Southwest: Q about child turning 2 during trip

[Seabean]

We're thinking of going during August, and our youngest will be turning 2 during the trip. In other words, she'll be 1 for the departure flight, and 2 when we fly home.

How does Southwest handle this? Do we have to pay 2 separate prices? Or do we have the same 1 price each for her at the time of booking? Thanks.

 

[ancestry]

According to Southwest's online description of infant fares http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/infants.html and http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/children.html it seems as though your child would qualify as a lap child on the way down but that you would need a seat and ticket for her on the return flight.

 

[Jestocost]

If you pay for a ticket both ways, there should be no difference in the price you pay for a one year old vs. a two year old. The issue is that she will be eligible to fly as a lap child without having a ticket on the way down and will not be eligible to fly without a ticket on the way home. This is a federal regulation, not a Southwest rule, and applies to all airlines. Some are more lax than others about checking the ages of children flying as lap babies, but SWA generally is very strict.

So, bottom line, she can fly without a ticket--and probably without a seat of her own--on the way down, but will need a ticket for the ride home. If you choose to have her fly as a lap baby on the way down, you will need to bring a copy of her birth certificate to prove eligibility. FWIW, if you try to fly her back without a ticket and they check for eligibility--which is very likely--you would be required to purchase a ticket at whatever the current price may be (assuming there are any seats available); which is going to be very high.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

It has been my experience that SWA always checks the birth certificate for a lap baby. So you will definitely need to buy a ticket for the trip home.

 

[Tara]

Just a bit of advice - book all your tickets as one ways. Book your ticket, any other adult/children over 2 on a single, one-way itinerary. Then book all of you plus your newly-turned-2 child on a one-way itinerary back.

You won't be able to mix a booking of round trip fares with a one-way fare, and you can't book a child under 5 online without an adult on the same itinerary. This requires calling and it's kind of a hassle. If you book them as one-way itineraries you can avoid the solo child issue altogether.