Flying Business Class with a baby: why we do it, how we afford it, and what to expect

Flying long-haul with a baby can feel a bit like entering a survival game show, except there are no prizes at the end, just jet lag and a nappy explosion somewhere over the Atlantic. But over the past six years or so, we’ve maximise our Avios and various credit / debit card hacks and have only flown business when travelling long-haul – so why should it be different now we have little R with us?

It might sound extravagant, but we’ve cracked a way to do it using upgrade vouchers and Reward Flight Finder, so while you’re paying economy prices, we’re often paying the same for lie-flat luxury. In this post, we’ll break down why we choose to fly this way, how we make it affordable (so you too can do it!), what it’s actually like onboard, and the all-important etiquette question: is it OK to bring a baby into business class at all?

Why we fly business class with our baby: pros and cons

Let’s start with the obvious: business class makes long-haul travel with a baby far more manageable. Even without a baby (and I was paying a lot of attention when flying pregnant), the extra space, lie-flat seating, priority boarding, and endless snacks and drinks make the whole ordeal feel more like an experience and less like a test of endurance.

Pros:

• More space: A flatbed seat means you can cuddle, feed, and settle your baby with far more ease. With British Airways (BA) there’s currently two sets of business class seats in use, known as ‘old business’ and ‘new business’. If you’re without children, clearly the new seats are going to be better for you – you have a private area with a door that you can shut once in the air, and pretend nobody else exists. With a baby, this isn’t a bad layout either, but it is quite tricky with little ones who require their own seat (over 2) but are too young to really sit in their own cubicle. In old business, it’s less private which can be awkward travelling solo and without children but I expect will make a two-parent with child trip a lot easier.

• We book the middle two seats where possible with R because they are lacking so much privacy between the two of them, that they can effectively make a double bed of sorts – which I think will work well with a baby or under 2. It’s worth noting that all cabins have a bassinet or infant seat attached to the wall (photo below), providing you book those seats (clearly labelled on BA’s seat maps as having an infant in front, and only bookable if you have an infant in your booking). But many airlines only allow the bassinet fitting for 6+ months, and after that it’s more of a bouncer / car seat shape – which R slept the whole of our flight back to the UK from the US in, under his CoziGo.

• Priority everything: Check-in, security, boarding, and baggage claim are all smoother. Less waiting around and shorter queues – although if you’re a BA silver member you get these perks anyway.
• Free lounge access: handy for obvious reasons but particularly the children’s play areas and the decent snacks / food options. I’ve seen parents with Tupperware filling mini boxes, presumably for their infant’s fresh onboard snacks. Or if needed, a nice glass of something to toast to a smooth and sleep-filled flight!

• Onboard support: Cabin crew in business class tend to be more attentive and proactive when you’re travelling, as they have less customers per staff member to attend to – so I imagine it’ll be even more so with a baby. An extra pair of hands or a new distraction for your little one never hurt!
• Better sleep: Having travelled in economy many a time I think it’s highly likely that both parents and baby will sleep a lot better with the space for them to sleep on you, while you put your feet up. Especially if you end up without the bulk head bassinet space.

Cons:

• Guilt factor: You may get looks from some passengers – more on that below.
• The price tag: if you’re paying full fare.

Which brings us to…

How to fly business class for the cost of an economy ticket

We use the British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card, which comes with a 241 Companion Voucher when you hit the minimum spend, and a Barclays Avios bank account which gives a Cabin Upgrade Voucher each year.

American Express Premium Plus card

The card costs £300 per year and the voucher is unlocked when you spend £15,000 within a card year – which is easy enough if you put everything you can on it.

You can use the voucher to take a companion (2+ years old) with you in the same BA, Iberia or Aer Lingus flight and cabin (you must pay with Avios) on something called a ‘Reward Flight’. If travelling solo, there’s a 50% discount on the Avios price you pay for your flight.

An infant (under 2) doesn’t count in the companion part and is simply the cost of 10% of your ticket, which is never very much. And you can book before your child is born like we did – you just add the infant on once they are born.

