Alaska Airlines Archives

Update: Proof that I am an idiot. I swear I saw CX space but it must have been in my dreams or something, sigh. Anyway, I’m gonna leave all my stupid text in here for posterity, but I’ve edited the post.

British Airways website has long been touted as the go to award search engine for Oneworld award space. I don’t dispute that, but being that I am looking at flights to Asia a lot (even though the idea of taking a preschooler and a lap infant seems insane right now), I am often searching for ~~Cathay Pacific~~ award space and it’s nice that you can get it on one award using Emirates. I have long used British Airways site to search for Oneworld award space, but a funny thing happened last week when I was searching for Emirates award space on Alaska Air’s site. I realized I much prefer Alaska’s search engine for ~~Cathay award space, or even~~ British Airways award space itself. Here are seven reasons why.

1) You don’t have to log in

Man, do I hate how British Airways makes you log in every single time you want to search for award space. What’s worse, I find they are kind of quick on the trigger to log you out as well. On Alaska’s website, you don’t need to waste that time logging in.

2) It doesn’t take multiple clicks to start searching

There is no reason in this day and age that a website should have a separate search page for paid flights and award flights. It should be as easy as just checking a box that says “use miles”, but it takes multiple clicks to get to the book with Avios page with British Airways. Combined with generally clunkiness, it makes searching for award space pretty frustrating at times, especially when I’m doing hundreds of searches for clients. You can get right to business on Alaska Air’s landing page.

3) It’s easy to start a new search or change parameters

I’ve long found British Airways site super clunky for starting a new search. Finally, finally, they put a “change” button at the top to let you start a new search easily, but it still resets your cabin class to economy every single time. You also don’t need to click through that annoying “do you want a stopover?” page when you are starting a new search. Every click matters!

4) You don’t have to click on every single individual day to search for award space

British Airways claims to show you a week of award space at a time, but that’s not really true, is it? You have to click each individual day to search for space, and it will remember if there was none but you still have to search day by day. Meanwhile, Alaska gives you all that information up front. Compare:

5) Better award calendar

This category isn’t even fair. British Airways only has an award calendar for flights on British Airways metal, and it looks like this:

I mean, that’s pretty useful if you have the amount of Avios needed memorized, I guess? But again, this only applies for British Airways flights so it’s not like I’m getting an overview of CX space with this. Meanwhile, over at Alaska Airlines, as long as you click the “Award Calendar” button:

Look at that, an award calendar for partners that includes pricing and can be filtered by cabin class!

This award calendar is not as great as AA’s, but it’s still way more useful than British Airways – especially if you’re searching for space on Cathay.

6) It’s not as cryptic whether the award is mixed cabin or not

Take a look at the British Airways graphic from #3. What that isn’t telling you is that the award is mixed cabin (coach to Miami). You have to click once again to reveal that, as shown below:

Come on, man! And it’s not like it clicks and pops up – it clicks, loads, then pops up. Meanwhile if Alaska shows some chair emojis, you know it’s mixed cabin (though you still have to click through to see exact details).

7) Alaska is just so much faster

It’s not even close.

Final Thoughts

I find now that I’ve been searching for awards for a long time, I keep going to the same tools. That’s great, because you learn and master those tools, but then you sometimes forget that there might be other things out there that work better. Now obviously Alaska is only going to be better than British Airways in niche situations ~~(searching for Cathay space)~~, but when you are searching specifically for that – do yourself a favor and try it out. You’ll never believe what happens next!

Earlier today while Matt was gearing up for a trip with his family he wrote the following tweet:

Have to start researching bag charges to Mexico with a lap infant… No status and some cards- any other posts to look at first?
— Saverocity (@Saverocity) July 12, 2015

Nobody seemed to reply to him (or I don’t know how to use my Twitter properly, which is probable) and he got my curious, so I decided to look up baggage fees for infants and children.

When we were only dealing with one infant we managed to still travel light – two roller carry ons plus caddy/carseat combination were enough. It was a bit cumbersome at the airport but doable.

When our infant became a toddler, we ended up getting a car seat bag – in all our travels we were able to check the car seat bag for free (and stuff it with diapers and other stuff). At that point we still could have gotten away with two carry on rollers (plus gate checked stroller), though we never had to pay bag fees for one reason or another so we started checking bags.

Either way, I was curious whether checking car seats for free is a standard thing for all US based airlines or whether we had just gotten lucky. I decided to write it in the form of a guide of baggage charges for infants and toddlers – what can you expect to pay/not pay for when flying US based airlines with children and infants. And remember you can use a car seat bag like the one we bought as a de facto checked bag for a couple items in addition to the car seat itself. Feel free to let me know if you’ve experienced otherwise in the comments!

This stupid car seat bag is ugly and bulky but can be very useful

Alaska Airlines

Infant policy here, carry on policy here.

