virgin atlantic travel with baby

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Flying with children

We want all our customers (big and small) to love flying with us. From meals and entertainment to an inclusive baggage allowance for pushchairs and car seats, we've got it covered.

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Meals designed for children

After you've booked your child a seat, you can pre-order a kids meal created especially for ages 2 to 12, anytime up to 24 hours before your flight. Don't worry if you haven't ordered a kids meal, they can choose from the main menu during the flight, including a vegetarian option.

Entertainment for kids of all ages

We've hand-picked the best shows to keep younger viewers entertained or help them snooze at bedtime. Bigger kids can choose from hours of audio and family films or set limits using our Parental block feature.

Car seats and pushchairs welcome

Bring a fully collapsible pushchair and car seat or booster seat in addition to your free checked baggage allowance. In most airports, your pushchair can be used right through to the gate and your car seat or booster seat can be used onboard. At check in, hand us anything you won't need during the flight, and we'll store it safely in the hold.

If your child has their own seat on the flight, they may prefer a meal from our kids' menu . You'll need to pre-order kids' meals online in My booking at least 24 hours before your flight.

Car seats and booster seats can be checked in with your other baggage or taken with you into the cabin for use during the flight, provided it meets our requirements. FInd out more about seats for children .

Children and seated infants get the same baggage allowance as grown up's so they can bring all their favourite things and you can pack that extra pair of shoes. 

You can also bring one fully collapsible pushchair and a car seat in addition to your free baggage allowance.

You may need to make specific arrangements for cots and pushchairs. Read the guide here .

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You'll find answers to common questions in our dedicated help centre section.

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Flying with children

It’s finally time to go on that family trip you’ve been looking forward to for months, you just need figure out how to keep the kids entertained through the flight… Well, lucky you’ve booked with Virgin Atlantic. We've loaded our aircraft with everything kids love. Boredom is banned. From TV shows (yes, including Peppa) to dinosaur pasta, in-flight cots to car seats, we’ve got you covered to make flying with little ones as smooth as possible.

Flying with kids | Virgin Atlantic

Inflight entertainment.

With a huge range of children's films and TV shows on offer, your children will be busy enjoying themselves from pre take-off right up until you step off the plane. That's sure to take some of the strain out of family travel.

Once at the gate we'll hand out KiD backpacks, bursting with goodies to keep them busy while you board and settle in.

On all flights your kids can choose from movies, TV and games suitable for all ages. And if they've got their own seats, they'll have their own TVs too.

Parental lock functionality is available on all aircraft. Please ask a member of cabin crew at the start of your flight if you need any help setting it up.

What's playing for kids this month?

We've got the latest movies and entertainment for kids that you'll love too!

We’ve created our kids’ menu with the fussiest child in mind and includes a variety of familiar dishes that are sure to tickle their tastebuds. The crew are also regularly on hand with drinks to keep you and your little ones refreshed.

• Baby meals - specifically for little ones under 12 months, which include standard pureed or bottled foods (no solids).
• Children’s meals - We make sure to treat your little ones for good behaviour and offer them ice cream, jam sandwiches, fresh fruit and dinosaur pasta to add some fun to in-flight mealtimes. Specifically for our younger passengers aged 12 months to 12 years old which are nutritious, easy to eat and nut friendly. This means that while they don't contain nuts, they're not prepared in a nut free facility so may contain nut traces.

Kids meals aren't vegetarian. If your young one is a veggie they should go for the standard vegetarian option rather than a kids meal.

Children's meals aren't booked automatically, and need to be ordered online at least 48 hours before you fly . You can order a kids’ meal through My booking as soon as you book your tickets, or you can call us on 0344 874 7747. Please note meals can’t be booked for unseated infants.

Seats for children

Planning your seating

We need to make sure that each child in a car seat is supervised by a guardian aged at least 14 who is sitting right next to them. If you’ve got two children in car seats, you’ll need to have them either side of you.

If you need special support seating for disabled children, take a look at our information on support seating.

If you're travelling in Economy, you can bring your own car seat as long as it meets the standards below and you've booked a seat for it.

These products can't be used onboard:

• FlyTOT/Playing Pal
• Fly legs up

Bringing your own car seat , 1 of 1

If you would like to use your own car seat, it must:

• Be designed to be secured by means of a normal aircraft single lap strap
• Have a separate 5-point restraining harness
• Not exceed the dimensions of the aircraft seat, and should fit into an area of 43cm x 43cm (17.ins x 17ins)
• Must be secured to its host seat at all times of the flight
• If for any reason your car seat cannot be fully secured, it may have to be placed in the hold. In these circumstances, your infant will have to be secured to your lap whenever the seat belt sign comes on

The car seat must also display one of the following labels:

EU approved labelling

Approved for use in motor vehicles according to the UN standard ECE R 44, -03” or later

‘Qualification Procedure for Child Restraint Systems for Use in Aircraft’ (TÜV Doc.: TÜV/958-01/2001)

Australia/New Zealand approved labelling

Australian Standard AS1754 New Zealand Standard NZS1354

Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS1754

FAA approved labelling

Approved for use in motor vehicles and aircraft according to US FMVSS No 213 and manufactured to these standards on or after February 26, 1985 ‘This child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety standards.

This Restraint is Certified for Use in Motor Vehicles and Aircraft.’

Canadian approved labelling

Standard CMVSS 213/213.1

Please note:

1. You may be asked to show the approval labelling to our ground staff and cabin crew, so please make sure you know where to find it.

2. You’ll need to show our cabin crew that you’ve fitted the seat securely and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

3. The seat must fit securely using a normal aircraft seatbelt, as unlike cars, we don’t have ISOFIX systems or seatbelts that are worn over the shoulder.

Premium and Upper Class

If you have a car seat, you may be aware that you can’t use them where airbags are fitted. As all of our Upper Class suites and the Premium seats on many of our aircraft have airbags you will be unable to use your own car seats.

Flying with babies

Flying with a baby doesn’t need to be stressful, even if it’s just you and your little one.

Our baby-friendly cabin crew will be on hand to help throughout your flight. We offer specially designed in-flight cots, we’ll warm milk for you, and some of our toilets include changing facilities to help you along the way.

International flights

Your baby must be healthy and at least 48 hours old to travel on Virgin Atlantic international routes.

• Cow’s milk, formula and water (to make formula up) are all allowed on the aircraft.
• They must be in baby bottles or cartons, not bottles from the supermarket or flasks etc.
• They can be over 100ml, but only up to a reasonable amount that’s necessary for the flight.

Whenever you need milk warming up, just let the cabin crew know and they’ll be happy to do it. They’ll always do it properly too – by warming it in hot water then leaving it to cool.

If you are travelling with an infant that does not have an assigned seat a meal will need to be requested in advance by contacting us on 0344 874 7747 .

In-flight cots

To make our flights comfortable for your baby (and peaceful for you), we offer in-flight cots free of charge. For your baby's safety, we don't allow them to be placed on the cabin floor. The cabin crew will install the cot for you after take-off and advise you if your baby will need to be removed from the cot and secured on your lap should there be any turbulence.

Sky cots must be requested in advance by calling 0344 874 7747 . There is a limited number of sky cots offered on a first come first served basis.

The cots have slightly different dimensions depending on your aircraft. To check your baby will fit comfortably in the cot that’s on your flight, see the dimensions below.

Please note there are no in-flight cots in the Upper Class cabin on B747-400 aircraft operating to or from Gatwick or Manchester.

Economy and Premium sky cots

Upper class sky cots.

Pushchairs and car seats

When travelling with children or infants, you’re welcome to bring one fully collapsible pushchair and a car seat, in addition to your free checked baggage allowance. Please note that pushchairs will fly in the aircraft’s hold. Car seats can be used on board (in Economy only) if they meet the necessary requirements. These can be found in the above section seats for children.

Pushchairs may be checked in or used up until the boarding gate. On landing, whenever possible we’ll have your pushchair ready and waiting at the aircraft doors. However, you may have to reclaim it at the baggage hall, due to local customs restrictions at some destinations.

Children flying alone

Can children fly alone , 1 of 3.

