We’ve got six kids. While two of them are now our on their own, we still have four minor children to plan for when we travel. It wasn’t so bad a few years ago, but now that they are getting older, it makes vacations very expensive. That\’s why we\’ve been trying to find kids fly free programs on different airlines.
As long as they sit on an adult’s lap, most major airlines allow children under the age of two to fly for free. Once they reach their second birthday, you gotta start paying full fare. The twins just turned three and Caleb just turned four. They need their own tickets now, but a few years ago, we all flew from Salt Lake City to New York for next to nothing!
Now that we got our trip to Universal Orlando Resort with Caleb done, we’re feeling more adventurous. Travel anxiety be damned! Traveling with multiples is daunting — we barely attempt trips to the grocery store — but we’ve been doing some research. Families have got to save money wherever they can, so if you’re planning a trip, kids fly free with these airlines!
Frontier Airlines
Yes, they’ve got a reputation for being a bare-bones carrier, but Frontier Airlines has a Kids Fly Free program that makes family travel a lot more affordable. How does it work?
- Sign up for the Discount Den membership ($60)
- Enjoy free airfare for kids 14 and under
- For every adult ticket (ages 15 and up), one child can fly free
This is PERFECT four our family because we have three “adults” and three children. Here’s how it would work for us:
- My adult ticket would cover me and Caleb (age 4)
- Josh’s adult ticket would cover him and Benji (age 3)
- Hayley’s adult ticket (she’s 16), would cover her and Oliver (age 3)
That’s it! Honestly, when I first read about this deal on the Frontier website, I thought I was imagining it. Again, Frontier is a minimalist airline so you\’ll have to weigh the pros and cons. If you travel light you won\’t have to worry about baggage fees, which is a common complaint for people who fly Frontier.
Larger families really can still save, so it\’s worth keeping in mind. Of course, things can change quickly in the air travel industry so be sure to review the website regularly. For now, this is a pretty sweet deal for our family. The older kids can figure out their own airfare, haha!
Airlines With Regular Kids Fly Free Promotions
There are several airlines out there that may not have long-standing programs, but regularly offer Kids Fly Free promotions. You’ll have to sign up for updates and/or keep them on their radar so that you don’t miss out. Here are some to look for:
- Scandinavian Airlines — A recent deal allowed up to EIGHT kids (age 11 and under) to fly to Europe on a single adult ticket. That’s just unbeatable!
- British Airways — Last year, up to two children (up to age 12) per family could fly for free.
- Qatar Airways — The airline has been known to waive ticket fees for up to two children (age 0-11).
- Air Tahiti Nui — On flights from Los Angeles to Tahiti, the airline has offered promotions allowing up to two kids (up to age 15) to fly for free (plus taxes).
Again, you really need to keep your eyes peeled for these deals because they last for a limited time and seat sell very quickly! We really wish we had noticed the Scandinavian Airlines deal sooner, as we\’ve been hoping to get to Europe as a family. We\’ve heard that SA does this promotion from time-to-time, so maybe next year!
Airlines with Discounts for Kids
You might not be able to score free airfare for your kids, but you can’t argue with a discount, right? Again, with the cost of hotels, food, rental cars, etc… we\’re all looking for bargains. If you’re looking to save on your next family vacation, you might want to start here:
- Southwest Airlines — For a discount airline, Southwest sure knows how to keep customers happy. Did you know that, as long as you provide proof of a child’s age for Child Fare Eligibility, kids 2-11 can fly at a lower fare? It’s great!
- Virgin Atlantic — Lap babies until two fly free, but if you choose to purchase a seat for kids 0-11, you’ll get a 25% discount! As with Southwest, you’ll need to provide documentation to prove the child’s age.
And there you have it. When I first started researching for this post, I wasn\’t sure what I\’d find. I was actually really surprised by how many deals and discounts are available for families. You don’t need to go broke in order to enjoy a great vacation with your kids. These are the current deals, but we’ll do our best to update this page whenever something good is happening.
What has your experience been with Kids Fly Free deals? We did it once when the older three were young. They all flew to Disneyland for free and we spent the money we saved on a ridiculous amount of souvenirs! Tell us your secrets for saving on family travel in the comments!
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