Alaska Airlines Reduces Lap Infant Award Ticket Costs

Alaska Airlines' Atmos Rewards program has implemented a substantial policy update that significantly reduces the cost of award tickets for lap infants on international flights. This change, first reported by One Mile At A Time, means that lap infants will now only incur government-mandated taxes and fees when their award ticket is issued on "027" stock, which applies to tickets issued by Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines. Lap infants are defined as children under the age of two on the date of travel for the entire trip who do not require their own seat. For domestic award flights operated by Alaska Airlines, including those on Hawaiian Airlines, lap infants will continue to fly free when accompanied by an adult. Previously, the Atmos Rewards program followed an industry-standard practice of charging lap infants 10% of the adult revenue fare for international award redemptions. While this was manageable for short-haul international flights with lower cash fares, it became a considerable expense for long-haul business-class redemptions. For instance, a business-class award ticket to Ireland on Aer Lingus, typically costing 45,000 Atmos Rewards points with around $50 in taxes and fees for an adult, would have previously required a lap infant to incur a fee potentially exceeding $3,000 one-way, calculated as 10% of the cash fare. This substantial fee for a lap infant, who does not occupy a seat and has minimal consumption, was a significant deterrent for families utilizing points and miles for premium international travel. The new policy eliminates this high percentage-based fee for international award tickets, making it much more accessible for families to travel with young children using their accumulated rewards. This generous and unexpected policy shift from Atmos Rewards addresses a major pain point for travelers redeeming miles for international journeys, particularly in business or first class where the 10% fee could be prohibitively expensive. The previous policy's 10% charge, while common across the airline industry for award tickets, represented a substantial additional cost that could negate the perceived value of using points and miles for family travel. The updated policy directly benefits members who frequently redeem points for international travel with their lap infants, offering a more equitable and cost-effective way to utilize their Atmos Rewards. The change applies to international flights operated by Alaska Airlines and partner airlines when tickets are issued on "027" stock.