If your child is travelling without you, don’t worry, we’ll make sure their flight goes smoothly.

We’re happy to accept unaccompanied children on flights from the ages of 5 to 18 – and it goes without saying we’ll make sure they're OK throughout their journey. Just let us know they’ll be unaccompanied and follow the process below.

Before you book your travel it is worth noting:

Children aged between 5 and 11 are always classed as unaccompanied minors when travelling alone and must use the unaccompanied minors service as detailed below.

Children aged between 12 and 18 may choose to use the unaccompanied minors service, if they wish. However, ordinarily we assume they will not require it.

• The parent/guardian of the unaccompanied minor must stay at the airport until the child's flight has departed
• Children under 5 must always travel with someone aged 18 or over – we can't fly them on their own*
• We also regard children aged 5 to 18 as unaccompanied minors if their parents or guardians are travelling on the same flight, but in a different cabin. This is because our crew will be responsible for them in the event of an emergency or the seatbelt signs are switched on, as you won't be able to attend to them
• If you're travelling in Upper Class separately from your children they aren't permitted to visit you, but you are of course free to come and check on them

*Except when a child is travelling with their own parent or legal guardian who is less than 18 years.

Organising a flight for an unaccompanied child , 2 of 3

• Make sure you let us know the child will be travelling alone when you book, by calling our reservations team on 0344 209 7777 (open 24 hrs a day), or through a travel agent. You can't book online
• If the child has any special needs or medical conditions, again please be sure to let us know at the time you book
• We'll send you a Declaration of Indemnity form for you to complete and sign. One part of the form needs to be returned to the UK Support centre
• Keep hold of the remainder of the form to present at check in on the day of departure. If the form is not completed and signed we won’t be able to accept the child for lone travel
• Please check whether your child needs any visas or documentation for their destination, and organise these if necessary
• After check in, a member of our ground staff will take your child to the aircraft, where our cabin crew will then look after them
• Once landed, another member of Virgin Atlantic staff will take them through immigration and customs and hand them over to the adult noted on the Declaration of Indemnity form. This adult will have to show formal identification before we end our care of your child.

We won't be able to accept your child if:

• They are not brought to check in by a parent or guardian.
• They arrived from a connecting flight, other than one operated by Virgin Atlantic.
• They are travelling on another connecting flight, other than one operated by Virgin Atlantic.
• They are not going to be collected from Virgin Atlantic directly by a parent or guardian upon arrival.
• The transit time between flights is over four hours, if the flight includes a stop-over or if there are inter-airport connections by road or rail such as between Gatwick or Heathrow.

Extra things to be aware of:

• Children travelling alone in Upper Class cannot use shared lounges, Clubhouses or the limo service.
• The Unaccompanied Minor service is charged as an adult fare.

Unaccompanied minors travelling into, out of or via South Africa , 3 of 3

Since 1 June 2016, the South African immigration department have changed the requirements for children under 18 years of age travelling into, out of or transitting through South Africa, with or without a parent or guardian. Please make sure you have all the correct paperwork:

South African requirements for children travelling alone

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Need to Know: Flying Virgin Atlantic with a Baby or Toddler

Virgin Atlantic’s infant and child discounts:

Unlike many U.S. carriers that may serve the same or similar routes for your flights, Virgin Atlantic offers a 25% discount for infants riding in their own seats and also for children from 2 to 11 years. This can make a big difference in your family’s bottom line when comparing overall ticketing fees between airlines. Especially if you will be flying during a peak travel season when fare sales are few and far between.

To ensure the child discount is applied, make your reservation directly on www.virgin-atlantic.com or use one of these sites that factors in the child’s age and available discount by airline (warning: not all do!) and may also have special offers or promo codes for extra discounts:

CheapOair.com             OneTravel.com

Tip:  Click “More Advanced Options” in the search box to enter the ages of your children and your preferred airline (eg. Virgin Atlantic).

Flying Virgin Atlantic with a lap child or lap-held infant:

Virgin Atlantic charges the customary 10% of the adult fare for infants and babies under 2 years riding on an adult’s lap. Each lap child is allowed one complimentary checked bag weighing up to 50 lbs. (23 kg.) and one carry-on bag.

Infant bassinets (AKA skycots) are available, but bassinet sizes vary by cabin class. Economy sky cots fit babies up to 20 lbs. or 29″ L, while Upper Class sky cots fit babies up to 25 lbs. and 30″ L.

You must call Virgin Atlantic in advance to reserve your airplane bassinet or skycot: +1 888 747 7474 or 0344 874 7747. You might also want to read Five Things You Should Know Before Flying with an Airplane Bassinet (AKA Skycot) .

And one more reason to call after you’ve booked your flight with your lap child? It’s the only way to ensure children flying without paid seats will have meals provided.

Using car seats (child safety seats) on Virgin Atlantic:

Car seats are only allowed in the cabin for children  in Virgin Atlantic’s Economy class and where their are not airplane air bags. Be warned that MOST premium and upper class seats on Virgin Atlantic flights. Check with reservations to avoid disappointment.

Car seats labeled with current U.S., Canadian, EU, New Zealand, or Australian standards marks will be accepted as long as they fit in the airplane seat and can be installed using safety belts (remember, no ISOFIX/LATCH on airplanes). As always, be prepared to point to your car seat’s certification label when boarding, if necessary.

Also accepted in Economy class: The CARES harness for children.

Virgin Atlantic’s policy for strollers, car seats, etc.

When flying with a baby or toddler, Virgin Atlantic allows one fully collapsible stroller (or pushchair) and one car seat in addition to your regular checked baggage allowance. In most cases, you may opt to check either or both of these at the gate (recommended to avoid damage in the airport baggage system).

For help with gear logistics during travel, see Seven Easy Ways to Get Your Car Seat Through The Airport . You might also like Best Lightweight Travel Strollers , Best Car Seats for Travel , Car Seat Alternatives for Travel , and Best Car Seat Carriers and Transporters . And don’t forget, there’s also the Worldwide Directory of Baby Gear Rentals & Equipment Hire to help on the other end.

Other perks for families flying Virgin Atlantic with a baby or young child:

Virgin Atlantic also offers in-seat TVs with children’s programming and children’s meals. You must reserve your child’s meal online at least 48 hours before your flight. The option will be available under “My Booking” once your reservation is made.

Have your choice of airlines? Use the Airlines Comparison Chart in   Travels with Baby: The Ultimate Guide…   to compare the family-friendly perks, amenities, and available infant/child discounts between more than 40 airlines.

For more help planning air travel with young children,  see chapters 15 – 18 in  Travels with Baby , and see more online  Flying with Babies and Toddlers tips here .

You might also like:

The best lightweight strollers for travel, cares harness review: the flight safety harness for children, how to plan your best vacation with baby, recommended infant car seats for travel, five tips for installing car seats on airplanes, need to know: flying ryanair with a baby or toddler, seven easy ways to get  your car seat through the airport, need to know: flying american airlines with a baby or toddler, see more from the “need to know” airlines series for family travelers, have you subscribed to travels with baby tips .

More tips and advice are on the way! For help for planning travel of every kind–with babies and children of every temperament–in Travels with Baby: The Ultimate Guide for Planning Travel with Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler.

Have y ou seen the latest features at Family Travel 411?

The 411 on Oaxaca with Kids

The 411 on County Clare with Kids

Tips for Buying Sunglasses for Kids

The 411 on Philadelphia with Kids

Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning  Travels with Baby  guidebooks

Twitter       Facebook       Travels with Baby on Facebook       Pinterest

What?! Your kids aren’t babies anymore? Head over to Family Travel 411

Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.

Award-winning travel writer and photographer, mom of 3, and great admirer of anyone willing to cook her dinner.

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Virgin Atlantic Airways Pregnancy, Infant and Children Travel Policy

Virgin Atlantic Airways operates between the United Kingdom and North America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia from its bases at London Gatwick Airport and London Heathrow Airport. Here’s a summary of Virgin Atlantic’s pregnancy, infant and children travel policies.

*This is for informational purposes only. For more information on flying with children on Virgin Atlantic Airways, click here .

