Flying Alaska Airlines with Kids: Lap Infants, Family Boarding & Stroller Check

Per Alaska Airlines' published policy, infants under 24 months at time of travel are not charged a base fare when traveling as lap infants on Alaska-operated domestic flights or Alaska-operated international flights. This makes Alaska the only US-legacy carrier that waives the lap-infant fee on international routes — American, United, Delta, and Hawaiian all charge approximately 10% of the adult fare plus applicable taxes on cross-border itineraries. Codeshare-partner-operated segments within an Alaska booking may carry the partner's own lap-infant fee, so parents should verify the operating carrier for each leg before finalizing the itinerary. Always confirm the current policy at alaskaair.com before booking.

Per Alaska Airlines' published policy, children under 24 months do not require their own seat and may travel as lap infants at no charge on Alaska-operated routes. However, the FAA strongly recommends that every child under 2 years old be secured in an FAA-approved child restraint system (CRS) in their own seat for the duration of the flight, including taxi, takeoff, and landing. If a parent purchases a seat for the infant, the infant is ticketed at the full applicable adult fare for that route — no child-fare discount is available. Using a purchased seat allows the infant to be secured in a rear-facing FAA-approved car seat, which is the safest configuration for air travel. The final decision rests with the parent, but the FAA guidance is clear on the safety benefit.

Per Alaska Airlines' published fleet information, no bassinet mounts are available on any Alaska-branded aircraft. The airline operates an all-narrow-body fleet consisting of Boeing 737 variants, Airbus A321s, and Horizon Air Embraer E175s. None of these aircraft types have bulkhead-mounted bassinet positions. Parents of infants who need a bassinet should consider sister brand Hawaiian Airlines for Pacific routes — Hawaiian's A330-200 and 787-9 widebodies are equipped with bassinet positions on long-haul Asia and Oceania itineraries, though those require an Extra Comfort seat purchase to access the bassinet row. Alternatively, carriers such as United Airlines, Emirates, or Singapore Airlines offer reservable bassinets on international widebody routes. Always verify directly with the relevant carrier before booking.

Per Alaska Airlines' published baggage policy, children's baggage allowances mirror the adult fare class booked — there is no separate child baggage tier. On a Saver fare, zero checked bags are included for any passenger, including children; standard per-bag fees apply. On a Main fare, one free 50-pound checked bag is included per passenger, including children. Additionally, one diaper bag per child is free and does not count toward the carry-on or personal-item limit. One stroller and one car seat per traveler are also checked free, separately from the standard baggage allowance, per the airline's published child-gear policy. Parents should factor fare class into the total trip cost when evaluating options for families traveling with gear.

Per Alaska Airlines' published unaccompanied minor policy, the service is mandatory for children ages 5 through 12 traveling without a qualifying adult companion. The fee is USD 50 each way per child, which is the lowest published unaccompanied minor fee among US legacy carriers — American and United both charge USD 150 each way, and Hawaiian charges USD 100. The service is restricted to non-stop, Alaska-operated flights only; connecting itineraries and codeshare partner-operated legs are not accepted. Booking must be completed by phone through Alaska's reservations line and cannot be done online. Children 13 through 17 may travel as adults but can opt into the UM service voluntarily at the same USD 50 rate. Always verify directly at alaskaair.com before travel.

Per Alaska Airlines' published policy, lap infants under 24 months travel free on Alaska-operated international flights — no percentage of the adult fare is charged, and no international infant surcharge applies. This policy makes Alaska unique among the five US-legacy carriers: American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Hawaiian Airlines all publish a lap-infant fee of approximately 10% of the adult fare plus applicable taxes on international routes. For a family flying to Mexico, Canada, or the Caribbean, the savings can be meaningful depending on the adult fare level. The zero-cost policy applies specifically to segments operated by Alaska Airlines (IATA code AS). Codeshare-partner-operated segments on an Alaska itinerary may carry the partner's own fee structure; always confirm the operating carrier before booking.

