【Updated 2020.6】ANA recently changed the mileage-earn infant ticket issuance rule: now an infant only needs 10% of the adult miles required. What does that mean? ANA’s old rule was 10% + TAX. If you were flying in business class between the U.S. and China, an infant ticket could have cost over $1,000. Now, since ANA’s China-U.S. mileage ticket is only 90,000 miles round-trip, the infant now needs only 9,000 miles, which works out to about $145 in cash. ANA infant ticket rules are as follows:

  • Infant passengers occupying their own seat will be able to use flight awards of the same boarding class as the accompanying adult. The required mileage will be the same as that of the adult passenger.
  • Infant passengers who do not require their own seat will be able to use flight awards by paying 10% of the required flight award mileage for the same boarding class as the accompanying adult. In this case, the infant must be registered as an award user. Alternatively, an infant fare ticket can be purchased separately for the same boarding class as the accompanying adult.

When booking, you need to book the adult mileage ticket first, then call ANA to add the infant ticket.

  • Ticket purchases for infant passengers not occupying their own seat must be made by phone. In this case, please reserve the adult's flight award first, and then make a reservation for the infant using the contact details below.
    • Age on the day of departure for the first sector.
    • Flight awards are available for infants occupying their own seat upon paying the same mileage as an adult.

So if you need to book an infant ticket, ANA or AC are both good options. ANA requires fewer miles for the adult ticket, but it requires round-trip booking and some routes have higher taxes, while the flight experience is excellent. AC requires more adult miles, but can book one-way, and the infant fare is slightly cheaper.

Infant Ticket Basics

Let’s start with a few essential things to know about infant tickets:

  • Definition of an infant: The standard is generally a child under two years old. Note that this age is based on the infant’s age at actual flight departure and is unrelated to the age at booking. Most airlines do not accept infants under 1 week old, though other airlines may have different minimum age limits.
  • Infant ticket characteristics: Infant tickets are usually tied to an adult ticket; infants do not have a separate seat and are held by the adult in arms, so this is often called an “on lap child.” Some airlines can book the infant ticket together with the adult ticket, while others require booking the adult ticket first and then calling to add the infant. You can also book an infant with a separate adult ticket. The key is that an infant must have a ticket and cannot travel without one.
  • Infant booking restrictions: Infant tickets are best booked early because the aircraft needs to prepare infant oxygen masks and life vests. In addition, some aircraft have a cap on the number of infants they can carry, so book as early as possible.
  • In-flight facilities for infants: Most airplane lavatories include a changing station for babies. Some aircraft provide a limited number of infant bassinets (“baby cradles”), which must be requested in advance with the airline; once they’re fully booked, they’re gone.
  • Infant baggage: Most airlines allow one checked bag free for an infant, plus one stroller and one car seat that do not count toward baggage allowances. Stroller and car seat can usually be checked at the gate. Cabin staff will take them at boarding and you can pick them up near the cabin area after arrival.
  • Infant security screening: Parents traveling with infants are often sent to a security channel that avoids certain radiation screening, and you can carry some liquid milk and baby food. Security usually won’t make it difficult; they typically swab food bottles with test paper for screening and do not contaminate the food.
  • Infant documents: For travel within the U.S., a birth certificate or U.S. passport can be used. For a return to China, you need a travel document or a passport with a China visa.
  • Infant ticket check-in: Infant tickets are linked to the adult ticket, so when the adult checks in, the infant ticket is usually printed as well. Staff generally review the infant’s documents at that time, then issue the ticket.
  • Infant ticket fare: For domestic U.S. travel, infant tickets are generally free; after booking the adult ticket, just call the airline to add it (cash or mileage is treated the same). For international routes, with cash-paid adult tickets, the infant addition is usually 10% of the same class fare. That fare may reflect a family fare or the current lowest fare, and it can vary by airline. For mileage tickets, policies vary by airline—this is the main focus of this article.

Mileage Infant Ticket Rules (International)

For cash fares, the rule is usually straightforward and generally a percentage of fare. For mileage tickets, things are much more complex, and each airline has its own policy. The reason we focus on infant ticket issuance rules is that when the adult ticket is business or first class, infant ticket costs can be very high. If you can choose an adult award redemption strategically, you may avoid paying thousands of dollars for an infant ticket.

The discussion here focuses mainly on U.S.-China routes. Other routes are broadly similar, though details may differ.

Delta Air Lines (Delta): Possibly free

【Updated 5/6】I recently booked a Delta-operated flight from the U.S. to China. In the end, they didn’t charge me for the infant ticket. At the regular fare level of 10%, a Delta One infant ticket would normally be at least $500-$1,000. I’m sharing this unusual experience—if you need to book an infant ticket soon, you may want to consider Delta.

