Advance planning can lead to big savings when travelling with children
See our new Travel with Kids guide here.
Research for KAYAK.ie’s new Travel with Kids guide has found that while reduced fares are often available, some infant tickets could end up costing parents as much or more than an adult ticket.
- Infant fares are up to €20 each way, despite adult seats starting from €9.99
- Most airlines considered showed flat rates for infant seats
- Children from 2 years old and up are eligible for discounted rates in some cases
- KAYAK.ie launches the Travel with Kids guide so parents are in the know
Most travellers would imagine that they would only have to pay a small fee, if anything at all, to carry an infant (under 2) on their lap during a flight. And most of the time, they would be right. But research conducted for a new guide dedicated to travelling with kids by KAYAK.ie has found that it always pays to plan ahead: in some cases, the cost can be equivalent to, or even more than, an adult fare.
Ryanair offers tickets for lap-held infants for a €20 flat rate one-way. But, while this probably sounds like a good deal, flat rates aren’t always guaranteed to be the cheapest option. For example, Ryanair is currently advertising flights from just €9.99 on its website (for one-way flights from Dublin to Glasgow). In this particular case, it could be cheaper to book a separate seat for an infant and benefit from more space and a bigger luggage allowance.
Another thing to consider when planning is what parents get for their money when it comes to baggage. The airlines compared here all permit a pushchair or carseat to be checked in free of charge. CityJet also allows an extra 10kg for check-in luggage. While all airlines allow parents can take an extra cabin bag on board when travelling with a lap infant, Ryanair specifies this should be up to 5kg, half the adult cabin baggage allowance.
Suzanne Perry – travel expert at KAYAK, comments: “The research shows that while a flat fee to carry infants offers better value when the ticket prices are higher, that doesn’t translate so well for cheap flight deals.
“Our advice would be to check the policies of each airline before travelling with children – and if an adult fare is less, check if you can purchase an adult ticket for your baby instead. Not only could it be cheaper, you may get far more space as you will also get an extra seat, and you will get a higher luggage allowance too.”
Ticket Prices
What Airlines Offer Infants
*Prices and information taken from the airlines’ websites and correct as of 10.03.2017. Flight prices are for one-way flights only. Prices are subject to change, may vary, or may not be available anymore. See carrier policies for details.