Expectant Mothers

As long as you haven’t experienced any complications during your pregnancy, you can fly until your 28th week without needing to tell the airline. Beyond the 28th week, you’ll need to take note of some guidelines.

Read more about Virgin Atlantic’s pregnancy policy here .

Infants (under 2 years old)

Infants are not required to have their own seat however you must inform Virgin Atlantic that you will be traveling with an infant on your lap.

Only one lap child is allowed per adult. If one adult is traveling with more than one infant under 2 years of age, a seat will have to be purchased for each additional infant.

A seat may be purchased for your infant as long as you have the proper child restraint device. Virgin Atlantic offers these seats at discounted rates.

For international flights, infants are charged 10% of an adult fare plus taxes, even if the infant will be on the lap of another passenger for the flight.

A ticket must be purchased for any flight on which the infant will be over 2 years old.

Baggage Allowance for Infants

Passengers travelling with infants or children can bring a fully collapsible pushchair or car seat, in addition to their free check in luggage allowance.

Infants too young for their own seat on the aircraft (travelling on the lap of a parent or carer) can have one piece of hold baggage weighing up to 23kg, and one piece of hand baggage weighing up to 6kg. We’re afraid we can’t allow extra baggage allowance to be purchased for infants.

Strollers, Bassinets / Baby Cots and Child Restraint Devices

When travelling with children or infants, you’re welcome to bring one fully collapsible pushchair or car seat, in addition to your free checked baggage allowance. Note that these will fly in the aircraft’s hold, rather than the cabin.

Bassinets / Baby Cots:

To make our flights comfortable for your baby (and peaceful for you), we offer in-flight cots free of charge. For your baby’s safety, we don’t allow them to be placed on the cabin floor. The cabin crew will install the cot for you after take-off and advise you if your baby will need to be removed from the cot and secured on your lap should there be any turbulence.

The cots have very slightly different dimensions depending on your aircraft. To check your baby will fit comfortably in the cot that’s on your flight, see the dimensions below.

Please note there are no in-flight cots in the Upper Class cabin on B747-400 aircraft operating to or from Gatwick or Manchester

Premium Economy and Economy classes on the A340-300 and B747-400 aircraft:

Maximum weight of baby: 9kg (19.8lb) Maximum height of baby: 740mm (29”) Dimensions: 35cm wide x 21cm deep x 74cm long (13.8” wide x 8.3” deep x 29” long)

Premium Economy and Economy classes on the A340-600 and A330 aircraft:

Maximum weight of baby: 11kg (24.25lb) Maximum height of baby: 760mm (30”) Dimensions 28.6cm wide x 72.7cm long (11.25” wide x 28.6” long)

Upper Class on the A340-300, A340-600, A330 and B747-400 aircraft:

Maximum weight of baby: 11kg (24.25lb) Maximum height of baby: 750mm (29.5”) Bassinet Dimensions: 35cm wide x 24cm deep x 76cm long (13.8” wide x 9.4” deep x 29.9” long)

Child Restraint Devices:

Child restraint devices must have the labels noted below, or you will not be allowed to use it during take-off, landing, and surface movements. This includes booster seats and other types of harnesses.

Special Services

We offer specially designed in-flight cots, we’ll warm milk for you, some of our toilets include changing facilities and we even carry spare baby items such as bottles (although it’s always best to bring your own).

Cow’s milk, formula and water (to make formula up) are all allowed on the aircraft. They must be in baby bottles or cartons, not bottles from the supermarket or flasks etc. They can be over 100ml, but only up to a reasonable amount that’s necessary for the flight. You will be asked to taste 50% of what’s taken through

Whenever you need milk warming up, just let the cabin crew know and they’ll be happy to do it. They’ll always do it properly too – by warming it in hot water then leaving it to cool.

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Home » Family Travel » Flying Virgin Atlantic with kids – everything you need to know

Flying Virgin Atlantic with kids – everything you need to know

By Helen Wright

The airline I fly most frequently with these days is Virgin Atlantic. They are by far my favourite airline over to Florida, because they are fun, great with kids and they fly to Orlando, Tampa and Miami, which means more options and some good deals too. I’ve always found flying Virgin Atlantic with kids a stress-free experience and children get a lot of perks on Virgin, including luggage allowance for lap-sitting babies, allocated seats, kids meals and the newly added Virgin Atlantic Kids on-board pack, which is fab. Plus, the crew – many of whom you can tell are parents themselves – are always so helpful and friendly with the little ones.

Why do I think Virgin Atlantic is the best airline for kids?

I know with my children, going on the plane is as much a part of the holiday as the holiday itself. Because younger kids don’t really know what to expect when they get to a destination, often the flight is the thing they look forward to the most. Virgin Atlantic give children the same welcome and service as their adult customers and, as a mum, I think that is really great.

I fly to Florida a lot and often the route to Orlando will be the first time that some children – and their parents – have flown long-haul. This can be quite a daunting experience for some. As well as making potentially nervous children feel at ease, a friendly welcome when you step on board can make all the difference to stressed parents too.

From the cute aircraft names (will you be flying on ‘Dancing Queen’ or ‘Leading Lady’? We always have to find out our plane’s name before we board) to the animated safety video – Virgin Atlantic really embraces being the ‘fun’ airline and that’s why I love it.

What is the Virgin Atlantic Kids Pack?

The new Virgin Atlantic Kids pack launched in May 2023 and it’s an extra treat for children aged 2-6 on board. The reusable pack, which you can take away with you when you disembark, contains an activity book and some keepsakes that kids will love. The airline worked with British-based company RowType (from Stoke-on-Trent) to create the packs, which include: Funky children’s UV400 sunglasses to wear on their holiday, a colourful sensory poppit toy, a holiday journal to capture amazing memories, an activity book for entertainment on the flight and a selection of colour pencils.

GOOD TO KNOW: These are given out on flights from UK airports only (so hang on to it for the way home). Due to the small parts included within the kit, lap-sitting babies under the age of two won’t automatically be given a pack.

The Virgin Atlantic kids menu is also new

The airline has also introduced a brand-new children’s meal option for its Spring/Summer menu on all flights. Little travellers will get a refreshing Pip organic smoothie, a giant cookie, yummy cheese dippers, and a healthy fruit bowl. The children’s entrée includes tasty chicken goujons, sweetcorn, and potato wedges. Oh, and if you’re feeling fancy and travelling in Upper Class (the dream), there will be an additional entrée of creamy mac and cheese too.

To receive a Virgin Atlantic kids meal, you will need to request one in advance up to 24-hours before you fly. You can do this by calling the customer service centre (+44 344 874 7747) or online via My Booking portal . If you don’t order a kids meal, children with a booked seat will receive a regular in-flight meal, which can range from chicken and potatoes, cottage pie or curry.

I must confess, I always forget to reserve one and luckily, mine have never complained about the adult meals, but those with fussy eaters will probably get on better with the kid-friendly option (which is usually less messy too).

FUN FACT: Virgin Atlantic also serve ice lollies mid-flight for all passengers – big and little! My kids LOVED this.

Will I be seated with my family on Virgin Atlantic?

Speaking from a personal experience, I have never been seated separately from my children on a Virgin Atlantic flight. As a family, we once were seated as a three and a one (my seat was two rows in front of Simon and the kids) but it was a completely full flight and we booked quite late. Booking early does mean more available seats to choose from and you will almost certainly be able to sit together.

Once you have booked your tickets, you can log into the My Booking portal on virginatlantic.com and choose seats. Unless you have booked an Economy Light fare, most seats are free to select. You can pay extra for seats toward the front of the aircraft or with extra legroom and all this can be done online where you will be shown a seat plan.

The official policy on Virgin Atlantic’s website is that the airline will aim to seat families together. They describe it as being within ‘arm’s reach of an accompanying adult’. This can mean next to, across the aisle, in front or behind them. I fly Virgin at lot and I have always been seated next to my children, who are currently 3 and 6.

