Airlines’ loyalty programs for children

The youngest travellers can start their adventure with airlines’ loyalty programs in fact only when they will be old enough to have their own ticket which is after they celebrate their 2nd birthday. Before that time an infant, because an infant according to airlines is everybody below 2 years old, travels on parents’ laps  paying for the ticked only reduced fare. So he or she is not able to collect any points at all. Because our Ola gets closer to this limit every day we decided to go through the most popular airlines’ loyalty programs and check what they can offer for the youngest travellers.

1. Lufthansa offers a special loyalty program for kids and teenagers, everyone from 2 untill 18 years old. It is basicly the same as an adult Miles&More program where main aim of the participant is to collect miles which later on can be redeemed for airline tickets. You can join JetFriends program here and get welcome present of 2000 miles. On program account your baby child will acummulate miles, which will stay valid until he or she turns 18. Besides the possibility of earning miles joyning the program kids will also become club members and which through a special webstie will teach them some information about aviation. It’s actually a very interesting site. Definitely not for infants but for little older ones. The program does not work only onboard of Lufthansa but also all other Star Alliance members (Air Canada, Aegean Airlines, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Arilines, LOT Polish Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, Air China, Air India, ANA, Asiana Airlines, EVA Air, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, THAI, Air New Zealand, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airlines).

2. Wizz Air is an airline which does not offer their passengers any loyalty program of collecting points but  for the youngest they prepared something special. It seems that this is the only airline that does not have any age mimits for kinds. That might be because their program is something different than the standard one. The thing is to print Captain’s Pass from Wizzair website and collect the stamps on your every flight.  When you fill in all 6 charts after landing your child will be invited to cockpit to see the inside and meet the captain! Stamps can be collected even for the infant and since it takes some time to collect 6 stamps it is worth to join the play as soon as possible. 

3. Emirates airlines have that Skysurfers program, where children from 2 to 16 years old collect as their parents miles that they can redeem for airplane tickets, games, accesories, electronic devices or admissions to Wild Wadi Water Park in Dubai. In those airlines miles expire within 3 years so you should rather hurry to spend them. Same rules apply in other carriers of OneWorld group such as S7, American Airlines, AirBerlin, Finnair or Qantas.

4. British Airways do not have any special program for kids but instead they have an offer for whole families. This is Household Account – one for whole family. In general it is about collecting point by all family mambers on one account managable by the head of the family. The advantage is that all accumulated miles can be redeemed by any of family members living at the same address. One household can count up to 7 people vining together. What is more members of Executive Club can add to the household 5 other people not living with them. Avios, as they call them, do not expire if only the account is actively used at least once  every three years.

5. Loyalty progrem in KLM and Air France is called Flying Blue, and anyone older tha 2 years can join it. Apart from traditional miles earning they do not offer anything else for the youngest travellers. 

6. Scandinavian Airlines welcome to their program every child younger that 18 years old. It is called Euro Bonus and comes down to the same as all other programs – collecting mileas which can be used for tickets or hotels purchase. The only advantage for kinds is a 50% discount on purchasing tickets using earned points. Same rules apply not only to Scandinavian Airlines but also other companies from the group such as airBaltic, Wideroe, Estonian Airlines i Atlantic Airlines.

Whether to join the program or not you have decide on your own but since it is completely free of charge we advise to do it. Maybe one day you wil find on your account anough miles or some nice surprise. 

Flying different airlines kids can count on some privilages no matter if they join any program or not. Some airlines have small gifts for them such as little mascots, baby bibs or other gadgets and almost always they have baby food in jar available on board. 

Now we advise to read our other post about all you need to know before flying with an infant. If you haven’t read that yet you will find out about:

• how to buy an airplane ticket for an infant,
• how much it is,
• how old is an infant on board,
• what luggage is an infant entitled to,
• how to behave at the airport,
• can you have milk and water in your hand luggage,
• what to do with the stroller at the airport,
• where to change the diaper.