Carry on Baggage – Diaper bags DO count against the regular carry on allowance. So if you are bringing a lap infant that’s one less carry on for yourself. A FAA approved car seat/infant restraint seat can be brought on for free if your child is going to occupy it on the plane. Strollers can be carried on subject to space availability (space guaranteed only with purchase of a ticket for an infant.

Checked Baggage – Strollers and car seats can be checked without charge when traveling with a child/infant. All other standard fees apply.

Car Seats and Strollers – See above.

Allegiant Air

Find their policy here.

Carry on Baggage – Each fare paying passenger may travel with a diaper bag at no charge. Diaper bag does not count against carry on allowance

Checked Baggage – There is no charge for checking or gate checking both a car seat and a stroller for children and infants

Car Seats and Strollers – See checked baggage policy above.

American Airlines

Not the greatest website. Information on children and infants here, general baggage allowance info here. Also notable that they group children and pets together…okay then.

Carry on Baggage – You are allowed to bring an umbrella stroller, approved safety seat, and diaper bag on in addition to the regular carry on allowance. My guess is in practice they’ll make you gate check some of that stuff (I’ve never successfully gotten a stroller into an AA cabin).

Checked Baggage – It doesn’t look like you get anything above the standard adult allowance which means it technically costs money to check baggage in for your infant or child (unless traveling internationally on flights that allow free checked bags for adults). However since you’re allowed to bring a car seat on as carry on, my guess is they’ll let you check that at the counter as well.

Car Seats and Strollers – See carry on policy above.

Delta Airlines

Find their policy here.

Carry on Baggage – It’s unclear whether a lap child gets a carry on baggage allowance, but I think so, since the website says “In addition to the one bag carry-on allowance, you may bring a booster seat, other infant seat or bassinet onto the plane as an additional free item (subject to carry-on size restrictions).” This has been my experience in practice as well. I read this as lap infants get one bag to carry on, ticketed children get the regular allowance adults get of course.

Checked Baggage – For unticketed infants, none. For ticketed international lap children 1 checked bag up to 20 lbs with a maximum outside dimension of 45 inches, for all other ticketed children the standard adult baggage allowance applies.

Car Seats and Strollers – You can check both a car seat and a stroller for free anywhere between curbside and the gate. They are not counted against the standard baggage allowance.

Frontier Airlines

Another airline that groups family and pets! Policy here. Baggage policy here.

Carry on Baggage – A diaper bag can be brought on board for free.

Checked Baggage – No charge for checked strollers or car seats.

Car Seats and Strollers – Stroller must be gate checked.

Hawaiian Airlines

Infant policy here.

Carry on Baggage – If a seat is not purchased, no carry on or checked baggage allowances apply (read: the diaper bag will cost you a bag, theoretically). However you may bring a child restraint seat on board if there is an empty seat available for the infant AND the car seat bears the following two required labels:

This restraint system conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety conditions.
This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft. (in red lettering) (NOTE: Labels that indicate U.S. or Foreign Government approval or show the seat was manufactured under the standards of the United Nations are also valid.)

If there is no space available you can gate check the car seat.

Checked Baggage – Strollers and car seats can be checked free of charge (including at the gate).

Car Seats and Strollers – See above.

Jetblue Airlines

Policies here.

Carry on Baggage – Infant car seats are considered a special item – each customer can carry one on board the aircraft. Each infant is allowed a diaper bag.

Checked Baggage – Lap infants receive no checked baggage allowance. For ticketed infants/children, standard allowances and fees apply.

Car Seats and Strollers – Car seats and strollers can be checked free of charge at the gate or at the counter.

Southwest Airlines

Infant policy here.

Carry on Baggage – A child restraint device for a ticked child is not considered against your allowance. No mention of a diaper bag.

Checked Baggage – Child restraint device and stroller can be checked for free in addition to regular free baggage allowance (two bags per ticketed customer). I assume that means paid tickets.

Car Seats and Strollers – See above.

United Airlines

Find their policy here.

Carry on Baggage – In addition to the regular carry on allowance, you may bring on a diaper bag and government-approved car seat

Checked Baggage – “The standard checked baggage allowance applies to children with purchased tickets, including infants traveling internationally on 10 percent of an adult fare.” The takeaway here is if you pay for an adult checked bag, you pay for a kids’ checked bag on United.

Car Seats and Strollers – United accepts one stroller and one car seat free of charge for each child. In my experience we’ve been able to check these anywhere from the curb to the gate.

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is, if you have to pay for a checked bag for an adult you probably have to pay it for you infant/toddler/child/adolescent. If you feel you need a little bit of extra space, I think the car seat bag is the way to go. Also, it’s not mentioned in any of the policies explicitly, but you never need to worry about gate checking a caddy/car seat combination. Hopefully this list helps you as you plan for your travel with your young ones!

Seven reasons I prefer the Alaska Airlines award search tool to British Airways

Baggage Charges for Infants and Toddlers – A Guide