If you book an infant fare, your baby (2 and under) will be sitting on your lap. One adult can accompany a maximum of two infants, but be aware it’s only one baby per lap . If you are travelling solo with two children under two, you will have to book a seat for one infant (at a child fare) and they will need to travel in an airline-approved car seat that the cabin crew will secure to the aircraft seat. Some cabins (Premium and Upper Class) have seats that do not support children’s car seats, so check with Virgin before you book.

Can you reserve baby bassinets on Virgin Atlantic?

If you have an infant traveling with you, some rows on the aircraft will have a bassinet or sky cot that pulls down from the wall and you can secure your baby into it during the flight. However, these are not guaranteed. To request a bassinet or sky cot, you will need to contact Virgin Customer care or use the web messaging on My Booking to pre-book and they will be assigned subject to availability. When a sky cot/bassinet has been pre-booked, seat numbers will be assigned by the airport on the day of departure.

I think new parents will find flying long-haul far less stressful with a sky cot, so it’s worth phoning airlines to check cot/bassinet availability before you book your flight. For example, Virgin Atlantic operate two flights per day from London Heathrow to Orlando – you might find all the bassinets have been booked on the earlier flight, but there are some available on the second flight. If you are traveling on Virgin Atlantic with a baby, it’s well worth checking before you book.

RELATED POST: My tips on traveling long-haul with a baby  

Do kids get luggage on Virgin Atlantic?

Unless you have booked an Economy Light fare (that does not include baggage), all passengers can check a 23kg suitcase. This includes lap-sitting babies, unless their accompanying adult is booked on an Economy Light fare. Passengers in Premium and Upper Class, including children with allocated seats, receive two checked bags per seat.

All seated passengers can bring on an in-flight cabin bag (maximum weight 10kg). Lap-sitting babies and toddlers (aged 0-23 months) are entitled to one small bag each for essentials like bottles, nappies and toys etc.

In addition to the suitcase allowance, if you are traveling on Virgin Atlantic with kids, you can bring a fully collapsible pushchair (which will be collected at the gate and placed in the hold) and a car seat for free. For ease, I recommend your pushchair or pram folds in one piece. If not, use a buggy bag like this one to keep your pushchair together and prevent it being damaged in the hold and check it in with your luggage free of charge.

Compact fold travel buggies like the GB Pockit ) are permitted in the cabin and we always take ours with us because many airports require you to collect your pushchair at baggage claim, which means carrying tired and grumpy kids through the airport at customs!

What are the Virgin Atlantic kids’ movies like on board?

My kids loved the TV, movies and games on offer on our recent flight to Tampa! There was a choice of animated films, Disney and Marvel movies and familiar TV shows that they love, such as Bluey, Blippi and Paw Patrol. We always bring their own headphones and tablets, but they enjoyed switching between the two. All seats in economy are provided with in-fight headsets, a pillow and a blanket.

Why I always fly Virgin to Florida

For all of the reasons above, I always fly Virgin to Florida with my kids. For us, it’s part of the experience and they make flying long-haul as fun and as easy as possible for families. For more helpful blogs, check out our tips for flying with babies and toddlers , how to combat jetlag in babies and toddlers and what are our must-have essentials for travelling with kids. We also have lots of guides to booking a big family trip to Florida, including how much Disney World REALLY costs and where to go on the ultimate Florida road trip .

Follow me on Instagram , Facebook , youtube and TikTok for all our family travel content.

Find out more about the family services on Virgin Atlantic on virginatlantic.com

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Virgin Atlantic Infants Policy

• Planes & Seat Maps

Do I need to reserve a seat for my infant?

Children up to two years old (24 months), are not required to have their own seat. You must, however, inform Virgin Atlantic that you will be traveling with an infant on your lap. Only one lap child is allowed per adult. If one adult is traveling with more than one infant under two years of age, a seat will have to be purchased for each additional infant. You can also choose to purchase a seat for your infant as long as you have the proper child restraint device. Virgin Atlantic offers these seats at discounted fares.

Will I pay for my infant to travel domestically?

Contact Virgin Atlantic for more information.

Will I pay for my infant to travel internationally?

Yes, a child under two years old (24 months) is usually charged 10% of an adult fare plus taxes, even if the infant will be on the lap of another passenger for the flight.

What if my child turns two on the trip; will I have to buy a ticket for the return flight?

Yes, a ticket will have to be purchased for any flight on which the infant will be over two years old.

What types of child restraint devices are allowed?

If your device does not have the labels noted above, you will not be allowed to use it during takeoff, landing, and surface movements. This includes booster seats and other types of harnesses.

What infant amenities are available on the aircraft I'll be flying (i.e. bassinets, diaper changing tables)?

Can i sit in the exit row with my infant.

Lap children and infant seats are not allowed in exit rows. In fact, no one under the age of 15 is allowed in the exit rows. In addition, infant seats are not allowed in the row directly in front of or directly behind an exit.

SeatGuru was created to help travelers choose the best seats and in-flight amenities.

Virgin Atlantic flying with babies

What age restrictions has virgin atlantic for babies.

For travel on Virgin Atlantic international routes , your baby must be healthy and at least 48 hours old .

When is it mandatory to reserve a seat for my baby?

Infants up to 2 years of age are not required to have their own reserved seat and may travel on an adult’s lap. Until your child’s second birthday, it’s your choice if you want to travel more comfortably and reserve a seat for your baby.

When one adult travels with two infants , he/she may hold only one infant, and an additional seat must be purchased for the second infant . One adult passenger may travel with a maximum of two infants.

Children 2 years of age and older must have their own reserved seats . Infants who reach 2 years old between their outbound and return trip will need a seat booked for the return flight.

Are there child discounts for travel on Virgin Atlantic flights?

Virgin Atlantic offers child discounts depending on the child’s age at the time of travel:

• Infant fares are for babies aged 0-2 years who are not occupying a seat . An infant under 2 years of age without a seat shall pay 10% of the adult fare (90% discount). If you wish to book a seat for your infant (under 2 years of age), you will pay the child fare.
• Child fares are for children aged 2-11 years and vary depending on the route and the type of fare, but they generally offer discounts of between 25% and 50% .

Infant on Lap

If you plan on traveling with your baby on your lap, you can book your flight online. For infants who do not have an assigned seat, baby meals must be requested in advance by contacting Virgin Atlantic.

Virgin Atlantic offers in-flight cots , which the cabin crew will install for you after take-off. Sky cots must be requested in advance, by phone , because these are offered free of charge but on a first come first served basis . There is a limited number of sky cots offered, and Virgin Atlantic will do everything it can to ensure that you receive your requested sky cot. However, these cannot be guaranteed. Depending on your aircraft, sky cots have very slightly different dimensions :

Baggage Allowances

Infants not occupying their own seat are entitled to both hand and checked baggage allowances :

• Hand baggage – 1 piece with a maximum weight of 6 kg (13 lbs) and a maximum size of 23 x 36 x 56 cm (approximately 9 x 14 x 22 inches).
• Economy Light fare – no allowance ; 1 bag up to 23 kg may be purchased online for a GBP 50 / USD 75 fee.
• All other fares – 1 piece up to 23 kg (50 lbs) and a maximum size of 90 x 75 x 43 cm (35.5 x 29.5 x 16 in).

Additionally, passengers traveling with infants can bring a fully collapsible pushchair and car seat , which will fly in the aircraft hold , rather than the cabin. You may check the pushchair at the boarding gate . Upon landing, whenever possible, your pushchair will be ready and waiting at the aircraft doors. However, due to local customs restrictions at some destinations, you may have to reclaim it at the baggage hall. Alternatively, the following foldable buggies may be taken in the cabin but only as part of your hand baggage allowance: BabyZen YoYo, Britax Holiday, GB Pocket, Silver CrossJet. Virgin Atlantic does not allow extra baggage allowance to be purchased for infants.

Infants Traveling in Their Own Seats and Children

If you want to travel more comfortably, you can reserve a seat for your baby, but you must bring your own baby car seat to use on board . However, the use of car seats is prohibited where airbags are fitted, as are all the Upper Class suites and some Premium seats. Therefore, you can use your own car seat in the Economy cabin on all aircraft and in the Premium cabin on some aircraft , but not when traveling in Upper Class .

