Flying Delta Air Lines with Kids: Bassinets, Stroller Check & Family Boarding

Per Delta Air Lines' published policy, infants under 24 months at the time of travel may fly as lap infants on US domestic routes without a base fare charge. Taxes and government fees may still apply depending on the specific itinerary and departure airport. On international routes, a fee of 10% of the applicable adult base fare applies, plus all relevant taxes and surcharges. This international infant charge is consistent with American Airlines and United Airlines, though it contrasts with Alaska Airlines, whose published policy describes free lap infant travel on all routes including international. Parents should request the exact infant fare total at checkout on delta.com before purchasing to understand the full cost for international travel. Always verify the current fee structure at delta.com before booking, as published policies may be updated.

Per Delta Air Lines' published policy, infants under 24 months are not required to have their own purchased seat and may travel as lap infants in an accompanying adult's lap. However, a separate purchased seat is required if parents wish to use an FAA-approved child restraint system (car seat) in-cabin during the flight. The FAA and Delta Air Lines' published guidelines both state that the safest way for an infant to travel is in a properly secured, FAA-approved restraint in a purchased aircraft seat — not as a lap infant. If a seat is purchased for the infant, the infant pays the full adult fare in the same booking class, as no child fare discount is published by Delta Air Lines. For flights over 4 hours or when traveling solo with an infant, purchasing a separate seat and using an FAA-approved car seat is strongly advisable for safety.

Per Delta Air Lines' published policy, the SkyCot bassinet is available on select international widebody aircraft — specifically A330-200/300, A350-900, 767-300ER, and 767-400ER — limited to 2 bassinets per aircraft. To request one, parents should add the SSR code 'BSCT' to the passenger name record through Delta Air Lines Reservations, accessible via delta.com. However, this request does not guarantee the bassinet: according to Delta Air Lines' published information, allocation is confirmed at the gate on the day of travel. This gate-only process means parents should arrive at the gate well before boarding — approximately 25–30 minutes early — to request bassinet allocation from the gate agent. No bassinet mounts exist on narrow-body domestic aircraft including the 737, A220, A319, A320, and A321. Always verify current eligibility and availability at delta.com before travel.

Per Delta Air Lines' published policy, ticketed children aged 2 and older receive the same baggage allowance as adults in the same booking class — there is no separate or enhanced child baggage entitlement. A lap infant (under 2, no purchased seat) on a domestic US flight shares the accompanying adult's baggage allowance, with a free diaper bag that does not count as a carry-on. For international itineraries, Delta Air Lines' published policy describes 1 free checked bag up to 23 kg for infant gear for lap infants on international routes. Children with purchased seats receive full fare-class baggage rights, including the carry-on, personal item, and checked-bag entitlement applicable to the booking class. The diaper bag is treated as an additional free item for all infant travelers and does not reduce the adult's allowance. Verify specific baggage fees and allowances for your fare class at delta.com before travel.

Per Delta Air Lines' published policy, the unaccompanied minor (UM) program is mandatory for children aged 5–14 traveling without an accompanying adult. The published fee is USD 150 each way per child. Children under 5 are not accepted as unaccompanied minors and must be accompanied by a fare-paying adult. Connections are permitted on Delta-operated flights, but Delta Connection-operated segments — such as those flown by Endeavor Air (CRJ-200/700/900) and Republic Airways (E175) — are excluded from UM connection itineraries. Booking is phone-only and cannot be completed online through delta.com. The SkyKids program includes a small toy at the hand-off point. Children aged 15 and older may travel as adults; optional UM service for ages 15–17 may be available — verify with Delta Air Lines through the official website at delta.com. Always confirm current restrictions before purchasing.

According to Delta Air Lines' published information and the US Department of Transportation's published Family Seating Dashboard (transportation.gov/airconsumer/family-seating-dashboard, April 2024 publication), Delta Air Lines is not on the DOT's green-check commitment list for guaranteed family adjacency. The DOT dashboard identifies carriers that have committed to seating children aged 13 and under adjacent to an accompanying adult at no additional charge. As of April 2024, American Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Frontier, and Spirit appear on that list — Per Delta Air Lines' published policy, delta does not. This means that on Delta, particularly on Basic Economy fares where seat selection is restricted, there is no policy-backed guarantee that a child will be seated next to an accompanying parent. Families flying Delta who want to guarantee adjacent seating should purchase seat selection at the time of booking. This is the most operationally significant distinction between Delta and its major US legacy competitors for family travel.

