Atmos Rewards Lap Infant Policy
Atmos Rewards is already one of the most valuable airline currencies. And the program just got even better for families. Atmos Rewards has introduced a new lap infant policy for award bookings. On long-haul international award tickets, travelers will now be charged only the applicable international taxes to add a lap infant. This instantly makes the program one of the ToP options for traveling with a baby. Let's take a look at the new Atmos Rewards lap infant policy.
Traveling With a Lap Infant
Generally, airlines classify children under the age of 2 as infants. Once a child turns 2, they will need to occupy their own seat—and therefore require their own ticket. While you can purchase your infant their own seat if you choose, adding them as a lap infant is usually the much more affordable option. For travel within the U.S., in fact, adding a lap infant is free and usually easy to do. International travel, though, is where things get more complicated. Lap infant prices and policies vary by airline. Some charge a fixed fee, assessed in either cash or miles. Others charge a percentage of the adult's award ticket or a percentage of the revenue fare. The latter can get expensive fast, especially if you're traveling in a premium cabin. Ever compared your award ticket price to the revenue fare to calculate your cpp value? Yeah, you know how pricey a 10% fee on that business or first class fare might be.
A New Policy for Atmos Rewards
Alaska Airlines has given its lap infant policy an uber-valuable update. Travelers will now have to pay just the applicable international taxes to add a lap infant on long-haul international award tickets, as long as the tickets are issued through Atmos. This applies not only to Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flights booked through Atmos Rewards but to partner bookings via the program too. Atmos Rewards first updated its policy last month, but it did not include partner bookings at the time. Through Atmos Rewards, you can snag tickets for flights through partners like Starlux, American Airlines or Japan Airlines. With this policy change, you can add the lap infant for only the taxes and fees. You will still need to contact Atmos Rewards reservations for assistance issuing the tickets together. The change was first flagged by One Mile at a Time and was confirmed by a spokesperson for the program.
Note that cash fares for long-haul international tickets will still require 10% of the accompanying adult fare, plus applicable taxes. This is similar to the amount you’ll pay on some other airlines, including on some award bookings. Getting to bypass the 10% charge by booking with Atmos Rewards points is just another example of the incredible added value that points and miles bookings can bring. And the only other loyalty program with a lap infant policy that comes close is Air Canada Aeroplan, which charges a discounted fare of just $25 CAD or 2,500 Aeroplan points each way to add your lap infant.
Atmos Rewards Lap Infant Policy: ToP Thoughts
Have a tiny award traveler? Atmos Rewards now brings even bigger value. Lap infant fees for some international award flights can get expensive fast, sometimes costing 10% or more of the grown-up traveler’s equivalent cash fare. Paying nothing other than applicable international taxes on an Atmos Rewards booking could represent huge savings. What do you think of the new Atmos Rewards lap infant policy? Come over to the ToP Facebook Group and tell us your thoughts.