The car seat must not exceed the dimensions of the aircraft seat (it should fit into an area of 43 x 43 cm / 17 x 17 in) , be designed to be secured by means of a normal aircraft single lap strap, and have a separate 5-point restraint harness. The car seat must also display one of the following approval labelings : EU-approved labeling, Australia/New Zealand-approved labeling, FAA-approved labeling, or Canadian-approved labeling.

When traveling in a child seat, children must be accompanied by a guardian aged at least 12 years of age. The adult must be seated next to the child. When one adult passenger is traveling with two children in the Economy cabin, both of them using child seats, the adult must be seated between the two children in the same seat row segment.

Children and infants for whom a ticket has been bought at the child fare will have the same baggage allowance as the accompanying adult , for both carry-on and checked baggage. In addition to your free checked baggage allowance, you may bring one fully collapsible pushchair and a car seat . Pushchairs may be used up until the boarding gate and retrieved at the aircraft doors if local regulations permit .

More information here >>

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Virgin Atlantic: Family flying airline review

Our Globetrotters are reviewing 30 of the world’s leading international airlines for their family-friendliness.  Our reviews cover the airline’s policies and service offerings that the average family will deal with when flying standard economy class. For more details on the  Globetrotters reviews and ratings referenced, please see the   lead article .

Virgin Atlantic (not to be confused with Virgin Australia) operates predominantly transatlantic routes from the UK, but they also have African and Asian long-haul destinations. A fun and vibrant airline in keeping with the “ Virgin ” brand, let’s see how the airline stacks up for your average family travellers.

Base: United Kingdom

Alliances: with individual airlines, skytrax rating 2018 : 29, jacdec safety rating 2019: 8.

Pregnant flyers on Virgin Atlantic

For uncomplicated pregnancies, you can fly without issue up to the 28th week.  Between 28 weeks and 36 weeks for a single pregnancy, you will need to travel with a letter from your doctor. Beyond 36 weeks you can only fly under mitigating circumstances.

For a multiples pregnancy, a doctors certificate is required from the 28th week to the 32nd week and no flying is permitted after the 32nd-week.

Related Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Flying Pregnant

Newborns on virgin atlantic.

The only restriction is that the baby must be healthy and at least 48 hours old.

There are many reasons though that you should delay flying after a birth, however, we talk more about flying with newborns here .

Flying on Virgin Atlantic with Infants (under 2 years)

Infants can be booked on an infants ticket, sitting on a parents lap until 2 years of age.  An adult can travel with a maximum of two infants – though one must be in an approved car seat with their own child’s ticket.

You are allowed a pushchair and a car seat in addition to your usual baggage allowance (infants and children)

If you need to bring bottles on with you, here is the UK guidance for onboard liquids.  Staff are permitted to help warm baby bottles.

Related Reading: Guide to lightweight strollers (that can come on the plane with you!) 

Infant cots on board virgin atlantic.

Dimensions vary by route as follows:

Economy / Premium Economy Boeing 747-400 Aircraft

• 35cm x 21cm x 74cm. Max weight 9kg, max length 74cm

Economy / Premium Economy Boeing 797-9 & Airbus A330 Aircraft

• 28.6cm x 72.7cm.  Max weight 11kg, max length 76cm

Upper-Class Cot 787-9 and Airbus A330 Aircraft

• 35cm x 24cm x76cm. Max weight 11kg, max length 75cm

Note there are no in-flight cots in the Upper-Class cabin on B747-400 aircraft operating to or from Gatwick or Manchester.

Related reading: Our complete guide to aeroplane baby bassinets

Children on virgin atlantic (2-11 years), kids meals on virgin atlantic.

Children’s meals are NOT automatically booked, you will need to reserve these at least 24 hours in advance.  They can only be ordered for children who have their own seat, not lap infants.

They also offer pureed and bottled food for infants.  There’s no in-between option so you may want to bring your own food for your older lap infants or share an adult plate (NB top tip is to order a kids meal to your adult seat – these are always served first.  When the normal meal service comes around just ask for an extra adult tray for you.)

Use of sleep devices and infant seats on Virgin Atlantic

Only a designated list of safety harnesses and infant seat belts (such as the CARES harness ) may be used as an additional aide on Virgin Atlantic planes.

You cannot use the likes of a Bed Box or Plane Pal as they are not on their expressed list of devices. 

Learn more about which airlines do and don’t allow sleep device products on board here.

Onboard entertainment for kids

Wifi is available at a charge from most of their fleet. Electronics can also be used on board in safe flight mode and all aircraft now have USB sockets in economy class.

What extras do you get in Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy?

Considering an upgrade? Virgin Atlantics Premium Economy allows you extra baggage and more leg room with a comfier seat.  You also get a nicer amenities kit and proper table cloth service.

Worth it with kids?  The extra room to move is always appreciated and little extra service touches, well worth considering on those longer flights if price permits.

Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic

Upper Class is Virgin’s terminology for business class.  If you are flying from Heathrow, you get your own private entrance to the airport and direct lounge access followed by direct lounge boarding.  In other airports, the service may not be as luxurious but certainly, any extras are a huge plus when flying with kids.

Related Reading: How to fly business class with kids

Unaccompanied minors on virgin atlantic.

Children between 5 and 11 years are classified as unaccompanied minors if travelling alone and must pay the price of an adult ticket.  No under 5’s allowed.

Children 12 to 18 may choose whether to use this service.

You cannot book the unaccompanied minor services online, this must be done with their reservations team and the journey must not involve connecting flights with anyone other than Virgin Atlantic.

If you are travelling in Upper Class and children in a different cabin, you can visit them, but they cannot visit you during the flight. They are considered unaccompanied if under 12 and in a different cabin.

Note under 18’s travelling to the UAE unaccompanied will need parental consent.  

Baggage Allowances on Virgin Atlantic

Baggage allowances vary according to whether you are Economy, Premium Economy or Upper Class.

Economy and Premium Economy allow all seat holders one piece of hand luggage up to 10kg on all flights.  Upper Class can have up to 2 pieces not exceeding 16kgs combines.

Additionally, infants on laps can have a baby bag not exceeding 6kg on board, and a checked item of 23kgs (plus pushchair and car seat).

For checked luggage allowance on Virgin Atlantic:

• Economy Classic and Economy Delight tickets include one checked bag of 23 kgs.
• Economy Premium includes 2 checked items up to 23kgs.
• Upper Class is allowed up to 3 pieces each weighing 32kgs.

Economy Light bookings don’t include any checked baggage but this can be additionally purchased.

Virgin Atlantic Frequent Flyer Programs

The Virgin Atlantic rewards program is called Flying Club .  Points can be earned and spent with partners airlines (more below), partner hotels & transport, attached to credit cards, Tesco Clubcard, Virgin Trains as well as earned on Virgin Atlantic flights.

Children can be separately registered and airline miles can be transferred to family members, but at cost.  Only top-tier Virgin Gold members can pool points in a household account.

Whilst not a member of one of the large alliance programs, they do have codeshare partnerships with Air China , Air New Zealand , Delta , Flybe, Jet Airways, Singapore Airlines , Virgin Australia and AeroMexico.   Booking with these partner airlines though cannot be done online.

Globetrotters View of Virgin Atlantic

Our personal experience of Virgin Atlantic was pre-kids and with one lap infant LGW to ORL. We never had an issue with the service we received, nor anything that predominantly stuck out.  Flight crews are friendly and hospitable.

It would be good to see better points pooling for families – our main criticism of most frequent flyer programs!

So let’s hear it, what has been your experience flying with Virgin Atlantic?  Did they go that extra step out of the way for you? Is there any travelling or booking advice you could give to other families?

See how to submit your own airline review here – or click over and see our full series

• Review of Virgin Australia – Sydney to LA
• Review of British Airways Transatlantic

Disclaimer: The information provided on this page should be used as a guide only.  It has been gathered from public sources and correct at the time of going to print (February 2019). Please consult the airline’s own website before booking any family travel with this airline. This review is not an endorsement of Virgin Atlantics services and I am in no way affiliated with the airline. For further information on airline ratings used and airline alliances, please consult my introductory article here .

