Image of a row of an Economy Class TAP plane, with green and gray seats. Three people are seated in that row, illustrating a family. In the foreground, there is a smiling child in a green hat, who has his hands on the seat in front of him. On the side, a woman smiles at the child. In the background there is a man facing the woman and child.

Travel with children

Infants and children on board

We care about our most demanding passengers! Here is some advice, important information and tips to make it easier to travel with the very youngest.

Offering the best for our youngest passengers

Learn how to prepare for your children's trip, what you can bring on board, and how we can help you. Follow our recommendations and indications and enjoy a good trip with your baby or child.

When booking a flight, each adult can only take one child aged between 2 and 11 years old and one infant aged less than 2 years old or only one infant aged less than 2 years old;
When traveling with a baby, in any TAP product, you can carry items that are essential for use during the flight as hand baggage, according to its duration;
The hold and cabin baggage allowances for children (aged 2-11 years) is the same as that for adults. If you are travelling with a child aged between 2 and 5 years, you can still carry your buggy (fully folded) or child seat, when used in flight, completely free of charge;
The hold baggage for children under the age of two is one 10Kg item and the sum of the 3 dimensions shall not exceed 115cm / 45in (when travelling on Basic, Classic, Plus, Executive or Top Executive) in addition to a folded buggy, child seat or basket. If travelling on Discount, you can only carry a folded buggy, child seat or basket. Find out more information about hold baggage here;
We do not recommend travelling with babies during the first seven days after birth. In an emergency situation, please contact us so our medical services can assess the situation.

If you already have a reservation and wish to add a baby, you must do it through the TAP Contact Center.

At the airport

On board

Priority boarding

Whenever your aircraft is parked at a boarding bridge, and you are travelling with children (under the age of 2), you may board first to give you more time to stow your baggage and take your seats.

Pushchairs

You may take a baby stroller in the cabin instead of the hand baggage that your fare allows for, as long as it does not exceed the maximum dimensions and weight currently allowed for the hand baggage. If you are traveling with a baby, this item will be deducted from the adult's permitted hand baggage. If you are traveling with a child, he or she will be deducted from the permitted child hand baggage, always depending on the fare and status.

Your baby can remain in the pushchair up to the door of the aircraft. TAP will take care of your pushchair and return it to you at the destination.

Seats on board

Up to age 2: the child may travel on an adult’s lap or in an approved child car seat (see conditions below) secured to the aircraft seat, which will require the purchase of a child ticket;
Aged 2 - 12 years: Have to sit in a seat.

Automatic and free seat allocation at check-in time in standard zone for adults and children in same reservation, regardless of the chosen fare. Whenever possible and if there is availability adult will be allocated to the same row of seats as the child, or an adjacent row.
We recommend choosing your seats for the entire family in advance to guarantee traveling together and in your favorite seats.

Car seat

Up to 24 hours before the flight you must submit to TAP or your travel agency advance notification of the request to use a car seat.

If a car seat is used you have to book a seat on the aircraft and pay the fare for a child aged over two years. A car seat may be used for children aged up to 5 years.

Important information

Acceptance conditions:

The seats must be approved by the authorities in any country for use on aircraft and in motor vehicles and carry a sticker attesting to this (e.g. ECE R44/04, FAA, FMVSS 213 USA CMVSS 213/213 1 Canada, TÜV: TÜV/958-01/2001)TÜV/958-01/2001);
The base of the car seat must not exceed 40x40 cm (15.7x15.7 in). A separate base and seat is not permitted and the seat must have restraining belts;
It must occupy a window seat next to the child’s accompanying adult;
It must not be placed in rows with an emergency exit or in the rows immediately forward or aft of that row;
The accompanying adult is responsible for carrying and installing the car seat;
If the car seat does not fit safely into the plane seat it will be stowed in the hold.

With the exception of the aforementioned approved car seats, no child seat or toddler bed-bag is allowed on TAP airplanes.

TAP cot

You can ask us to provide a cot if you are travelling with a baby. This service is free only on TAP-operated flights.

The following rules apply for the use of cots:

They are only available on long-haul flights (except in the Executive Class of the A339) and Executive Class of some medium-haul aircraft;
The baby must not weigh more than 11kg/24lbs and the baby must be no more than 12 months old;
The cot dimensions are 75cm / 29 in long by 34 cm / 13 in wide and 22.4 cm / 8.8 in high;
The baby must always fit comfortably inside the cot;
The cot can never be used during take-off/landing and during periods of turbulence;
There are designated seats on the aircraft for cots and their number is limited. Therefore, please inform us when booking of all the flights on which the infant needs a cot;
The number of seats available for cots varies from one type of aircraft to another and if there is availability. This information is immediate and it will be confirmed when you book;
Each adult may take only one baby.

Meals and hand luggage

TAP has special meals for infants and children, however such meals must be requested when booking. See all meal options.

When traveling with a baby using any TAP product, you may carry indispensable items in your hand luggage during the flight, per its duration.

However, you can take on board all the food you will need for the duration of the journey, except water, which can be requested on board and heated by the flight crew. Airport security may ask you to taste the food (soup, yogurt, jar of fruit) you are carrying.

Recommendations

On long-haul flights, choose an overnight trip so that children sleep during the flight.
Take their favourite blanket or teddy on board so they feel more comfortable.
Bring toys to entertain them during the trip.
Walk with the children around the airport, while waiting to board.
Be among the first to board the aircraft so it is easier to get settled in.

Find out more