Now I have a few choices:
To buy additional bus - 42.5k milesBook economy for myself - 20k milesPay 450 EUR just for "something".
Problem is that we are planning to do trip around the world and we want start booking tickets to SIN-DPSSIN-DPS-HKG-Japan with AA.
I can not imagine how much it will be for baby. May be someone can give me some hints? For today we can not spend miles for baby in bus (too much).
may be it is possible to book a ticket for baby like roundtrip ticket from adult price and not one ways tickets. Just want to find most economical way. (In my imagination babies should fly for free))
Looking for help how to book:
My story is short: Corona is "over", baby is here, miles earned = ready to travel around the world.
Have not called to AA since 2019.
First call last week and spent 1.5 hour in queue. It was to Europe AA call.
Tried to book AUH to VIE with Etihad using AA miles. I was said it is impossible to add infant to booking, because it is not AA flight. A few more calls and could not do it. Called to Etihad, 5 minutes later they did it but also asked to pay 450 EUR for an infant.
I was really upset about the price, especially when economy adult costs less. Asked if it is possible to buy adult economy for baby with miles and take baby to bus. In theory it is possible but it is risky. Now thinking to give my bus to baby and book economy for myself: worse case I will be in economy, best case- team allows me to sit with baby and my wife in bus.
Also thinking may be to change Etihad to Qatar airlines if they are more flex with prices.
However my question will be: can you share your experience here who travelled with infant in LAP using AA miles for international flight operated not by AA?
Now I have a few choices:
To buy additional bus - 42.5k milesBook economy for myself - 20k milesPay 450 EUR just for "something".
Problem is that we are planning to do trip around the world and we want start booking tickets to SIN-DPSSIN-DPS-HKG-Japan with AA.
I can not imagine how much it will be for baby. May be someone can give me some hints? For today we can not spend miles for baby in bus (too much).
may be it is possible to book a ticket for baby like roundtrip ticket from adult price and not one ways tickets. Just want to find most economical way. (In my imagination babies should fly for free))