Is it worthwhile to fly business class with children — and should you go for it?

Embarking on adventures that span oceans and continents can be thrilling, unforgettable, and sometimes even transformative ... but when traveling with kids, long-haul flights may not be what you’re most excited about. In fact, you might find yourself dreading them. I know I have.

Missed bedtimes, cramped seating, unfamiliar airplane meals, jet lag, and strangers as seatmates are not enjoyable aspects of travel for either kids or adults. However, points and miles can often provide a remedy to many of these long-haul flight challenges by offering upgraded seats in business class for the entire family.

Rather than enduring 12 hours of discomfort in an upright position while anxiously awaiting landing, you could redeem your miles for business class tickets, allowing you to fully enjoy the flight with lie-flat seats and superior meal selections.

Is it truly worth the extra miles or money to fly business class with your children? Will they actually enjoy the experience? Will you? And how will your neighbors in the cabin feel about it?

Thanks to points and miles, I've had the privilege of flying business class with my kids several times. Let's explore when flying business class with children is a good idea, when you should think about it, and some potential pitfalls to be aware of.

Are children permitted in business class?

While some airlines have attempted to restrict children from premium cabins (or certain areas of the plane), in general, yes, kids of all ages — including infants — are allowed in business class.

However, if you plan to use a car seat for your baby or toddler in business class, be aware that some seat types may not accommodate them. For instance, on United Airlines, car seats are not permitted in United Polaris business class on Boeing 767, 777, or 787 aircraft, so it's wise to check your airline's website for any such limitations.

The cost of flying business class with infants can be higher than you might expect.

If you plan to travel in business class with your under-2-year-old as a "lap infant" (meaning they don't need their own seat), be prepared for potentially unexpected costs.

For domestic flights within the U.S., a lap infant travels for free. However, on international tickets, the charge can often be around 10% of the adult fare, plus taxes and fees. With business-class seats costing anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000, that 10% plus taxes could easily exceed $1,000 just to have your child on your lap.

Fortunately, there are airline programs that offer more favorable pricing for lap infant tickets. For instance, Air Canada Aeroplan charges only 2,500 Aeroplan points or 25 Canadian dollars ($18) for international lap infant award tickets. On British Airways, the fee for a lap infant award is 10% of the cost of a standard award in Avios instead of 10% of a cash fare.

In some cases, child award tickets may actually be cheaper than adult tickets when using miles, even in business class. For instance, when using Flying Blue miles, tickets for children up to 11 years old require 25% fewer miles compared to adults. This means that if adult business-class awards are 50,000 miles, kids in that age group can travel for just 37,500 miles one way.

Not all business-class seats are equally suitable for families.

Now that we've confirmed that kids are permitted in business class and discussed how costs can vary, let’s examine which business-class seats and cabins are more accommodating for families with young children.

If your child is still too small to enjoy or require an ultra-private suite-style business-class seat—an increasingly popular choice among airlines for adult travelers—some business-class configurations are indeed better suited for keeping families together.

Qatar Airways Qsuite exemplifies a business-class experience that enables you to merge either two or four seats into one area. I dream of trying this as a family of four someday for the ultimate sky slumber party.

On the other hand, United's Polaris business class doesn't offer the same level of intimacy, but by choosing specific rows (usually the odd-numbered ones in seats D and G), you can sit right next to your child in a pair of middle seats.

However, the even-numbered middle seats are positioned at an angle, making it a bit challenging for your child to feel like you're nearby if you opt for those seating choices.

Less about the Champagne, more about the chicken nuggets

While having more space can significantly enhance your flight comfort, traveling in business class with a baby or young child means you’ll likely be quite busy. Of course, this burden eases as your children grow older.

For those with young kids, the business-class experience will likely be less about savoring preflight Champagne, gourmet meals, and relaxation, especially during those squirmy toddler phases.

When you come across complaints about kids in business class, they often describe parents dozing off or engrossed in their own activities with headphones, ignoring their young ones who may be playing devices loudly, kicking seats, or running around the cabin.

So, avoid being that family, whether you're in business class or economy.

Unless you strike gold with napping or binge-watching movies, flying business class with kids is primarily about keeping them comfortable and quiet. However, if you're traveling with another adult, I suggest taking turns on duty to savor some of the business-class perks yourself.

Pro tip: If you want your children to enjoy a kids meal in business class, make sure to request it well in advance, either through the airline's website or by calling them. Even with this request, be aware that sometimes these meals might not be available, so don’t board with picky eaters empty-handed.

It's all about bedtime

The ideal scenario when flying business class with kids — and the main reason my family occasionally indulges in this mileage splurge — is the increased chance of getting a good night's sleep compared to economy flights.

Not only does sleep help the flight hours pass more quickly for everyone, but it’s also vital for ensuring the trip starts off on the right foot. For instance, when flying overnight to Europe from the U.S., how well the kids sleep on the flight can significantly influence the mood of the first few days of the trip.

When preparing your young children for a long-haul flight, explain to them how the seats convert into beds and that they will have a pillow and blanket. Let them know they should aim to sleep as soon as possible or right after the meal — based on your flight's schedule. Essentially, manage their expectations.

The benefits of sleeping during the flight don’t fade away once your kids outgrow the stroller — it’s incredibly useful for preventing cranky teenagers on lengthy trips as well.

If flying business class isn’t an option for your journey and you want your children to have the chance to lie down and sleep well, explore innovative economy solutions like the ANA Couchii or Air New Zealand Skycouch.

So, is flying business class with kids really worth it?

Traveling internationally with family is always a memorable experience, no matter which class you choose. However, if you’re on a long-haul flight and have enough miles to book business class for everyone, I’d say it can definitely be worth it. Don’t rule it out as unaffordable until you’ve done your homework.

There are various strategies to book business-class tickets to Europe for fewer miles. For instance, flying Iberia from the East Coast to Spain for just 34,000 Avios (or even less with transfer bonuses) is an option. The Air France-KLM Flying Blue program frequently offers business-class awards from the U.S. to Europe for as low as 50,000 miles each way, plus a 25% discount for kids up to age 11. Additionally, you can sometimes save miles by transferring points from programs like American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards during special transfer bonus events.

Although booking business class as a family primarily revolves around enhancing our chances of getting some sleep, I can't overlook how enjoyable it is to stretch out with your kids on the plane and truly savor the journey, which feels distinctly different at the front of the aircraft.

While it wouldn’t be worth spending thousands of dollars to fly my kids in business class, using points or miles to make it happen is definitely a sensible choice.

I achieve this by taking advantage of generous credit card welcome bonuses, planning my everyday spending to maximize rewards in key bonus categories, and capitalizing on points transfer bonuses when they arise. This strategy allows us to fly the whole family in business class on a big trip every year or two.

At that stage, when I'm ready to use a reasonable amount of airline miles, flying business class with my kids becomes very worthwhile, as it means we can all anticipate the flight, enjoy the journey, and ideally catch some sleep in a lie-flat bed at 35,000 feet.