Do you book flights and THEN add a lap child later?

[Kellydelly]

I found some great fares from Detroit to Orlando on Northwest through Orbitz. $141 total round trip! I need four tickets, and two lap babies. Is it okay to book through Orbitz and then contact NW after the fact to add the babies? Or is there something in the booking process online through Orbitz that lets you choose a lapchild option? I don't want to book tickets just assuming I can show up with two extra little ones. Does anyone have some input? TIA!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yes, if you start your booking on Orbitz's home page (orbitz.com) there are several drop-down boxes at the bottom of the screen under Travelers where you indicate how many passengers you have in each of a variety of categories. There's a selection for 'infant in lap under 2' and one for 'infant in seat under 2'.

Now, a bit of unsolicited advice: While sure, money matters, the FAA strongly recommends not holding infants in laps when flying.

 

[NotUrsula]

Another little bit of advice: if you stick with the lap-baby plan, don't try to seat both adults in the same row; it is against FAA regulations. There is only one extra oxygen mask per row of seats, so you will not be allowed to have two lap babies seated in the same row.

 

[Kellydelly]

Now I see the lap child option, on Orbitz's main page. Thanks for the help! I wasn't sure if I'd get the same rate if I went back and did it that way (went through a travel site's link initially).

 

[kaytieeldr]

I just thought of something else - if you haven't already bought tickets, check the NWA website! If you plug in the same times and dates as the flights showing on Orbitz, you may be able to get the same rate AND avoid the booking fee!

 

[Kellydelly]

Thanks for the tip! I didn't book anything yet, but you are right. It's $20 cheaper to book directly through NWA! I also took the initiative to check and see how many miles my husband has and it's about 2500 shy of a free seat. But to buy the extra miles is $95 . Not worth it! If we book through NWA I'm thinking we'd probably earn the miles and then we'll have a free flight to somewhere else for another date.