I know one of the biggest concerns when flying with kids is making sure you’re all seated together. It can be stressful to imagine your little ones sitting alone, especially on a long flight. Let’s explore how to navigate seating arrangements to ensure a smoother, more enjoyable travel experience for everyone.
The Importance of Family Seating
Traveling with children is an adventure, but it’s much more enjoyable when everyone is seated together. It provides:
- Peace of Mind: Knowing your children are within reach.
- Convenience: Easier to assist them with meals, activities, and bathroom breaks.
- Comfort: Reduced anxiety for both parents and children.
Navigating Seating Policies: Airline Specifics
Each airline has its own approach to family seating. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect from Frontier, Southwest, and American Airlines:
- Frontier Airlines:
- Frontier is known for its budget-friendly fares, but this often means additional fees for seat selection.
- To guarantee your family sits together, you’ll likely need to pay for assigned seats in advance.
- It is recommended to purchase seat assignments when you purchase your tickets, as seats can fill up quickly.
- Families should pay close attention to the seat map during seat purchase.
- Southwest Airlines:
- Southwest’s open seating policy has traditionally been a bit of a gamble for families.
- Early check-in is crucial. Check in exactly 24 hours before your flight to improve your boarding position.
- Families with young children (under 6) can take advantage of family boarding, which occurs after the A group.
- Arriving early to the gate is important to get seats together.
- Upcoming Changes: It is important to note that Southwest Airlines has announced that they will be making changes to their seating policies, and adding assigned seating starting late January 2026.
- American Airlines:
- American Airlines aims to accommodate families, but it’s still best to plan ahead.
- Select your seats during the booking process or as soon as possible afterward.
- American Airlines has a policy that aims to seat children 15 and under next to an adult.
- Consider choosing seats closer to the front of the plane for quicker boarding.
Tips for Securing Family Seating
-
Book Early:
- The earlier you book, the more seat options you’ll have.
-
Select Seats During Booking:
- If possible, choose your seats during the initial booking process.
-
Check-In Early:
- For Southwest, especially, check in exactly 24 hours before your flight (until assigned seating is implemented).
-
Contact the Airline:
- If you have concerns or special requests, contact the airline directly.
-
Arrive at the Gate Early:
- This is especially important for Southwest’s open seating (until assigned seating is implemented).
-
Consider Airline Loyalty Programs:
- Having status with an airline can help with seating.
-
Be Polite and Patient:
- Airport staff are often willing to help, but it’s important to be respectful.
My Family Travel Seating Strategies
- I always check in for Southwest flights right when the 24-hour window opens.
- When flying on airlines that have assigned seats, I always try to book the seats as soon as I purchase my ticket.
- I always arrive at the gate early, no matter what airline I am flying.
- I make sure to keep myself informed of current airline policies.
Making Family Travel Smoother
By understanding the seating policies of different airlines, and keeping up to date with changing airline policies, and implementing these tips, you can increase your chances of securing seats together for your family.
Happy travels!