Here’s how we do it:

1. Collect Avios: Everyday spending adds up quickly when you put bills, groceries, shopping, and travel on the card. Getting to £15,000 is surprisingly doable especially with a second cardholder.
2. Book off-peak: Reward flight availability is better during off-peak days. This handy calculator shows how much Avios you need for peak and off-peak journeys. Seats come out 355 days before departure and if it’s a popular route, your best bet is booking the outbound and then ringing the call centre first thing on the day the return comes in (which we’ve done for routes to Costa Rica, Japan etc).
3. Utilise the tools available: I can’t recommend Reward Flight Finder enough – especially when trying to find business class reward seats on popular routes. It’s a small investment to either find destinations on the dates you’re looking for, or set up notifications for seats that come available on specific routes you’re interested in (or it’ll show you on which days there are seats for the whole year ahead).
4. Only pay a fee (to cover taxes) + the Avios: How much you pay will depend on the specific airports you’re flying from and to whether you book peak or off-peak, but to give an example: our Boston flights in August cost £750 and 180,000 Avios for 2 adults, with a small £ fee to add Rory on. This guide from Head for Points is impressive and will provide all the detail you need.

It’s worth noting:

• You can use the voucher in economy or premium economy but the biggest savings and best value is definitely in booking business.
• There is a free credit card available (the free BA Amex as opposed to the Premium one) but it only gives you a free companion with you flying both in economy.
• You can also use it on short haul, but I feel this is a waste and not really the business experience as the seats are essentially the same as in economy but with no middle passenger.
• BA’s fees are higher than Iberia or Aer Lingus, so if you redeem your voucher on one of these partner airlines your fees will be even lower.
• You can make even bigger savings if you book a flight from outside of the UK (e.g. Madrid where Iberia are HQ or Dublin for Aer Lingus). This is because UK Air Passenger Duty is expensive, and it’ll work out if you can get a cheap flight to your start point (potentially making it into a one stop journey, or squeezing in a nice stopover with the little one).

You can use BA’s tool to see what flights are available, or I like Reward Flight Finder for harder to secure routes.

Barclays Premier Bank account

Not too long ago, Barclays became the first British bank to offer an Avios bank account for Premier customers.

With this account you can seriously boost your Avios, with 1500 monthly Avios and 20,000 joining Avios (plus other perks) for the £12 monthly fee.

Importantly, you get another voucher each year in your account anniversary to use to upgrade yourself return, or for two people one way. As these vouchers last 24 months, I find it works well to save up two and get two business class returns.

Other ways to fly business with baby for less

Also consider these tips:

• Book far in advance: Business class award seats release 355 days out
• Be flexible with dates: Off-peak travel costs fewer points
• Consider alternative airports: Flying from Dublin or European cities often has lower fees than UK departures
• Use credit card welcome bonuses: Many cards offer 20,000-30,000 Avios sign-up bonuses
• Monitor mistake fares: Occasionally airlines release business class seats at economy prices, for example via Jack’s Flight Club

Quick answers: flying business class with baby

Is it acceptable to fly business class with a baby? 

Ah yes, the unspoken question that lingers over the welcome champagne: should babies be allowed in business class?

Short answer: of course! You’ve paid (or redeemed points) for the ticket like everyone else. And your baby has every right to travel – even in business!

That said, we believe in flying responsibly:

• Never let your child kick seats or scream unattended – common courtesy goes a long way.
• Prep snacks and toys to keep the little one happy – see our guide.
• Take turns holding your baby and walk down the aisles if needed. I’ve seen parents use a carrier to help get their baby to sleep.

And honestly – try not to worry! The more anxious and stressed we are as parents, the more likely our children are to sense that. Many people are parents and understand what it’s like. The one thing that’s for certain is that your baby should sleep at some point on a 9+ hour flight and you will get through it!

Let us know if you’ve braved business with your baby and share your experience!

Allie, Jack and R x

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