Flying With Your Family Could Be CHEAPER Soon

We get it — flying with kiddos can be a big event in and of itself. We’re all too familiar with the chaos that can come with coordinating the flights, making sure all of the luggage gets packed correctly and properly checked in, and making sure no one’s favorite blanket gets left behind at the gate.

Orlando International Airport

While some of these things are just part of the joy of parenting tiny humans, we do have tips to make part of your travel experience easier. And our tip today comes in the form of a special feature coming soon to United Airlines.

According to CNBC, United Airlines will soon make it easier for families to book seats next to their children without having to pay a fee.

So just how will this work? According to CNN, United will introduce a new seat map feature. It’ll help families with kids under 12 find seats that are next to each other — FREE of charge. Basically, the seat map will automatically search for available adjacent economy seats when you’re booking, but it’ll also show “complimentary upgrades to other available seats as needed.”

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While “preferred” seats will be shown, United Polaris, First Class, and Economy Plus seats will NOT be included in the change.

This will apply to those with standard and basic economy tickets. The system will be fully in place next month. You might already notice some changes though, as United has started to increase some of the seat availability as it makes this change.

You can sit by your kiddos for no upcharge!

Also, if side-by-seats aren’t available, United will allow customers to switch to another flight to the same destination that has adjacent seats without any fare difference being charged.

This change comes as President Biden and his administration push for changes with family seating fees and other “hidden” fees on flights.

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During his State of the Union address, Biden made several statements against “junk fees,” which he defined as “hidden surcharges too many companies use to make you pay more.”

Biden shared that they are working to “prohibit airlines from charging $50 round trip for a family just to be able to sit together.” Biden emphasized the point of these changes by saying, “Baggage fees are bad enough. Airlines can’t treat your child like a piece of baggage. Americans are tired of being — we’re tired of being played for suckers.”

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Back in July 2022, the Department of Transportation issued a notice “stating that it is the Department’s policy that U.S. airlines ensure that children who are age 13 or younger are seated next to an accompanying adult with no extra charge, but still no airline guarantees fee-free family seating.” The Department of Transportation is set to soon “publish a family seating fee dashboard and launch a rulemaking to ban the practice.”

President Biden has called upon “Congress to fast-track the ban on family seating fees so that the DOT can crack down on these practices more quickly than through a rulemaking.”

Airplane

How do other airlines handle the situation? According to CNBC, Delta Air Lines indicates that it blocks some rows of seats so families can stay together. They also share that they do NOT charge family seating fees and will work with customers (on a case-by-case basis) to ensure their needs are met.

American Airlines uses a booking platform that automatically searches for available seats that are together for main cabin and basic economy passengers. But preferred seats and seats in the extra legroom section open on the day of departure if needed.