  • After booking online, I called customer service to add the infant ticket. After some time on hold, the agent said it had been added. When I checked the confirmation email, there was no charge at all—no cash and no miles.
  • After booking, I was still unsure, so I used the infant ticket number and confirmation number from the email to check the itinerary, and found I couldn’t query it online. At that point I worried maybe it hadn’t actually been issued because no payment was collected.
  • The next day, I called customer service again. The agent first confirmed the infant ticket had been added successfully. The reason the ticket number and confirmation number couldn’t find a reservation is that an infant ticket is essentially a certificate attached to the adult ticket and does not issue as a separate real ticket.
  • For why the infant ticket was not charged 10%, the agent asked a supervisor to check. The supervisor confirmed with the ticketing department again that the infant ticket is valid. The 10% charge is the fee required for cash fares. For mileage tickets, the infant ticket is free—no miles, no cash, and no taxes.
  • I flew that route a few days ago with no issues, so that seems to confirm it is valid.

Conclusion: I don’t know whether this policy has always been this way or whether Delta has only recently changed it. My guess is this free treatment only applies on Delta’s own international flights; it may not apply when transoceanic travel involves a partner carrier. If you need an award infant ticket in the near future, you might want to try Delta—there might be a pleasant surprise.

Air Canada Mileage (Aeroplan): Fixed fare

  • Rules: Economy class is $50/5,000 miles, business class is $100/10,000 miles, and first class is $125/12,500 miles, plus a small 911-related fee (about $7). Applies to Air Canada-operated flights and partner flights.
  • Restriction: If the award itinerary includes an Air China (CA) flight, it cannot be issued. This odd restriction is reportedly because CA infant tickets require a paper ticket, and Air Canada does not issue paper tickets. I tested it myself with two agents, and both said it could not be issued. If you really need it, you’d have to buy a full adult fare for the infant.
  • Process: Book the adult ticket first by phone or online, then call Aeroplan customer service and add the infant. You will then receive the infant ticket number.

I think you should choose to pay cash. In most cases, mileage value is still above 1¢, and I personally value Air Canada miles at around 1.5¢. Since Air Canada miles can book most Star Alliance award tickets, the options are broader and it’s generally easier to issue tickets (for the adult ticket).

Alaska Airlines Miles (Alaska): Taxes Only

  • Rules: Flights to the U.S. only require taxes. Flights departing the U.S. require a percentage of the fare (and this depends on the airline).Official infant ticket rules
  • Process: First book the adult ticket by phone or online, then call Alaska customer service and add the infant. You will then receive the infant ticket number.

From the rules, it seems flights to the U.S. are the best case, while flights out of the U.S. are more painful, since most carriers charge about 10% of the fare. I haven’t called to confirm this directly, so if you’re considering it, call first and confirm. Alaska has recently added quite a few partners, so in theory, a Hainan Airlines (HNA) adult ticket to the U.S. with an infant ticket is a good option.

Virgin Atlantic Miles: Charged by Segment

  • Rules: Charged by segment, based on cabin. Per segment Economy/Premium Economy/Upper Class/First Class (partners): 1,000/2,000/5,000/7,000 + taxes.
  • Process: When searching for the award online, you can add the infant in the same search.

Given the rules, connecting itineraries are less favorable; nonstop is best. Delta itineraries are very good value with them.

All Nippon Airways (ANA): 10% in Miles

  • Rules: 10% of the miles required for the adult award, for Economy, Business, and First Class.ANA infant ticket rules
  • Process: Book the adult ticket first by phone or online, then call ANA customer service to add the infant. Note that you need to add the infant as your award user to use miles from your account. MR-ANA point transfers can take some time, so transfer with the adult’s miles together.

Round-trip redemption between U.S. and China is 60,000/90,000/150,000, which is among the best value of all the programs mentioned. Plus, ANA’s own product quality—especially service and food—is excellent for family travel. At 10% mileage, you only need an extra 6,000–15,000 miles for a round-trip infant ticket, which is still very good. Another major plus is that the infant ticket does not require paying the adult ticket taxes, which is very helpful for ANA with its high surcharges.

Korean Air (Korean Airline): 10% in Miles

  • Rules: 10% of the miles required for the adult award, for Economy, Business, and First Class.
  • Process: Book the adult ticket first by phone or online, then call Korean Air customer service and add the infant. You will then receive the infant ticket number.

One-way redemption between U.S. and China is 35,000/62,500/80,000 in low season and 52,500/92,500/120,000 in peak season. So with a 10% infant rate, the extra mileage is only 3,500–12,000 miles, which is quite reasonable. Another advantage is that the infant ticket does not require paying the adult taxes, which is great for Korean Air’s high-surcharge mileage program.

Asiana Miles: 10% in Miles

  • Rules: 10% of the miles required for the adult award, for Economy, Business, and First Class.
  • Process: First book the adult ticket by phone or online, then call customer service to add the infant.

Asiana’s rules are similar to Korean Air, but the adult mileage is calculated by segment, and taxes are relatively high. So even if the infant ticket itself is cheap, total miles may still be high. In addition, miles can only be earned from flying or transferring SPG points, so accumulation is harder.

British Airways Miles: 10% in Miles + 10% in Fees

  • Rules: 10% of the adult award miles, plus 10% of the adult fare in fuel surcharges and other taxes.
  • Process: You can issue adult and infant tickets together online, and miles plus taxes will be calculated automatically. You can also book the adult ticket first, then call BA customer service to add the infant.

