The Best Plane Seats To Book As A Family With Multiple Children, According To A Travel Agent

When it comes to airplanes, there are the best and worst seats for every type of traveler, including honeymooning couples, people flying with pets, and frequent bathroom users. Flying with young children is a Herculean feat, and choosing the right seats for the whole family is crucial to ensure a smooth and stress-free journey for the parents, kids, and even fellow passengers. We reached out to Victoria Fricke, owner of the luxury travel agency Vic's Vacations, for some expert advice on how to select the best plane seats when traveling with multiple kids to make sure your family sits together comfortably and avoids common seating pitfalls.

For families with two parents and two children flying on a standard airplane with a 3-3 seat configuration, Fricke has a go-to recommendation for a seating plan: Book two rows with one parent on the aisle and the kids sitting together in one row. "I'd always suggest kid, kid, parent in one row, then [the] other parent on the aisle seat," says Fricke. "This is the safest way by far to ensure you sit together and have support from both parents." This arrangement keeps your kids close while also ensuring that both parents are within reach, making it easier to assist with any in-flight needs like food, entertainment, or bathroom trips.

One common mistake Victoria Fricke sees is families booking separate seats, hoping other passengers will switch to accommodate them. "Often, you'll see viral stories of parents asking to switch seats to sit by their kids. Plain and simple, it's because they opted not to pay for seat assignments ... or they tried to hack the system [by] securing empty seats such as booking aisle and window, leaving the middle open," she explains. This can lead to some severe stress, especially if no one is willing to swap.

Another important factor to consider is the type of ticket you book. "Select the class of service that reflects your end goal," Fricke advises. "If you want to sit by your kids, ensure that you select a ticket price that includes that (typically main cabin and higher)." Budget airlines almost always charge extra for seat selection, and while the upfront savings might be tempting, the additional costs for seating, baggage, and other amenities can add up. Fricke stresses the importance of factoring in these extra costs before deciding on an airline. "If flying a budget airline where seat selection comes at an extra cost, ensure you think through that extra cost prior to choosing that airline," she says. 

Fricke also reminds parents to check baggage restrictions when booking flights, especially on budget airlines. Some airlines offer base fares that don't include carry-on bags, which can be problematic for families with multiple kids and lots of gear — diapers, bottles, toys, etc. "If that's part of your travel plan, be mindful of that," she warns. Ensure that your chosen ticket covers your family's luggage needs so you can avoid any unpleasant surprises at the airport. 

Victoria Fricke's advice is simple: Avoid leaving seating arrangements to chance. "When it comes to kids, especially young ones who need to sit by parents during a flight, play it safe and book the seats you want." One of the biggest pitfalls parents face is deliberately selecting tickets without assigned seats. "If you select a ticket without seat assignments, you have to be okay with the possible outcome of being split up," says Fricke. This can be outright dangerous and frightening if young children are involved. Essentially, you must be prepared to hear "no." If a couple paid to sit together in advance, why should they give up their pre-paid seats when you neglected your chance to book them in advance, too? It's always better to pay the extra fee for assigned seating than to risk being separated from your family. 

Once your seats are booked, the work doesn't end there. Fricke emphasizes the importance of staying vigilant about other things that might affect your seating arrangements. "Be very aware of involuntary schedule changes," she warns. "If flight number 123 changes to flight 26, it's your responsibility to ensure you check to see if your seats are intact. When flights change, often the seat assignments can get jumbled." Fricke advises logging into the airline's website anytime you receive a schedule change notification to confirm your seats. "If they've changed, modify them back. If like seats aren't available, reach out to the airline to get help," she adds. Ultimately, traveling as a family isn't easy, and it does require careful planning. By taking being proactive about seat selection, you'll avoid being split up or having to negotiate seat swaps mid-flight, so you can just focus on enjoying your trip with your loved ones.