Memo to traveling parents everywhere: Consider this story one of your top travel guides moving forward.
A new report has just been released that identifies the best airlines for families based on such key factors as family seating policies, availability of kid-friendly meals, free stroller check-in and various other critical considerations for parents.
In other words, the things that can help ensure a family’s flight goes smoothly. Or – lacking availability of the aforementioned items – becomes a living nightmare.
The study in question was conducted by the airline passenger compensation company AirAdvisor and was part of a larger analysis aimed at identifying the top 10 airlines in the U.S., overall.
To determine the most family-friendly airlines, each carrier was awarded points based on the following criteria
Family seating policiesAvailability of kid-friendly mealsFree stroller check-inEntertainment systemFamily-friendly options like pre-boarding, use of car seats, and lap seat policies, among others.
“To delve deeper, we also took into account whether or not airlines allow pre-boarding for families, the age ranges for children to fly on a parent’s lap, and both car seat and luggage flexibility,” the report’s authors explain.
The result is what AirAdvisor calls “a comprehensive guide to the top USA airlines for family travel in 2025 and beyond.”
So without further ado, here are the winners.
American Airlines Boeing 737. (Photo Credit: Carlos Yudica/Adobe)
American Airlines
“From our extensive research, American Airlines is definitely one of the leaders for family-friendly flights,” says the report. “It has all the things parents typically value when traveling with kids.”
Noteworthy family-friendly features offered by American Airlines include:
Kid-centric meals upon request for children between the ages of 2 and 5. Baby food is also available, though both types of meals should be requested at least 24 hours before your flight.In-flight entertainment system featuring many options designed to appeal to children.Families with kids under 2 years old can request pre-boarding once at the gate.
In addition, when you fly domestically, American Airlines allows children under 2 to fly free seated on your lap.
International flights incur a charge of 10 percent of the adult fare for lap seats, which is standard in the industry, says Air Advisor.
“Parents can also check in their stroller and car seat free of charge,” adds the report. “Another perk of American is that they offer bassinets on select flights, although they are not reservable ahead of time.”
American Airlines also makes sure that your kids won’t be seated alone, even if you don’t pay to select seats. (Children seated alone on a flight has been found to come with very concerning risks.)
The American Airlines system automatically allocates seats together for families on the day before departure, and if the whole family can’t sit together, they guarantee each kid will be seated next to at least one adult. Just make sure all family members are on the same reservation, says AirAdvisor.
United Airlines airplane in flight. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/hectorchristiaen)
United Airlines
United Airlines comes in at a very close second, says AirAdvisor. It too offers a variety of features and policies designed to take the stress out of flying for families.
“Children under 2 can either fly on a parent’s lap or book their own seat to any destination,” says AirAdvisor. “It’s up to you to bring an approved car seat, but chances are good that you’re traveling with one anyway.”
A CARES harness can also be used in place of a car seat. Additional family-friendly perks on United include:
Pre-boarding for families with kids under the age of 2No seat selection charge to book seats together (1 adult and up to 2 kids) if your kids are under 12If something changes and you can no longer sit together as a family, United permits you to change to another flight free of chargeBassinets are available in economy on some international flights, and you can even pre-book these.
An added, endearing feature from United: The airline provides a children’s travel kit complete with a puzzle, activity book, and crayons to keep the young ones occupied on the flight.
There are also kid-focused programs available on seat-back entertainment systems. Kids feeling hungry? Aside from child-friendly meals, United also has free snacks.
Although they can change on each flight, the selection may include mini natural fruit bars. One drawback with United however. The only kid-friendly drink options are water or orange juice.
“There’s a little room for improvement here,” says AirAdvisor.
Delta Air Lines planes at JFK Airport. (Photo Credit: valeriyap/Adobe)
Delta Air Lines
Delta is another good choice for traveling families, says AirAdvisor. Here’s some of the carrier’s top family-oriented policies and features:
Comprehensive entertainment system to keep the kids occupiedLap seat policy for kids 2 and under, with some discounts for kids who need their own seats, depending on the destinationSnacks and meals tailored to childrenInfant seats or bassinets you need are not part of the standard baggage allowance on board. The same goes for a breast pump or an associated cooler bagOffers SkyCots on a first-come, first-served basis.