On nonstop routes between the U.S. West Coast and China, such as LAX-PVG, economy is only 30,000 BA miles, and the add-on infant ticket is just 3,000 miles, which is very generous. Usually, choosing a partner like AA for the adult tax is enough. Of course, if you’re willing to pay a bit more in fuel-related fees, JAL or Cathay (CX) can also work with only an extra 10% add-on.

Other options

  • 10% of the fare: United Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Delta
  • 10% of fare + taxes: American Airlines, JAL
  • 25% of fare: Cathay

This is just a list of infant ticket rules for some airlines that are relatively easy to redeem with miles. In practice, these programs are mostly only suitable for economy-class infant tickets. Because the base fare for two cabins is usually above $1,000, the infant cost can run $1,000+ once converted, which is usually not worth it. The fare may be full fare or minimum fare, and each airline may differ; it’s best to call and confirm before booking.

Award Infant Ticket Rules (U.S. Domestic)

From my experience, after issuing a U.S. domestic award ticket, just call the operating carrier and add the infant. In general, this usually incurs no fee.

How to Choose an Infant Ticket Issuance Strategy

After understanding the rules and add-on costs, the key is balancing the adult ticket and infant ticket together to choose the best and cheapest overall strategy. Finding a good adult award ticket is already a bit of a technical skill; adding infant-ticket rules on top makes it even more complex. In my view, if you’re only traveling in economy, you can choose almost any airline miles program for the adult ticket—the infant pricing won’t differ much, so there’s no need to overcomplicate it. It only gets worth it to think hard about this when the adult fare is first or business class.

General approach

So I’ll list here a few practical workflows I find easiest to follow.

  • Round trip or one-way:If the infant is under 2 throughout the round trip, both round-trip and one-way bookings are possible. If the infant will be over two on the return (and must then be ticketed as an adult), it’s better to book two one-way tickets since the infant ticket is still cheaper than an adult ticket.
  • Miles or cash: For a round-trip ticket, an All Nippon Airways (ANA) business-class redemption from China to the U.S. requires only 95,000 miles + taxes + a $1,000 infant fare (10% of the adult fare), while an Air Canada (AC) redemption needs 150,000 + taxes + $100. So should you choose 55,000 miles or $900 in cash? Of course, this is a very extreme example; in normal cases, people usually pick the option with the lower cash outlay, because the mileage difference usually isn’t that big.
  • Don’t forget base taxes and surcharges: Asiana Airlines and Korean Air both have decent infant-ticket policies, requiring only 10% of the adult fare. But Asiana’s own fuel surcharges and taxes can be as high as $200 per ticket. British Airways award tickets also have high taxes, so remember to factor that in when ticketing.
  • When connections are needed: For British Airways, Korean Air, and Asiana—airlines with relatively good policies—connections can increase mileage usage substantially, and for itineraries not on Korean Air you may need to connect a segment on a U.S. domestic flight yourself. These costs should be considered.
  • If flying to the U.S.: Prioritize Alaska Airlines mileage. Booking on American Airlines (AA) or Hainan Airlines both works well.
  • Cheapest choice: Air Canada (AC). Thanks to strong Star Alliance capacity, getting one adult ticket is usually not difficult. Just avoid China Airlines being mixed in. The $100 infant fare is very generous.
  • If you care about airline quality: Pick an Asian carrier. Best to secure Asiana, Korean Air, or Cathay (issued with BA). Otherwise, paying 10% of the adult fare is acceptable.
  • Transfer-point ticketing: Check whether point transfer can be completed in real time, so your award ticket doesn’t get taken.

I’ll publish a separate article next that covers the process and choices for booking an infant ticket with an adult ticket in detail, and with this example, everyone should have a clearer understanding.

Tips

I saw some tips online about infant tickets. I haven’t tried them myself, but you can use them as references:

  • Who should add the infant fare: The infant fare can be added by the airline used for the mileage ticketing, or by the actual operating carrier. That gives you a chance to choose whichever charges less for the infant fare. For example, someone booked a SYD-HYD ticket with UA miles; UA’s website quoted 30,000 miles + a $500 infant fare, but when he called the operating airline directly, it was only $260. The opposite example is AC, which only needs $100, while if you call UA it may charge 10% of the business-class fare.
  • Round-trip or one-way: If you must pay 10% of the fare, it may be worth switching to a round-trip award. Round-trip awards are often cheaper than two one-way awards. For carriers that calculate that 10% based on the lowest fare, a round-trip adult award is generally better.

Conclusion

After you’ve accumulated a large number of miles, most people want to try an airline’s transoceanic business or first-class cabin. But if you have to bring a young child, you still need to be strategic to keep costs down. This article summarizes tips for issuing a mileage ticket with an infant ticket, based on existing airline infant-ticket rules and some of my own booking experience.

If you have your own booking insights, feel free to leave a comment—I’ll keep updating this. If you run into questions while booking, leave a comment too, and I’ll try to give you answers and better options.