© Our Globetrotters

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2 thoughts on “ Virgin Atlantic: Family flying airline review ”

What you should mention here is that if you have a lap infant who is no longer eating puree foods then Virgin Atlantic will not provide a kids meal for them, only baby meals for a lap infant. Even their own information on the website says a baby meal is only suitable up to 12 months, but doesn’t mention you can’t get another meal for a child.

Hi Daniel – yes we have made that remark in our review. Unfortunately, some airlines do not properly cater for the 12-24 month age group which feels a little unfair. The trick we started doing though was ordering a child’s meal to the adults ticketed seat, then when the trolley service comes around you can still grab an adults meal for yourself. Understandingly frustrating though if this is not made clear on their website and you’ve not flown with them before.

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Virgin Atlantic Upper Class with a Baby

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On some recent flights between London Heathrow and New York’s JFK and Newark we flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class with our baby, J, who was 7 months old at the time. It was J’s fifth long haul flight and our first time flying Virgin Upper Class with a baby. From our pre-flight dealings to the Virgin Clubhouses to the onboard experience here’s the lowdown on our Virgin Business Class flights with a baby in tow!

Virgin Upper Class with a baby

Preflight:  infant fares, bassinets and seat selection.

Lap infant or own seat: car seats are not permitted in Virgin Upper Class as airbags are fitted in the seats so we opted to take J as a lap infant.

Fare: Lap infants are charged 10% of an adult fare.

Bassinet availability: bassinets are available in most of the Virgin Upper-Class cabins and their location varies depending on the aircraft. There are no upper-class bassinets in the Boeing 747-400s which service Gatwick, Manchester and Belfast.

Seat selection: as with all our flights to date with J, we requested bassinet seats when booking our flights. At that time we were allocated non-bassinet seats in rows 2 and 3 and advised that the bassinet would be allocated at check in with the youngest infant in the cabin having priority.

J has been getting progressively more energetic on flights (with the exception of feeds he slept through almost the entire trip from Dublin to Addis Ababa to Cape Town at 8 weeks but had stayed awake for most of the return journey between Dublin and Istanbul at 5 months) so while a bassinet is a nice bonus we didn’t mind too much either way.

Cabin baggage: infants are allowed one cabin bag weighing up to 6kg. We took a baby bag as J’s cabin piece and we took his stroller, a cabin friendly BabyZen Yoyo, as one of our second pieces.

Checked baggage: lap infants are allocated a 23kg bag as well as a fully collapsible pushchair and a car seat in addition.

Both our aircraft, the B787-9 Dreamliner and the A330, had a 1-1-1 herringbone configuration and we were allocated 1G, the bassinet seat, at check-in. Our preferred seats for traveling together are either in either directly in front/behind each other as we find it easier to chat.

The Lounges

London Heathrow Clubhouse

The Virgin Clubhouses welcomes young flyers and J was warmly welcomed on arrival.

We ate in the dining area, where high chairs were available, and the staff delivered some boiling water for us to heat J’s food. Only one bathroom, which was located along the back of the lounge, had baby changing facilities.

There weren’t any other explicit facilities for infants but we did quite like the cinema area beside the back bathrooms – it was furnished with chaise lounges and was relatively quiet. The games room might be useful for entertaining older kids.

Newark Clubhouse

Highchairs and toilets with baby changing facilities are available in the Virgin Clubhouse in Newark.

The Newark Clubhouse is understandably much smaller than its London Heathrow counterpart so we would suggest arriving early and securing some quieter, more comfortable seats when traveling with an infant.

Given the mood lighting and lack of windows in the Newark lounge, it was relatively easy to find a dark spot to get J to sleep as the evening wore on – we use a Snooze Shade over the stroller to keep out light and distractions.

The Upper-Class Seats and Bassinet

London Heathrow to JFK (B787-9 Dreamliner)

The Upper-Class seats are comfortable and spacious and we were happy to spend seven hours lounging in them. Each seating area comprises of the seat itself, an ottoman, a back of seat tv and some in-seat storage.

The bassinet in Virgin’s Upper Class sits above the bulkhead seat build rather than the typical free hanging bassinet attached to the front seat partition.

We were pleasantly surprised when J fitted snuggly into his bassinet as we’d assumed he’d be too big at 7 months! Luckily he slept comfortably in the bassinet for a good portion of the flight and it was easy to keep a close eye on him at all times.

Virgin Upper-Class Bassinet Dimensions: on the 747-400, Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A330 the Upper-Class bassinet measures 35cm wide x 24cm deep x 76cm long, has a maximum weight capacity of 11kg and a maximum height of 75cm

Newark to London Heathrow (A330)

The Upper-Class seats on the A330 seemed narrower than the outbound aircraft and there was definitely more elbow banging when holding J on this leg of the journey.

The bassinet appeared identical to the Dreamliner and the set up the same.

There happened to be a spare seat next to us on board and the crew offered it to us as an option for naps. As it was a night flight J was already asleep when we boarded and he slept soundly for the first 4 or 5 hours of the journey to London while we took turns at napping and watching him.

Baby Food and Drinks

We had selected the baby food option when reserving our flights and Ella’s Kitchen pouches were available with J allocated 3 of the medium pouches for the 7-hour flight duration. It was nice to see that the pouches offered were milk and meat-free as well as organic.

As J was only eight months when we flew we took our own sterile water and he didn’t have anything to drink on board.

Changing Facilities

There was a changing table in the Upper-Class bathroom on both aircraft.

Take off, landing and turbulence

J was given a seat belt extension which attached to the standard seatbelt and was required to use it during take-off, landing and any time the seat belt sign came on.

Virgin Upper Class was a great choice for us when traveling with a baby. The strong lounges and bassinet facilities were more than welcome for a transatlantic flight.

As always, the Virgin crew were super welcoming to us and made an extra special fuss over J whenever he was awake. He was ecstatic with the constant flow of attention! The crew and other Upper-Class passengers were so helpful and we had many offers of help when stowing cabin luggage and getting settled.

Thankfully, J was a star on both legs of the trip and he got lots of compliments from crew and passengers alike as we disembarked! Overall, Virgin Upper Class was a great choice for us with a lap infant.

For our full review of Virgin Upper Class

We’ve focused this review on flying Virgin Atlantic Upper Class with a baby. If you want more detailed reviews on flying Virgin Upper Class, both on board and tin the lounges then check out our full reviews below.

• check out our review of Virgin Upper Class from London Heathrow to JFK
• read about the London Heathrow Virgin Clubhouse
• for more info on the Virgin Clubhouse JFK read here
• get a detailed overview of the Virgin Clubhouse Newark here
• check out the London Heathrow arrivals Revival lounge here

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Flying with a baby: a father's survival guide

The responses to my wife and I’s decision to take our four-month-old daughter on a Caribbean holiday were, variously, “you’re brave,” “you’re mad” and “you’re a bit irresponsible”. Of course, people tend to say these things when you suggest doing anything with your baby that isn’t sitting in the living room with the curtains drawn. But one piece of unsolicited parenting advice did trouble us a bit. “She’ll hate flying.”

Actually, will she hate flying? There are all those funny changes in pressure, the weapons-grade air conditioning, all the extra gear to lug, the buggy, the changing stuff… Are there even changing facilities on a plane? And what about food? How the merry f*** are you supposed to prepare a bottle of SMA at 30,000 feet? She’ll have a meltdown, and we’ll be those arseholes that everyone hates like a wasp in a submarine. Or a crying baby on a long haul flight.

Having spent the weeks leading up to our holiday convincing Mrs Jones that everything would be absolutely fine , I only really said these things in the safety of my own head in the cab on the way to Gatwick.

This was an error, but actually things weren’t anywhere near as bad as I thought they’d be. Partly because we flied Virgin, which provides truly exemplary service to new parents, and partly because all she was really exposed to that was out of the ordinary was a funny sensation around the ears on take off, which was nothing a strategically positioned boob couldn’t distract from. But there were some things that are quite useful to know that aren’t currently Googleable in a taxi on the M23 so, just for you – yes, you with your mouth open – here they are.