“As for pre-boarding, Delta gives anyone who needs extra time to board early access to the flight,” says AirAdvisor. “Additionally, families traveling with a stroller or car seat (or both) are also given advanced boarding. Either way, as a family, it’s likely you’ll get on the plane ahead of the masses.”
Car seats are welcome on board when flying with Delta with a few limitations. But car seats are also not required if your child can sit upright by themselves.
Here’s another noteworthy feature: “Delta takes family seating seriously and honors requests to seat everyone together whenever possible,” says AirAdvisor. “Contact them ASAP if you don’t have seats assigned together.”
And one last feature families are likely to enjoy: Delta recently revamped its kid-friendly meal options to include lots of colors, textures, and overall variety.
“Breakfast is typically French toast (syrup included), scrambled eggs, a small blueberry muffin, and fruit. Lunch and dinner, on the other hand, favor cheese tortellini, carrots with ranch for dipping, fruit, and graham cookies,” explains AirAdvisor.
Just add these meals as part of the special meal selection when you book your flight.
Aiplane Interior Dad and Son. (Photo via Hawaiian Airlines)
Hawaiian Air Lines
Hawaiian Air Lines also features a solid selection of family-friendly policies and features. They include:
Kids 13 and younger are guaranteed to sit next to an accompanying adult for freeNo charge for a lap child under 2 on domestic flights; 10% fee of seat fare internationallyParents can book a bassinet on most international routesStrollers are always accepted without a fee as checked baggage; you can carry them on as well if they meet the size requirements when foldedEarly boarding after the premium, zone 1, and zone 2 sections have boarded.
“While on your Hawaiian Airlines flight, it’s easy to keep everyone entertained,” adds AirAdvisor. “The In-flight entertainment will delight younger audiences as the airline has a “Keiki Pack” (Keiki means child in Hawaiian) with age-appropriate content.”
When it comes to food options, travelers can request kid-friendly meals. But they need to be pre-ordered at least 48 hours before the flight.
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max in Seattle. (Photo Credit: Kyo46/Adobe Stock)
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines also ticks many boxes when it comes to accommodating family travelers.
Children’s meals are available but must be pre-ordered to guarantee availability. The options include a “Kid’s Choice Picnic Pack,” which contains favorites like turkey, white cheddar puffs, applesauce, and a granola bar, says AirAdvisor.
Added bonus: there’s gummy bears in the picnic pack as well. Here are some of the additional family policies and benefits:
Children under 13 are guaranteed to be seated with one adult.Free stroller check-inFamilies with kids under the age of 2 can take advantage of pre-boardingFamilies can also all board together using the highest boarding group, even if everyone isn’t seated in the same section.
As for the all-important in-flight entertainment? AirAdvisor says it’s solid, but there’s one hitch.
“Alaska
Airlines offers a decent in-flight entertainment system, but the one
catch is that you need to bring your own device,” explains the report.
“Their streaming service has over 800 options for TV shows and movies to
keep both kids and parents occupied on a flight.”
Finally, when
flying Alaskan Airlines you can use an approved car seat onboard for
safety, subject to a few restrictions based on where you’re sitting.
“For
example, aisle seats, exit rows, and any rows ahead or behind exit rows
don’t permit car seats or booster seats,” explains AirAdvisor. There are no bassinets available.
Two JetBlue airplanes parked. (Photo Credit: Roman Tiraspolsky / Adobe Stock)
JetBlue
Last but hardly least is JetBlue. With
its roomy seats, the budget carrier earned a high position on
AirAdvisor’s (separate) list of the most comfortable airlines in
America.
When it comes to family-friendly offerings, the carrier features:
Reservation
system will automatically seat children 13 and under with an
accompanying adult as soon as you book, with no additional feeStroller and car seat check-in is freeCar seats or booster seats are permitted as long as your child has their own seat bookedLap infants are accepted for children up to the age of 2, and this same age limit applies to pre-boarding for familiesNo JetBlue bassinets provided
“JetBlue
has in-flight entertainment that kids will enjoy, with plenty of
cartoons and even live TV on all flights,” adds the report.
In
addition, the airline offers free snacks and drinks service, including
juices, water, granola bars, and animal crackers, although the choice of
snacks does vary by flight.
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