Hawaiian Airlines flying with babies

How old should be my baby to be allowed on Hawaiian Airlines flights?

Infants and toddlers can travel with Hawaiian Airlines with no restriction regarding minimum age, provided that, for infants under 7 days old, a physician’s statement allowing travel is presented. You should have your baby’s birth certificate with you to prove his age. Also, there is no restriction regarding travel classes for infants and toddlers traveling with Hawaiian Airlines.

Children must be accompanied in the same compartment by an adult who must be aged at least 15 years when traveling within the US (Neighbor Island and North America flights), at least 16 years of age for American Samoa flights, and at least 18 years for international flights.

When am I required to reserve a separate seat for my baby?

For infants (children aged under 2), Hawaiian Airlines does not require a separate seat. If your baby is under 2 years old, you can travel with your baby on your lap.

If your baby is two years old or older, you are required to reserve a separate seat for your child. You must buy a ticket for the remaining segments of the travel if your child turns two during your travel with Hawaiian Airlines.

Do I need any special items when traveling with my baby?

For your child’s safety, Hawaiian Airlines recommends purchasing a seat for children under the age of two and using an approved child restraint system on board. In order to be considered approved, a child safety seat must meet the following label requirements:

  • Manufactured in the US on or after February 26, 1985:
    • This restraint system conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety conditions.
    • This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft. (in red lettering)
  • Manufactured outside the US under the standards approved by the United Nations:
    • The letter “E” and the number of the country that has given approval surrounded by a circle, and the seat approval number.

During take-off, landing, and surface movements, no other child booster seats and other types of child restraints (except the CARES Harness) may be used, regardless of what stamp/seal of approval these booster or harness devices carry.

Does Hawaiian Airlines offer discounts for children?

For children aged under 2 years traveling as a lap child, Hawaiian Airlines offers the following Lap Child Fares:

  • Neighbor Island and North America – free (no taxes apply).
  • International – 10% of the accompanying adult fare (plus taxes and fees).

For children aged under 2 years traveling in their own reserved seat and children aged 2 to 11 years, Hawaiian Airlines offers the following Child Fares:

  • Neighbor Island and North America – full adult fare (plus taxes and fees).
  • North America ↔ Pago Pago, Papeete – 67% of the adult published fare (plus taxes and fees).
  • International – 75% of the adult published fare (plus taxes and fees).

Lap Child

When you choose to travel with your infant on lap, you do not have to buy a ticket, but you are allowed only one child per ticketed adult. If you are traveling with two infants, only one may sit on your lap, you must purchase a seat for the second one. You need to call Hawaiian Airlines Reservations to make reservations for a lap child.

For infants on lap, Hawaiian Airlines reserves the right to request proof of age (i.e. birth certificate copy). If you cannot provide proof, you will be charged the applicable fare!

Baggage

There is no separate baggage allowance for lap infants. An adult traveling with a lap child can check the baby’s car seat and stroller free of charge. These items may be carried on board as part of the carry-on baggage allowance (subject to all standard size and weight restrictions for carry-on baggage). If you prefer, they can be checked at the gate using a claim-at-gate tag. Non-collapsible or over 50 lbs strollers must be checked in at the counter.

You have the option of taking the baby’s car seat on board if there is an empty seat available, provided that the car seat meets the label requirements. Do not forget to ask if there are any empty seats available on the airplane when you check in.

Bassinets

On most international flights, bassinets are available upon request for children under the age of 2 years old weighing up to 20 lbs (9 kg). The bassinet dimensions are 32” length, 14.5” width, and 7” height. The request for a bassinet is not guaranteed because not all aircraft can accommodate bassinets due to aircraft configuration (e.g., not available on flights to/from Pago Pago and Papeete).

On Airbus A330 international flights to/from Australia, New Zealand, Korea, and Japan, bassinets may be reserved in advance through Hawaiian Airlines Reservation. The accompanying adult must purchase a bassinet-compatible Extra Comfort seat in Row 14 (14 AB, CD or EG, HJ) to reserve a bassinet. The Extra Comfort seat may be purchased online, and the bassinet reserved over the phone once the seat is confirmed. If you haven’t purchased an Extra Comfort seat, you may see a customer service agent at check-in for bassinet availability. However, bassinets are not guaranteed if requested upon check-in and will be assigned during the boarding process, giving priority to the passenger with the earliest check-in time.

Seating Restrictions

On every seat section (adjacent seats separated by an aisle), there can be only one lap child per row. Families with more than one lap child will need to be seated across the aisle or in a different row. No passenger traveling with an infant can be seated in an exit row.

Infants with a Reserved Seat

An infant traveling in a separate seat must be secured an approved child restraint system on board. The child restraint system will not be counted as a carry-on item when a seat has been purchased for the child. When purchasing a seat for your baby, pre-assigned seats should always be together. In order to permit clear access to the aisle, the baby’s seat should be next to the window.

To help you determine whether your child restraint system or car seat fits properly on the aircraft, the following chart provides the width of the passenger seats for each type of aircraft in the Hawaiian Airlines fleet:

Aircraft TypeMain CabinExtra Comfort/Preferred SeatFirst/Business Class
Boeing B71718 in18 in19 in
Airbus A33016.5 – 18 in18 in19.5 – 20.5 in
20 in – Lie-Flat seats
Airbus A321neo16.3 – 18 in18 in21 in
ATR 42-50017 inN/AN/A

When a child has a reserved seat, the standard carry-on and checked baggage allowances apply. The baby’s car seat and stroller can be checked at check-in or at the gate, free of charge.

Toddlers

If your child turned 2 years, then you must reserve a seat for him/her. On international flights (except Pago Pago and Papeete), children’s meals are available (Main cabin only), but requests must be made at least 48 hours before scheduled departure through Hawaiian Airlines Reservations. Child Meal Service cannot be requested at the airport.

On Airbus A321neo aircraft, all in-flight entertainment is streamed wirelessly to your personal mobile device through the free Hawaiian Airlines App or to your laptop through Hawaiian’s browser extension. If you travel in Economy class without a mobile device or laptop, you won’t be able to access in-flight entertainment.

On all A330 aircraft, you can enjoy the in-seat entertainment system, available at every seat and offering a variety of audio and video options.

More information here >>