Baby car seats

Remember that you’ll need to book a cab with a baby seat to get you there and on the other end. As we’ve already shown you , there are clever options to solve this, like baby seats that transform into strollers, but if you speak to your hotel at your destination they’ll make sure you’ll get suitably transported from the airport. This way you and the baby get the comfort of using a proper buggy with fewer design compromises while you’re away.

The buggy . It’s fine. You don’t have to pay excess baggage

Having consulted our exhaustive stroller buying guide your progeny will have a fine and noble steed that probably says Bugaboo on it. After you’ve wowed the bag-drop staff with your tasteful application of the online colourway configurator, you have the option to either check it in with the rest of your luggage or take it to the gate with a tag on it. If you choose the latter it goes through a separate screening section at security, otherwise it’s yours to use as you will in the departure lounge. When you get on the plane one of the security team takes it off you and it’ll be waiting for you when you get off on the other side.

You can’t carry milk through security (but you can buy it after security and take it on board)

The air-con makes babies thirstier, so they’ll need a lot of food during the flight. Obviously, fluids over 100ml aren’t allowed, but once you’re through security you can buy baby milk at Boots (it has a store in every major UK airport, and you can even pre-order your baby’s favourite by clicking these blue words ) in a carton and bring it with you on the plane. Just make sure you get some steralised water if you’re using formula. The cabin crew will heat it up for you when you need it, too.

Beg, borrow and steal to get a bulkhead seat

If family life has relegated you economy, here’s a bit of payback for the sleepless nights and vomit stains – having a baby gets you bulkhead seats with more legroom at no extra cost (well, it did on Virgin). But you have to request them when you book. If you don’t your little angel will spend the entire journey squirming, defecating and making noises like Victorian plumbing ON YOUR LAP.

For God’s sake, book a basinet

The only thing that woke our test baby up was another baby crying, and it wasn’t in a basinet, which is very possibly why. Despite being a shared baby convenience, the plane’s resident baby bed neither looked hideous nor smelled like a bin man’s cuff – the smart, clean little aluminium cot clipped onto the bulkhead in front of your seats, leaving lots of lovely legroom for you during the flight. Our Virgin attended presented it with us once we were in the air (your baby stays on your lap with its own little seatbelt that sort of piggybacks onto yours during take off). It has its own fastenings in case there’s turbulence – just add a blanket (best to tuck it in in case it gets kicked off) and make sure your baby’s head is facing the window in case of carless elbows.

When in doubt, boob

Babies read you like the book you are, so if you’re staring into their unknowing eyes with an expression of unbridled fear, chances are they'll loose their shit when you're rattling down the runway at 150 knotts. So do all the normal stuff you do when you’re at home during takeoff – stupid faces, baby voices you told yourself you’d never do, waving a little rubber giraffe around, that sort of thing. Also, if your partner’s able and willing to breast feed, use this to your advantage. If the little one starts heading towards a meltdown, present any nipple you can, be it bottle, dummy or breast.

Organise your plane zone

You’re a dad so you’ll already appreciate the importance of zoning. Whether it's zoning the nappy and wipes in your baby bag so you can pull out one of each with your eyes closed, to ensuring you’ve put the Sky and TV remotes on the side of your free hand before you start a dream feed, it’s crucial stuff. Even more so on a plane. So, baby bag in the overhead locker, muslins on your lap, bottle (with the lid on) between your legs and nothing else. Also, if you bring a mobile or similar from home, you can hang it from the overhead lockers to give the baby a little reminder of home. This is where a roll of Duck tape comes in handy - pop it in the baby bag and use for attaching dangling things and creating a makeshift tent out of blankets if you haven't bought yourself some accessories for flying with a baby (see below). Though it does mean you won't be able to sleep as you'll have to keep an eye on it.

Accessories for flying with a baby

If your baby’s troubled by too much light, there are tons of accessories for flying with a baby available that can decrease the chances of your red-eye flight becoming too literal. If you forgot to get a basinet then there’s a product called SkyBaby , which is a mattress with cutouts for the baby seatbelt that’s pretty compact and light. If you did pre-book, there’s another thing called the Fly Babee , which is basically a breathable sensory deprivation tent. Because it blocks out 90 per cent of light and is UV 50+ you can use it on the other side as a buggy cover, too, which might help if they're struggling to adjust to time

Exploit your fatherhood

Anyone that doesn’t say “after you” at the toilet queue or give you right of way during a gangway standoff is, frankly, a contemptible prick, and on our flight it simply didn’t happen. So if you need to use the bathroom and the baby’s awake, take them to the bathroom in the fastlane and check their nappy at the same time. We also found the mere presence of an infant allowed us superior, round-the-clock access to Virgin’s snacks and booze. A handsome reward for being man enough to do something with your baby that isn't sitting around at home. Now go holiday, Dad. You deserve it.

To book your Virgin flight visit Virgin Atlantic

Everything you need to know about booking award flights with a lap infant

Editor's Note

Planning family travel can be complicated ... and expensive.

There is the cost of booking multiple tickets and hotel rooms, finding seats together on the plane and double-checking baggage and carry-on restrictions, among other details. But one surprise expense new parents may not expect is that you sometimes have to pay extra to hold your infant or small child in your lap while you fly.

Those new to flying with lap infants might think you don't need a separate ticket for a baby who doesn't require a separate seat on the airplane — but you could be wrong. And once you start flying internationally with that little one, the cost can range from minuscule to massive.

When traveling with children on your lap internationally on award tickets, you may end up having to spend a big chunk of cash even if your baby isn't getting a separate seat (and, since it's safer, you may want to consider booking a separate seat for your baby anyway). To put it another way, if you don't know the rules, traveling with your infant can end up costing you thousands of miles — or thousands of dollars. And, sadly, lap infant tickets don't earn miles.

Here are the basics of traveling with an infant or lap child, the policies of various airlines and what you can do to avoid a major expense on your next family trip .

Related: Your guide to flying with kids of every age

Lap infant basics

While airline policies and fees vary, there are rules that are generally true if you're traveling with a lap child.

Safety considerations

When booking a flight and planning to hold your child on your lap, safety should always be a consideration.

Since passengers are generally required to wear seat belts for takeoff and landing — along with raising their tray tables and putting their seats in the upright position — holding on to an infant who's otherwise unsecured may seem counterintuitive.

The practice is permitted because studies and analyses show that even with increased risks of not being secured to a seat, flying with a lap infant is still statistically safer than driving by a wide margin.

Still, it's less ideal than booking a seat for a child and bringing a Federal Aviation Administration-compliant car seat aboard. The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended discontinuing the practice, and flight attendant unions have called for airlines to rescind lap infant policies.

While the actual risk is remote, it's worth considering ahead of your trip, particularly given recent turbulence events .

Related: 11 safety features in aircraft cabins that you may not know exist

Age requirements

Most airlines define an infant or lap child as one who is under 24 months of age and is flying without their own seat. Note that babies don't have to be lap infants — you can choose to buy them their own seat. In fact, as they grow from infant to baby to toddler, there is some real wisdom in that approach. But regardless, once that child hits 2 years old, he or she will need their own seat.

Tickets required

Even if flying for free domestically, your baby will need a boarding pass that says "lap infant" on it.

You will also have to provide basic identity information for your child, such as their name, date of birth and gender. It is a good idea to bring a birth certificate — even if they clearly look under age 2. In fact, some airlines, like Southwest Airlines, are known for requiring proof the baby is under 2.

Domestic vs. international

U.S. airlines will let you bring an infant along for free when flying domestically. However, as soon as you cross international borders, the rules change, and you can often expect to pay something for bringing your little bundle of joy.

Award tickets and fees

If you are traveling internationally with an infant or a lap child, airlines often charge 10% of the fare paid by the accompanying adult, plus taxes and fees.

The infant must be traveling with a ticketed adult, whether the adult is traveling in a paid seat or an award seat. Also, the child must be ticketed in the same cabin as the adult. You cannot buy or redeem an award ticket for first class for yourself and just purchase or redeem a coach ticket for your baby.

