Etihad Airways infant and child policy: lap infants, strollers and kids flying alone
Your guide to Etihad Airways infant and child policies. Find rules on lap infants, baggage allowance, strollers, family seating, and the Unaccompanied Minor service.
Etihad Airways offers some helpful policies for families, including a free Unaccompanied Minor service for children aged 5 to 11 when booked in advance. The airline also has specific rules that allow families with up to two children under 12 to select adjacent seats for free, with special provisions for flights to Canada.
| Topic | What Etihad Airways says |
|---|---|
| Who counts as a lap infant | Infants are defined as being from seven days to 23 months old. They must be accompanied by an adult and sit on the adult's lap during takeoff, landing, and when the seatbelt sign is on, unless an approved car seat is used.Source |
| Baby in its own seat | Infants do not need their own seat, but one can be purchased. If a seat is purchased for an infant, they must sit in a car seat or on an adult's lap during takeoff, landing, and when seatbelt signs are on.Source |
| Lap infant limits | If you are traveling with more than one infant under the age of two, each infant must be accompanied by an adult who is 18 years of age or older.Source |
| Youngest age to fly | The minimum age for an infant to travel is seven days old.Source |
| Stroller | You are permitted to carry one pushchair, carrycot, or car seat free of charge.Source |
| Checking a car seat | One car seat, pushchair, or carrycot can be transported for free.Source |
| Infant baggage | For infants, the checked baggage allowance is 23kg for flights to/from the USA and Canada, and 10kg for all other destinations (excluding Basic fares). The cabin baggage allowance is one piece up to 5kg.Source |
| Family seating | For flights to Canada, children under 14 will be seated near a parent or guardian at no extra cost, with children four or younger seated next to an adult. If traveling with up to two children under 12, you can select adjacent seats online for free.Source |
| Youngest age to fly alone | Children under five years old on the day of departure are not permitted to fly alone or use the Unaccompanied Minor service; they must travel with an adult.Source |
| Service required for | The Unaccompanied Minor service is available for free for children aged 5 to 11. They must be booked on a normal adult fare and the service must be pre-booked.Source |
| Service optional for | For children aged 12 to 17, you can either have them travel on their own adult ticket or you can pay for the Unaccompanied Minor service.Source |
| Service fee | The Unaccompanied Minor service is free for children 5-11 if booked in advance. For children 12-17, or if arranged on the day of travel, the fee is USD 100 each way for direct flights and USD 150 each way for connecting flights.Source |
Lap infants and infant fares
On Etihad Airways, a child from seven days up to 23 months old is considered an infant and can travel on an adult’s lap. You can also purchase a separate seat for an infant, but they must sit in a car seat or on your lap during takeoff, landing, and when seatbelt signs are on. If you are traveling with more than one infant under the age of two, each infant must be accompanied by their own adult aged 18 or over.
“Infants are aged seven days to 23 months. Every infant must be accompanied by an adult. This also applies to twins.If you do not have an approved car seat, they must sit on your lap during take-off and landing, and whenever the seatbelt sign is on.”
Official wording, etihad.com, checked Oct 21, 2026
“Infants don’t require their own seat, but an infant seat can be purchased. During take-off, landing and when seatbelt signs are on, infants in purchased seats must sit in a car seat or on your lap.”
Official wording, etihad.com, checked Oct 21, 2026
“If you’re travelling with more than one infant under two, every infant must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over.”
Official wording, etihad.com, checked Oct 21, 2026
Newborns and proof of age
Your baby must be at least seven days old to fly with Etihad Airways. The information we reviewed does not specify what documents, such as a birth certificate, you might need to present as proof of your infant’s age. We suggest you ask the airline what is required when you book your tickets to be prepared for your travel day.
“Infants are aged seven days to 23 months.”
Official wording, etihad.com, checked Oct 21, 2026
Strollers and car seats
You can bring one essential piece of baby equipment for free when flying with Etihad. The airline allows you to carry one pushchair, carrycot, or car seat at no extra charge. The rules we checked do not specify whether these items can be brought to the gate or must be checked in, so it is a good idea to confirm the procedure with the airline ahead of time.
Full details, with the airline’s own wording: Etihad Airways car seat and stroller policy.
“You can carry one pushchair, carrycot or car seat for free”
Official wording, etihad.com, checked Oct 21, 2026
Baby baggage
An infant’s baggage allowance on Etihad depends on the route and fare. For flights to or from the USA and Canada, an infant’s checked baggage allowance is 23kg. For all other routes, the allowance is 10kg. These checked baggage allowances do not apply to Basic fares. For all infants, the cabin baggage allowance is one piece weighing up to 5kg.
“Checked baggage to/from USA and Canada: 23kg(Excludes Basic fare)
Checked baggage to/from all other destinations: 10kg(Excludes Basic fare)
Cabin baggage: One piece,5kg”Official wording, etihad.com, checked Oct 21, 2026
Sitting together
Etihad has policies to help families sit together. If you are traveling with up to two children under 12, you can select seats next to you online for free. For flights to Canada, children under 14 will be seated near a parent or guardian at no extra cost, and children aged four or younger will be provided a seat next to an adult.
“For flights to Canada, we will seat children under 14 near a parent or guardian at no extra cost. For children aged four or younger, we will provide a seat next to an adult. … If you are travelling with up to two children under 12, you can choose seats next to you online for free.”
Official wording, etihad.com, checked Oct 21, 2026
Kids flying alone
Etihad’s Unaccompanied Minor service is available for children flying alone. The service is free for children aged 5 to 11, but it must be pre-booked with an adult fare. For travelers aged 12 to 17, the Unaccompanied Minor service is optional and costs USD 100 each way for direct flights or USD 150 each way for connecting flights. Children under five are not permitted to fly alone.
You must print, sign, and bring the completed Unaccompanied Minor request form to the airport. The adult meeting the child must show their ID at arrivals.
Full details, with the airline’s own wording: Etihad Airways unaccompanied minor policy: ages, fee and rules.
“If your child is under five on the day of departure, they must be accompanied by an adult travelling on the same flight and in the same cabin. They are not permitted to fly alone or use our Unaccompanied Minor service.”
Official wording, etihad.com, checked Oct 21, 2026
Related pages
More on Etihad Airways:
- Etihad Airways unaccompanied minor policy: ages, fee and rules
- Etihad Airways car seat and stroller policy
Same topic, other airlines: