Baby on board a plane

[no comment]

How do airlines charge for babies and toddlers? Do they require a full seat purchase?

[mambocowboy]

How do airlines charge for babies and toddlers? Do they require a full seat purchase?

Under2 is usually free

[Chris F]

Recently went through this with my own 18 month old daughter. American Airlines charges $250 for my daughter to sit on my wife's lap. She is also entitled to two bags of luggage for that price.

[Gato4Astrid]

How do airlines charge for babies and toddlers? Do they require a full seat purchase?

You need to check the airline because each airline is different

[robert angel]

Recently went through this with my own 18 month old daughter. American Airlines charges $250 for my daughter to sit on my wife's lap. She is also entitled to two bags of luggage for that price.

The airlines are awful. My wife occasionally makes me promise that if she dies before me, that I promise to fly her body back to her homeland for a proper Catholic burial.

It costs over fifty thousand dollars and that doesn't even include any meals or a movie.

No frequent flier miles...

I'm easy. I told her to just cremate me----I don't care if it's on the BBQ grill and she puts my ashes in an old coffee can. The only thing I made her promise is to dump my ashes into the ocean at our nearby beach, being SURE that the tide's going OUT.

[mambocowboy]

Recently went through this with my own 18 month old daughter. American Airlines charges $250 for my daughter to sit on my wife's lap. She is also entitled to two bags of luggage for that price.

My daughter at 7 months flew free with COPA

[robert angel]

Boy, aren't your kids frickin spoiled to death! Airplanes?

Not MY parents....I remember screaming "Mommy----I don't want to go to Europe!" Only to hear the reply:

 "Shut up and keep swimming!!"

[no comment]

Recently went through this with my own 18 month old daughter. American Airlines charges $250 for my daughter to sit on my wife's lap. She is also entitled to two bags of luggage for that price.

Chris,
Is that $250 round trip to Lima, and how did that compare to your adult tickets?

[Chris F]

Chris,
Is that $250 round trip to Lima, and how did that compare to your adult tickets?

I stand corrected. It was Lan Chile that charged us $250. It comes out as a percentage of the adult fare which I do not remember the exact price.


My wife states that many international flights do charge for having a baby on your lap. It appears COPA is the exception.

[thekfc]

Domestic flights:
Under 2
   Lap child: usually free, however there are a handful of airlines that do charge.
   Occupy their own seat: there is (usually) a charge. Some airline gives a discount while others give no discount (pay 100% of adult fare).
Over 2: Charge - usually 100% of adult fare.


International:
 Lap child: There is a charge (there are a few exceptions) Price is usually around 10% of adult fare.
 Occupy their own seat/Over 2: Charge - fare can be anywhere between 10% to 90% of adult fare - depending on route & airline.

Baggage allowance:
International:
  Lap child: Usually 1 free check bag.
 Occupy own seat/over 2: same allowance as adult.


Seats:
  Bassinets & Bulkhead (with Bassinet positions) can be reserved for under 2.
  If you are a solo traveler in a bassinet seat and a traveler with an infant boards then you can be moved/kicked out of your seat to make room for these travelers.
  Infants/children are not allowed to seat in exit rows.

[no comment]

Thanks all for the information.  I had been in the habit of reserving adult seats with a site that searches prices of multiple airlines, like Bookingbuddy or  Hotwire.  This will make things a bit more complicated.