Per the US Department of Transportation's published Family Seating Dashboard (April 2024), Alaska Airlines holds a green-check commitment — meaning the airline has committed to seating children 13 years and younger adjacent to an accompanying adult at no extra fee on fee-eligible fare classes. This regulatory commitment is a meaningful backstop for families who book Saver or basic economy-equivalent fares where complimentary seat selection is not included. Delta Air Lines does not hold a comparable green-check commitment on the same DOT dashboard, which is one of the key distinctions between the two Pacific Northwest competitors. Parents should still select seats during the booking process when possible; the DOT commitment functions as a guaranteed fallback, not a substitute for advance planning.

Per Alaska Airlines' published boarding policy, families traveling with children under 2 years old, or any passenger bringing a car seat or stroller, are invited to pre-board the aircraft before First Class and MVP Gold elite tiers are called. This places Alaska's family pre-board among the earliest in the US-legacy segment — American's family boarding comes at Group 4, after multiple elite tiers have already boarded; Delta's family pre-board follows Sky Priority and Comfort+ passengers. No special request, fee, or additional ticket is required to access family pre-boarding on Alaska. Parents simply notify the gate agent that they are traveling with a child under 2 or carrying child safety gear, and the pre-board invitation is extended. This earlier boarding window gives families time to settle and stow gear before the main cabin fills.

Per Alaska Airlines' published policy, one stroller and one car seat per traveler are checked free of charge — either at the ticket counter or at the boarding gate. On mainline Boeing 737 and Airbus A321 flights, both items are returned at the jet bridge upon arrival, which is the most convenient outcome for families with sleeping infants. An important exception applies to Horizon Air Embraer E175 regional flights: on those routes, strollers and car seats are returned at baggage claim rather than the jet bridge. Parents with connecting itineraries that include a Horizon regional leg should plan for this extra step. Jogging strollers and double strollers must be checked at the ticket counter rather than the gate due to size constraints.

Per Alaska Airlines' published policy, proof of age is required for all passengers under 24 months traveling as lap infants. Acceptable documents include a birth certificate, a valid passport (required for international travel), an immunization record showing the infant's date of birth, or another government-issued document that clearly establishes the child's age. The document must be presented at the airport upon request, typically at check-in or at the gate. For international travel, a valid infant passport is required by the destination country's entry requirements in addition to Alaska's own documentation standards. Parents traveling internationally with an infant are advised to apply for an infant passport well in advance, as processing times can exceed six weeks. Always verify specific entry requirements for your destination country before departure.

Alaska Air Group completed its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines in September 2024, and Hawaiian Airlines joined the oneworld alliance on April 22, 2026. Despite being under common ownership, the two brands maintain distinct family-travel policies. Per Alaska Airlines' published information, the Alaska-branded operation uses an all-narrow-body fleet (737/A321/E175) with no bassinets and free international lap infants on AS-operated flights. Per Hawaiian Airlines' published information, the Hawaiian-branded operation uses A330-200 and 787-9 widebodies on Pacific routes, offering bassinet positions that require an Extra Comfort seat purchase (USD 50–225 per segment). Frequent flyer programs have also consolidated — HawaiianMiles transitioned to Atmos Rewards under the Alaska Air Group umbrella — but the family product and pricing on each brand remain operationally separate. Families choosing between the two brands should consider route, aircraft type, and bassinet needs.

Per Alaska Airlines' published information, adding a lap infant to an existing reservation is fully supported online via the 'Manage Reservation' tool on alaskaair.com and through the Alaska Airlines mobile app. This is a meaningful convenience advantage over carriers like Delta and American, where international infant adds often require a phone call. After logging in and selecting the relevant booking, parents choose 'Add Infant,' enter the infant's full legal name and date of birth, and confirm the $0.00 lap-infant fare for Alaska-operated routes. The updated confirmation email will list the infant as a passenger. For mixed itineraries that include codeshare partner segments, the online tool may not extend to partner-operated legs; those portions may require a separate phone interaction with the partner carrier. Always verify the confirmation reflects all segments of the itinerary.