General Policy
- United does not accept infants in incubators or infants younger than seven days old.
- Infants under the age of two traveling without a seat within the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands do not require a ticket. All infants traveling internationally, including infants traveling to Canada and Mexico, must have a ticket, even if no seat is purchased and they are traveling as a lap child.
- Infants traveling between the U.S. and Canada, or from Mexico to the U.S. or Canada, only pay taxes on the ticket. Infants traveling without a seat to other international destinations are charged 10% of the adult fare at the time of infant ticketing (it is usually less expensive to purchase the infant ticket in advance). Infants traveling on an adult’s lap on front cabin awards or upgrades must pay 10% of the front cabin fare in applicable markets.
- Children who are not held by an adult and are unable to sit upright with the seat belt fastened must be carried in an FAA-approved infant seat. United does not provide infant seats. The infant seat must be secured in an aircraft seat and cannot be held on an adult’s lap. The infant seat must remain properly secured to the aircraft seat at all times. An infant seat cannot be used in an exit row or in the row immediately before or after an exit row.
- Children over two years of age are required to have purchased tickets and occupy their own seats. Passengers traveling with infants and children under 15 years of age may not be seated in exit rows.
Inflight Services
Bassinets – A limited number of bassinets can be reserved for use, free of charge, on international aircraft only. Bassinets are large enough to hold an infant weighing 22 pounds (10kg) or less. They may not be used during taxi, takeoff or landing, or when the seatbelt sign is illuminated. Along with bassinet requests, the airline will provide accompanying seat assignments for an adult traveling with an infant and up to one travel companion. Call the United Customer Contact Center to reserve your bassinet. There will be no fee for these seat assignments when arranged by the United Customer Contact Center or with a United representative at the airport. Bassinet availability is limited, so you should call ahead of time to make these arrangements.
Changing tables and nappies – Changing tables are available on most aircraft. Your flight attendant will be able to direct you to the proper lavatory. Nappies are not available on board.
Food – If you are traveling with an infant, you will need to bring enough food and supplies with you. Flights are not equipped to heat baby bottles. You may request hot water or ice from a flight attendant to keep items hot or cold.
Cares Restraint System – The system, CARES (child aviation restraint system), uses an additional belt and shoulder harness that goes around the back of the seat and attaches to the lap belt. Children weighing between 22 and 44 pounds may use this device.
Strollers
- Strollers may be checked to your final destination without a fee, in addition to your normal baggage allowance.
- Children can be transported in their strollers throughout the airport. However, strollers must be checked at the gate. No strollers of any size are permitted as carry-on baggage. Your child’s stroller will be delivered to you at the aircraft door upon request at your connecting city or destination.
- Large, non-collapsible strollers cannot be checked at the gate. Please see a United representative at the airport check-in counter to check your large, non-collapsible stroller.
- United is not responsible for damage that occurs to strollers that are not packed in a box and checked at the check-in counter.
Baggage Allowance
Customers may carry the following infant and child articles on board, in addition to the maximum carry-on baggage allowance:
- Nappy/ Changing bag
- Government-approved child seat (infant carrying seat or car seat)
Checked baggage allowance for children – The standard checked baggage allowance applies to children with purchased tickets, including infants traveling internationally on 10 percent of an adult fare. If a child’s baggage allowance is exceeded, the excess will become part of the fare-paying adult baggage allowance. All standard checked baggage restrictions and service charges apply.
Using a Car Seat
- You may use an approved infant car seat on board the aircraft when you purchase a seat for your child. The seat must be an FAA-approved child safety seat device. Car seats must be placed in window seats on one-aisle aircraft, and window seats or the middle seats of a center section on two-aisle aircraft. Car seats are not permitted in rear-facing seats on any aircraft.
- If manufactured after February 1985, the car seat should also be certified for use in aircraft. You should place your child in the child safety seat for takeoff, landing and during turbulence.
- The following child restraint devices may not be used on board the aircraft: booster seats, belly belts attached to adult seat belts only, and vests or harnesses that hold the infant to the adult’s chest.
For further information contact the airline or see the airline’s website.
