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American Airlines Infant and Child Baggage Allowance
Infant Baggage Allowance on American Airlines
When flying internationally with a baby/infant under 2 years old on your lap, American Airlines will allow you to check-in one extra piece of luggage for your baby at the same rate as the 1st Bag fee for the adult.
American Airlines does not make a special allowance for additoinal carry-on items for infants flying on your lap, so diapers and other baby essentials must fit within your regular carry-on allowance. [AMZ asins='B000RRD7UG,B00RXW8CVC,B08T4C26XY,B01DD0V4QC']
You may check-in a car seat and a stroller free of charge, without counting against your baggage allowance. Strollers over 9 kg / 20 lbs must be checked-in at the check-in desk, and cannot be gate checked. Lighter strollers may be gate-checked when boarding the plane.
If flying with both a stroller and a car seat, only one of these items may be gate-checked when boarding the plane - the other you will have had to check it in with your regular suitcase at the check-in desk.
If your baby is flying with their own ticket in their own assigned seat, the regular adult checked baggage policies will apply, including any applicable checked baggage fees.
Child Baggage Allowance on American Airlines
All children over 2 years of age must fly in their own assigned seat, meaning they need to have their own regular adult ticket. All of American Airlines's standard checked baggage rules and fees will apply for children over 2 years of age.
Children over 2 years of age are also allowed to bring 1 stroller and 1 car seat free of charge.
You may use the stroller through the airport and gate-check it when boarding the flight as long as it weighs less than 9 kg / 20 lbs, otherwise you will have to check-in the stroller at the regular check-in desk.
You may also bring a car seat free of charge, either to be checked-in as a piece of luggage at the check-in desk, gate-checked when boarding the plane, or brought onto the plane for your child to sit in while flying. Keep in mind that for your child to use their car seat during the flight, it must be FAA-approved for airline travel with the appropriate labels affixed to it, including the following labels:
"This child restraint system conforms to all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards"; and
"This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircrafts" or "this restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft."
If flying with a non-US car seat, it will need to include the labeling of a foreign government showing that it has been manufactered to the United Nations safety standards.
Additional Child Accessories and Luggage on American Airlines
Additional items such as cribs, playpens, wagons, and "pack and play" all count as regular baggage on American Airlines, and may not be subsituted for a stroller or car seat under the free child baggage allowances. All regular checked baggage fees may apply to these items.
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