American Airlines is now legally bound to ensure families sit together

American is willing to face penalties if it doesn’t keep its word.
Child staring out plane window


The Daily Navigator strives to help you make the best decisions in travel. While we produce content according with strict editorial integrity this post may contain references to partner products. Here’s a full explanation for how our team makes money .

After having my 11-year-old nephew in town for a week, one thing has become abundantly clear: pre-teens and teens don’t really care about sitting next to you—not on a rollercoaster, not at the restaurant, and not by cuddling up on the couch. If this is just a me thing, excuse me because I’m bitter. At least American Airlines is keeping the option alive. 

Airlines have been hurriedly trying to redeem themselves following the flight debacles that wreaked havoc at the end of 2022. With one of the biggest issues being families separated once they got to their gate despite often paying an extra fee to score seats together, airlines are finally shifting their policies. 

While United recently announced new tools to allow families with children under 12 to choose seats together free of charge, American Airlines is taking it one step further by officially stating its commitment to seating families together by submitting its policy document to the US government. In short, American is willing to face penalties if it doesn’t keep its word. 

What those penalties will entail is still a blur, but it’s a step in the right direction, making it so I don’t have a hovering parent’s armpit above my head as they lean on my chair and pass off open bags of snacks. 

But in all seriousness, there’s a big reason airlines need policies such as the one American Airlines has implemented: safety. In addition to separated families posing a huge safety risk to all passengers during emergency evacuations, there have also been cases of separation from children who suffer medical issues including seizures, cases of sexual assault, and more. 

Though American says it’s never charged families to sit together, and uses an automated process to ensure it, the new plan makes them legally bound. In it, the policy “guarantees” to seat children under 15 with an accompanying adult, so long as everyone is booked under the same reservation, the aircraft isn’t suddenly switched to a smaller one, and various other blunders they don’t have control over. 

When things go awry, the carrier said it will “rebook you at no extra cost or provide you a refund if you choose not to travel.”

Navigate the News Better

Take a five-minute trip through the news that matters most to travelers with our daily newsletter.

Related Stories

Built with ❤️ by travelers, for travelers.

© 2024 Dollar Flight Club Inc. All Rights Reserved

Stay in the know with
The Navigator Newsletter

A five-minute trip through the news that matters most to travelers. Past Edition

A five-minute trip through the news that matters most to travelers. Past Edition

This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. The relationship may impact how an offer is being presented. Our site doesn’t include all the offers available. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

The Daily Navigator Featured Card Popup 3
Best Offer: $1,600 in Free Travel

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points

Plus, you can access over $1,500 in credits on select purchases. 

Partner offer. Terms apply.

DFC Partner Perks App Link Image
Special Discount for Our Members

50% Off Dollar Flight Club Premium

Your Premium Dollar Flight Club Membership will pay for itself the moment you join, because you get access to Partner Perks. You’ll get exclusive discounts on products and services from our favorite travel brands right in your deal dashboard.

DFC Concierge App Link Image
Special Discount for Our Members

93% off lifetime access

Save $1,200 and 10 hours of your time on every vacation. With Lifetime access to DFC Concierge, get fully customized trip itineraries to make every vacation unforgettable.

Dollar Flight Club App Link Image
Special Discount for Our Members

50% Off PREMIUM

You can save up to $500 on your next adventure without lifting a finger get email alerts when we find flights up to 90% off leaving your home airport. Just let us know your departure airport and we’ll do the rest.

The Navigator Commitment

The Daily Navigator is the cornerstone of the DFC Media family. Through each of our brands, we’re dedicated to helping our readers travel, spend, and live smarter.

With products dedicated to affordable travel, daily news, hospitality, and personal finance, we deliver the day’s essential content with none of the filler — all in a way that’s fast, easy, and fun to read. Every morning, over 2 Million travelers trust DFC to deliver the latest news and information so that they can make informed decisions faster. We hope you’ll join them.

We’re happy to have you here!