The team at PlayLikeMum analyzed 20 major airlines from around the world on a range of factors to determine the definitive ranking of best family-friendly airlines. They ranked each airlines based on the following criteria to determine overall scores: free seat selection, free checked baggage, pre-boarding for families, no lap fees for infants, kids meals offered, free kids entertainment options, on-board bassinets available, if parents can take a stroller on for free and the overall comfort of the seats.
After all was said and done, here’s how the airlines stacked up.
This year, Qatar moved up the the list to beat our British Airways, thanks in part to their kids program which includes interactive activity packs for children on board. These creative and educational kits come with crayons, stickers and an activity book filled with puzzles, fun facts and coloring pages.
Meanwhile, bringing up the rear was Jet2.com, a budget airlines with few amenities, small seats and stringent baggage restrictions, all of which makes traveling with kids even harder than usual. The only US-based airlines to be included in the study was American Airlines, which came in at number 12.
Also of note is that Thomas Cook Airlines, which ranked in the middle of the pack, has since gone bankrupt and is no longer a viable option for travelers.