Per Delta Air Lines' published policy, families traveling with children under 2 years old are given the opportunity to board after Sky Priority and Comfort+ passengers and before the general Main Cabin boarding group. This is a published pre-board benefit available at no additional charge. However, it applies specifically to families with children under 2 — unlike Southwest Airlines' family boarding, which is available for children aged 6 and under. The boarding benefit does not override the seat adjacency limitation: because Delta Air Lines is not on the US DOT Family Seating Dashboard's published commitment list, early boarding alone does not guarantee adjacent seats for families on fare classes with restricted seat selection. Parents on Basic Economy fares should purchase seat assignments separately to ensure they are seated with their children. Gate agents at each station manage boarding, so practices may vary slightly by airport.

Per Delta Air Lines' published policy, one stroller per child is accepted free of charge and may be checked either at the ticket counter or at the gate. On mainline Delta-operated aircraft — including widebodies (A330, A350, 767) and larger narrowbodies (A321) — strollers are returned at the jet bridge upon arrival, which is convenient for families navigating connections. However, on Delta Connection-operated regional-jet flights operated by Endeavor Air (CRJ-200, CRJ-700, CRJ-900) or Republic Airways (E175), the stroller is returned at the baggage carousel rather than at the jet bridge. Parents with connecting itineraries that include regional-jet segments should factor in additional carousel retrieval time. Jogging strollers and double strollers must be checked at the ticket counter rather than the gate. The stroller must be tagged before boarding and is transported in the cargo hold. Always confirm the operating carrier for each segment in your booking confirmation.

According to Delta Air Lines' published information, lap infants can be added to most domestic US bookings online through the 'My Trips' section of delta.com after the adult ticket is purchased. This online self-service option is available for the majority of domestic itineraries and does not require a phone call. However, for international bookings — including transatlantic and transpacific routes — the online infant-add function may not be available for all fare classes, and parents may need to contact Delta Air Lines Reservations through the official website at delta.com to complete the addition by phone. The infant's full legal name and date of birth, matching the birth certificate (domestic) or passport (international), are required to complete the addition. It is advisable to add the lap infant immediately after purchasing the adult ticket rather than waiting, as the process may become more complex closer to the departure date.

Per Delta Air Lines' published policy, FAA-approved child restraint systems (car seats) may be used in-cabin on Delta-operated flights when a separate seat is purchased for the infant or child. The car seat must display the FAA-approval label — typically reading 'This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft' — which must be legible to flight crew. An FAA-approved car seat may not be used in an emergency exit row. If checking a car seat rather than using it in-cabin, one car seat per child is accepted free of charge at the gate or ticket counter. On mainline Delta aircraft, checked car seats are returned at the jet bridge; on Delta Connection regional-jet flights, they are returned at the baggage carousel. Booster seats without a built-in harness are not FAA-approved for in-cabin use during taxi, takeoff, and landing and should be checked as luggage if brought along. Always verify current car seat requirements at delta.com or with the FAA before travel.

Per Delta Air Lines' published policy, newborn infants must be at least 7 days old at the time of travel to fly on Delta-operated flights. Infants under 7 days of age are not accepted as passengers. For infants who are between 7 days and a few weeks old, a physician's letter clearing the baby for air travel may be requested at check-in — parents of very young newborns should carry documentation of the birth date and, where possible, a clearance note from the infant's pediatrician. Premature infants may face additional restrictions based on gestational age and medical status; Delta Air Lines' published policy recommends contacting the airline through the official website at delta.com to discuss specific circumstances before booking. The 7-day minimum applies to all Delta-operated routes, both domestic and international. This minimum is consistent with several US carriers but shorter than Southwest Airlines' 14-day minimum.