JetBlue is now guaranteeing free family seating so kids can sit with their parents

Hurray, the whole “should I give up my seat so these parents can sit with their kids” debate can finally come to an end! At least on JetBlue airlines, anyway. This week, JetBlue became the fourth major U.S. airline to guarantee family seating without paying an additional fee.

In 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation urged airlines to adopt policies that prevent families traveling together from being separated on planes.

“We know traveling with young children can add challenges, and we want to do everything we can to put parents and families at ease by providing a smooth trip each time they choose JetBlue,” said Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue’s president and chief operating officer. “This enhanced family seating policy reflects our commitment to continue to meet the needs of our customers and provide exceptional service.”

The new family seating policy ensures that kids aged 13 and younger will be seated next to an adult traveling with them on the same reservation. The booking system will assign seats together for at least one accompanying parent as long as adjacent seats are still available when you book your flight. If there aren’t any available, JetBlue gate agents will still work to seat parents and their children together once they arrive at the airport.

Passengers who opt for JetBlue’s Blue Basic fare (their version of basic economy) are included in the family seating policy. “For bookings made within 24 hours of planned travel, seats may need to be assigned manually by a JetBlue airport crewmember,” the release said.

JetBlue is still encouraging passengers to go ahead and pick their seats while they’re booking their tickets.

Other airlines that also offer no-fee family seating are: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.