How to Book Reward Flights for Infants

Travelling with an infant under two years can be a challenge, but it comes with a lesser-known benefit in the points world. In many cases, your infant can fly for free or almost close to it when booked on a reward ticket as a “lap Infant”. The catch is that the rules are complex, and they vary significantly between frequent flyer programs. Some are more family-friendly than others.

This guide takes a look at how to book reward flights using different programs for lap infants. Using the right program could result in a big difference in points and fees charged.

What is a Lap Infant?

A lap infant is a child under the age of two who travels without their own seat, sitting on the accompanying adult’s lap for the duration of the flight. The age is calculated based on the travel date of the flight. Most airlines allow only one lap infant per adult. If you are travelling as a party of two infants and only one adult, the second infant will need their own seat. If the infant requires their own seat, on most programs, that will cost the same as the full adult points redemption.

Qantas Frequent Flyer

Qantas Frequent Flyer has quite straightforward policies when it comes to booking reward flights with an infant. Under Qantas’ policy, lap infants do not require any additional points as long as the accompanying adult is travelling on a reward ticket.

The Qantas website allows you to add an infant to your travelling party as part of the flight search process. Taxes, fees and carrier charges may still apply depending upon the operating airline, but in many cases, the out-of-pocket cost is minimal.

Another handy feature of Qantas Classic Rewards is the ability to book your own flights first and add the infant to the booking later. This is particularly helpful for planning, as award availability can disappear quickly and waiting until after the birth of the child to book could mean missing out. You can add the infant later on by calling Qantas. In the case of Qantas domestic flights, you can even do this at the airport during check-in.

Velocity Frequent Flyer

Virgin Australia’s Velocity program follows a similar approach to Qantas. Lap infants do not require points to be redeemed on Velocity reward bookings, with only applicable taxes and fees payable. This applies to both Virgin Australia and partner airline flights.

However, due to Velocity’s mish-mash of partner airlines, the ability to add an infant to an existing booking depends on the partner airline. There is evidence on AFF to suggest that this is possible with Singapore Airlines.

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

You cannot book a redemption with a lap infant online. Once you switch the booking to “Redeem Flights”, the option to add an infant disappears. This has to be done over the phone. The charge for lap infants is 10% of the adult cash fare for Singapore Airlines flights.

For partner airline redemptions with KrisFlyer, you will need to contact the operating airline after booking your ticket, and their own policies and fees will apply. I recently redeemed KrisFlyer miles for an Air New Zealand flight. The contact centre for Air New Zealand charged me 10% of the cash fare for the flight. The infant is issued a separate ticket, with a link to the adult’s ticket.

Air Canada Aeroplan

Air Canada’s Aeroplan program is widely regarded as one of the best overseas programs when it comes to travelling with lap infants. Rather than charging a percentage of the cash fare or taxes, it charges a fixed fee of CAD $25 or 2,500 Aeroplan points per one-way trip, regardless of the cabin. The good news is that this applies to partner airline bookings too.

Infants can be added as part of the flight search process online. You can also book the adult tickets first and add the infant after they are born by calling Aeroplan. I did this recently on a Singapore Airlines redemption booked using Aeroplan points. The process was straightforward, and I got a ticket issued for the infant immediately after the CAD $25 was paid. This is a fraction of what KrisFlyer would have charged me for the same addition.

Other Frequent Flyer programs

• American Airlines Advantage – Can be added online during the booking process. Free for domestic US flights and 10% of the adult cash fare for international redemptions on both American Airlines and partner airline flights.
• Alaska Mileage Plan – Free for Alaska Airlines-operated domestic flights and 10% of the adult for Alaska-operated international flights. However, Alaska’s published policy does not permit lap infants on international partner award bookings. The search engine automatically converts your lap infant to an adult if you try to search for a route not served by Alaska Airlines internationally. Contacting the operating airline directly could offer varying success, with outcomes varying depending on the operating carrier.
• British Airways Avios – Infants are charged 10% of the adult Avios cost and can be added online during the booking process. This applies to both British Airways and partner airline bookings. Infants can be added after birth by calling British Airways.
• Cathay Pacific – One of the least family-friendly programs. For Cathay Pacific flights, the infant fee is 25% of the adult cash fare. Infant award redemptions cannot be done online. Instead, you would need to contact Customer Care after booking. For partner airline bookings, you will need to contact the operating airline directly.
• Emirates Skywards – Infants cost 10% of the adult cash fare in Economy, Premium Economy and Business Class. The Emirates website states that “You can only spend your Miles on Economy Class tickets for infant passengers”. However, this seems like an online restriction, and lap infants can be booked over the phone. Note that Emirates no longer allows booking infants (and children aged eight and below) on Emirates First Class redemptions.
• Qatar Airways Avios – Infants cost 10% of the adult Avios. It is best to add infants as part of the initial booking process online. Adding infants to existing Qatar Airways bookings is not straightforward and might need a few HUACA attempts. For partner airline booking, you will need to contact the operating airline directly.