Which Class Should You Book When You're Flying With Kids?

The saying "It's the journey, not the destination" was most likely uttered by someone who has never flown with kids. From getting through airport security with strollers and car seats to keeping them occupied until it's time to board the plane, herding children through a busy travel hub can be a stressful time for everyone. But the most challenging hurdle of all is the plane ride itself. Keeping your kids fed, hydrated, entertained, and strapped into their seats entails nerves of steel and infinite patience. Fortunately, choosing the right airplane cabin class — be it economy, premium economy, business, or first — can be a game changer when flying with children. It's all a matter of figuring out which seats offer the healthiest balance of comfort and value that's a perfect fit for your family.

So should you ride it out in economy, powering through the small seats and cramped leg space to budget for a better hotel room? Or should you splurge for business or first class seats, ignoring the angry side-eyes of your fellow passengers as your teething toddler begins a serenade of wails? You could also compromise to have a little bit of both worlds with premium economy seats. Buckle up as we break down the pros and cons of flying the different seat classes with kids in the picture.

While every flyer dreams of lie-flat seats, a complimentary glass of wine, and hot towels, sometimes flying economy makes more sense when you're with children. Though it doesn't come with the fancy perks of higher classes, economy seats are economically advantageous. This rings especially true for short-haul flights, which are by definition three hours or less in the air. The cash or miles saved by foregoing fancier seats can be used toward an extra vacation or better hotel accommodations.

In addition to the genius hacks that make flying economy a lot more comfortable, the atmosphere in economy can also be much more relaxed with the presence of other families who tend to be more tolerant of toddlers intent on showing off their newly-acquired walking abilities or more understanding of crying infants and their equally frazzled parents. Though the seats are admittedly quite cramped for adults, younger kids tend to fit into them just fine, and parents of toddlers will more likely than not be cruising the aisles with their little ones anyway. Finally, some airlines offer cool perks for children, such as special activity kits, flight certificates, or small plushies. 

On the downside, families flying economy bemoan the possibility of being assigned separate seats. Unless you've paid an extra fee for seat selection, you and your family members are at the mercy of the airlines' seat assignments and the kindness of strangers willing to switch seats for your comfort. The latter has sparked heated debates between travelers. As a Redditor comments, "Idk, maybe I'm going to have a terrible opinion, but you know the risk of basic economy, and it's really not fair to expect others who paid for those assigned seats to move so your family can sit together."

Premium economy hits the sweet spot between between Eco and Business, offering a compromise between price, space, and comfort. Before even boarding the plane, priority check-in and boarding already pay for themselves. Once sitting, the extra space makes the strongest case for splurging on premium economy seats, offering more legroom for both parents and children (this is especially great when you're traveling with car seats). Most premium economy tickets include extra checked bags, which come in handy if you're armed with the numerous necessities for traveling with a baby or taking along multiple tech gadgets for older kids. Other perks include welcome drinks, more in-flight entertainment choices, and a food selection a step above economy meals. Oh, and let's not forget the complimentary snacks between meals, which never fail to win children over. Premium economy also removes the anxiety of being seated separately from the rest of the brood, as you can book your seats for free ahead of the flight.

Unfortunately, not all aircrafts are fitted with premium economy areas — they're primarily offered on long-haul routes. Also, though it feels like you're getting all the amazing perks of business on a budget, flying premium economy doesn't give you and your family lounge access unless you're flying with certain airlines, like All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, and LATAM Airlines. Otherwise, you'll have to tough it out at the boarding area with economy ticket holders.

Business- and first-class tickets are coveted by parents because of the promise of a red-carpet experience, from breezing past lengthy check-in lines to complimentary meals in dedicated lounges. Your checked baggage even gets priority tags to ensure it's the first one off the plane and onto the carousel at your final destination. With fewer passengers in their cabin, flight attendants tend to be more attentive and accommodating to children. Overhead compartments are spacious enough to fit the complimentary carry-on bags.

Of course, the lie-flat seats are a luxurious touch to the entire flight experience, keeping parents and kids well-rested and comfortable during long-haul flights. Factor in the wide choice of kids' meals, in-flight entertainment, child-friendly amenity kits, and spacious legroom, and business or first-class seats may be worth the hefty price tag.

The caveat: flying business or first with the entire family can be extremely expensive, unless your existing miles or a cash-and-miles combination can justify the cost. Smaller kids may not even notice or appreciate the extra space and luxurious services that come with these cabin classes. Since 70% of business travelers consider sleep quality essential during a flight, according to the luxury travel site Business Class, colicky infants or unruly toddlers could earn the ire of fellow business class passengers. No stranger to flying business class with her baby, Kristin writes on her Parenthood Adventures blog, "Although most reasonable humans understand that babies are a part of society and that flights are, in fact, public transportation, some people will still react when they see a baby board. That's true of both coach and business."