Related: Flying with a lap infant? Here's what you need to know

While 10% of a paid fare doesn't sound like much, if your ticket is in business or first class, even a percentage of the paid fare can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. For example, if you redeem miles for a business-class ticket to Europe that would normally cost $6,000, you would end up paying $600 for your child to travel in your lap.

There are airlines that let you redeem 10% of the miles an adult award ticket would cost rather than paying cash, but an accompanying adult must also be traveling on an award ticket. It also has to be in the same cabin.

As you might expect, there are plenty of scenarios where a specific airline has different or more generous policies, so we'll discuss the important ones below, along with tips to remember when booking.

Related: Your ultimate guide on how to search award availability for the major airlines

International infant award travel fees

Things can change, so always double-check before going forward with your carrier of choice. The table below lists the airlines with the mileage programs you're most likely to use, thanks to their extensive route networks and the number of transfer and airline partners they have.

The fees noted are for international travel when the accompanying adult is on an award ticket. Before traveling, we always recommend calling or chatting online with the airline prior to flying with your lap child to understand and confirm the out-of-pocket cost you will be expected to pay for a specific route.

Top programs to consider

As the table above shows, most airlines charge cash to bring a baby along internationally, whether you're on a paid or an award ticket.

The fee is usually 10% of the going adult cash fare, plus taxes and fees for the cabin in which you are flying. While 10% might not sound like much, remember that there can be high taxes and surcharges that vary by carrier and destination (especially in Europe), so paying 10% of the cost of a first- or business-class seat can be a significant amount.

Some programs have more generous rules than others regarding booking infant tickets as awards instead of paid fares. With that in mind, here are a few programs to consider.

Air Canada Aeroplan

This has to be one of the best deals out there: For just CA$25 or 2,500 points, a lap infant can fly with you. Those cash copays are dirt cheap considering surcharges on premium international tickets can cost thousands of dollars.

Additionally, Air Canada Aeroplan is a transfer partner of most flexible rewards programs , such as American Express Membership Rewards , Bilt Rewards , Marriott Bonvoy , Capital One and Chase Ultimate Rewards . This makes transferring points into your account incredibly easy.

Best of all, you can now book your lap infant online using the same process as booking an adult ticket. Book your lap infant online and pay just 2,500 points for your infant.

Related: How to redeem Aeroplan points for maximum value

Asiana Club

The mileage program for Korean carrier Asiana is often overlooked, but it offers some amazing award ticket redemption values, including on infant awards. These cost just 10% of adult awards.

British Airways Executive Club

Though we often groan about the taxes and surcharges on British Airways awards to and from the United Kingdom, one area where the airline's Avios program shines is booking infant awards.

For children under 2, you pay just 10% of the miles you'd need for an adult ticket, which is a bargain. If your child turns 2 on the journey, the airline will provide an assigned seat on the return flight at no additional charge. You can also book lap infant awards online, which is still somewhat unusual.

Related: British Airways Executive Club: Guide to Avios, elite status and transfer partners

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club revised its infant award rules a few years ago and now charges flat mileage rates of 1,000 to 5,000 points per sector, plus taxes and fees, depending on the class of service. What's more, you can book infant awards online along with adult awards, and the taxes and fees are a fraction of those for adult awards.

Similar to British Airways, if your child turns 2 years old during the trip, you can still book a lap seat, and the child will receive his or her own seat on the return flight.

Programs to avoid

A few programs stand out, either because of their exorbitant fares and fees or because of their difficulty when booking.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

While Flying Blue has the benefit of being a transfer partner of all six major transferable programs in the U.S., it will only issue infant tickets for Air France or KLM metal (meaning flights the two carriers operate). You have to book tickets on any connecting flights with partner airlines separately.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

While Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is among the best in the U.S. thanks to fantastic earning and redemption rates, you'll be charged an adult fare for a lap infant when reserving through Alaska Airlines for its partner flights.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Booking adult awards using Cathay Pacific Asia Miles can be a good value, but when it comes to booking an accompanying lap child, the program will charge you up to 30% of a full adult fare. (It sometimes charges less, so you have to price it out to know for sure.) Either way, these charges can really add up if you hope to fly the airline's stellar business or first class.

Tips for booking lap infants

Beyond simply estimating how much your mileage program of choice will charge you for an infant ticket, it's important to keep a few other things in mind.

Your destination matters

As mentioned above, domestic travel (including to places like Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) for lap infants is generally free, while international travel is a very different situation and usually requires you to pay in either money or miles, plus cover any applicable taxes or fees.

Related: 43 real-world family travel tips that actually work

Call to book

A few airlines make it easy to book infant tickets online, but, in general, you must call the airline's reservation line to book an infant ticket. It is recommended to do so as soon as you book your own ticket in order to avoid any surprises when it comes to mileage or money on the final ticket price. If you wait until the last minute, airfares are likely to go through the roof. Even if you're paying only 10% of an adult fare, that might still cost you a wad of cash.

If something sounds wrong, it probably is

Many phone booking agents have minimal experience booking infant awards and might have the wrong information.

Make sure you have your airline's policy and a current fare or mileage search on hand before calling so you can question any numbers that might seem out of whack. You also may have to hang up and try again if you get an agent who is misinformed.

For a multiflight itinerary with mixed carriers, call each airline

To ensure that a lap infant ticket is associated with an adult ticket all the way through the journey, check with each operating airline. For example, if you purchase a Delta-marketed ticket with a Korean Air leg, call Delta and request your Korean Air confirmation number after you've added the lap infant ticket. Then, call Korean Air with that confirmation number and confirm it shows a lap infant ticket added to the Korean Air leg.

Birthdays and age restrictions

Infants and lap children must be under 2 years old. That means if your child turns 2 while traveling (other than on British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, as mentioned above), that child will no longer qualify for lap travel and will require an individual seat as well as be subject to other rules.

Child-to-adult ratios

Airlines have strict rules about how many kids can travel with an adult. Typically, only one lap infant is permitted per adult, though the age threshold to be considered an adult may vary. There are also rules on the number of lap infants per row due to the number of oxygen masks available in each row. If you are an adult traveling solo with more than one child under the age of 2, that additional child must have a seat. Familiarize yourself with the airline's rules before booking.

Get the bulkhead

Airlines often hold back bulkhead seats for families with infants, as this is often where the bassinets are located on some internationally configured planes. When booking, it never hurts to ask if the agent can reserve these seats for your family. If they try to upsell you, push back and see if the airline can assign them for free due to the bassinet. Keep in mind, though, that seat assignments aren't always free, even for families with little kids.

Baggage fees

While we'd never refer to a child as baggage, the good news is that traveling with an infant might give you an extra baggage allowance on some airlines. Check your airline's infant information page for details.

Documentation

Your child will need his or her own travel documents (like a passport ) for international travel, so be sure you have your forms in order before booking. You'll also want to bring your child's birth certificate or another form of identification to prove that your baby is, in fact, under 2 — even if it's obvious.

Related: When and how to renew your passport, according to the State Department

Bottom line

Traveling with infants can be complex, especially when you start getting into the realm of lap infant tickets on international itineraries. Each airline (and frequent flyer program) has its own rules about infant fares, mileage requirements and taxes and fees. Some allow you to book award tickets for infants, while others require cash fares.

Still, others won't allow you to book infant tickets at all if travel involves their partners. Before booking a lap infant ticket, weigh the pros and cons of getting your child his or her own seat.

Before purchasing your own ticket, consider calling your airline directly to ask exactly how much you can expect to pay for your infant's ticket. Then, weigh all your options so that you spend the overall fewest number of miles and as little money as possible to bring your little one along for the ride.

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US Covid-19 rule change for foreign nationals 

Foreign nationals arriving to the USA by air on or after 12 May 2023 are no longer required to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination or complete passenger attestation. Contact tracing information is still mandatory.

Foreign nationals or non-US citizens

• Upload your passport details and complete contact tracing information ahead of departure (this can be done during Online Check In which opens 24 before your flight)
• Ensure you have a valid passport and ESTA (if eligible for the US Visa Waiver Program). 

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