Travelling with a newborn - but buying tickets in advance
May 28, 2018, 10:14 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 474
Travelling with a newborn - but buying tickets in advance
Looking to travel with a newborn baby later in the year (assuming all goes to plan) but would rather not buy the tickets at short notice after they are born.
Spoken with a couple of airlines and looks like you can purchase adult tickets in advance and then just call up and book (and pay 10%) the infant ticket. Wondering if this is the best way to do things, if others have done similar, any other options we should consider?
I have not been able to find out what happens if I book the adult tickets using miles, if I can then add on an infant or what the process is - any ideas or experiences? Would be ideal if we could also pay for the infant ticket on miles.
Thanks in advance.
Spoken with a couple of airlines and looks like you can purchase adult tickets in advance and then just call up and book (and pay 10%) the infant ticket. Wondering if this is the best way to do things, if others have done similar, any other options we should consider?
I have not been able to find out what happens if I book the adult tickets using miles, if I can then add on an infant or what the process is - any ideas or experiences? Would be ideal if we could also pay for the infant ticket on miles.
Thanks in advance.
May 29, 2018, 1:13 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 14
I expect the full answer is “it depends on the airline” but I can give a data point for British Airways. We recently added my newborn son to an existing points booking and they asked us to pay 10% of the normal points cost, plus 100% of the relevant taxes.
May 29, 2018, 3:27 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 474
Thanks, a useful data point.
May 30, 2018, 2:33 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 474
May 30, 2018, 6:32 pm
#7
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Many carriers base the 10% fare on the fare available in the cabin class at the time the infant ticket is purchased, which can be much more that 10% of the adult ticket fare at the time the adult ticket was purchased. Note also that it's 10% of the fare but 100% of the fees and taxes, with few exceptions.
Check airline rules about the youngest infant that will be accepted for travel. IIRC it's seven days for some carriers, but this can vary.
Most carriers don't permit you to purchase an infant ticket using miles for it, but you can use miles for the adult ticket and just pay with money for the baby.
Check airline rules about the youngest infant that will be accepted for travel. IIRC it's seven days for some carriers, but this can vary.
Most carriers don't permit you to purchase an infant ticket using miles for it, but you can use miles for the adult ticket and just pay with money for the baby.
May 30, 2018, 6:56 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 474
Yes that is what I am finding. I am also finding there is not always a consistent way a carrier explains it, as they rarely have it written online so you speak to different agents with different interpretations.