Thankfully, when you're travelling with children under the age of 14, airlines are mandated to try to seat you together. But how Canadian airlines offer family seating varies.
Luckily, you have our handy guide to family seating and what the major airlines offer – based on the personal experience and research of loyalty program expert Jonathon MacLeod. Not all of these policies are created equal; some are better than others (a big yes to Air Canada and Porter, and a boo to Flair).
Key Takeaways
- Airlines are mandated to try to seat families together if anyone is under the age of 14.
- The major airlines in Canada have different policies for assigning seats.
- The only 2 credit cards in Canada that offer free seat selection are the National Bank World Elite Mastercard and the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard.
Never miss an amazing deal again + get our bonus 250+ page eBook for FREE. Join 50,000 other Canadians who receive our weekly newsletter – learn more.
Summary of what the airlines offer for family seating
Here's what the major airlines in Canada offer in terms of family seating.
| Airline | Family Seating Policy |
|---|---|
| Air Canada | * Seats automatically assigned roughly 1 hour after booking
* If not automatically assigned, call Air Canada 1-888-247-2262 |
| WestJet | * Seats assigned up to 26 hours after booking |
| Porter | * Seats assigned before check-in opens * Call Porter at 1-888-619-8622 to reserve seats anytime |
| Flair | * Seats assigned at check-in |
| Air Transat | * Seats assigned 14 days before departure |
| Canadian North | * Seats can be selected during booking |
Canadian mandates for seating families together are made under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), set by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA). Requirements vary based on the age of each child:
- Children under 5 will be seated directly next to an adult on the same reservation.
- Children aged 5 – 11 will be seated in the same row as an adult, with no more than 1 seat between them.
- Children 12 – 13 will be seated with no more than 1 row between them and an adult.
Children aged 14 and over will be treated like any other passenger travelling on the same booking.
What each airline offers for family seating
Here are the full details for each airline.
Air Canada family seating
Air Canada is almost as good as it gets when it comes to family seating. Your seats will be picked for you roughly an hour after you book your reservation. Air Canada states they'll assign generic seats before check-in opens, but in our experience, it happens about an hour after booking. You won't get any kind of notification, but check your booking online to see if they've been selected.
They will be at the back of the plane, but your seats will be secure. If it doesn't happen within a couple of days, give Air Canada a call at 1-888-247-2262, and they'll get your seats selected for you. We've done this before when they weren't selected, and the agent assigned seats.
Tip: If you make a booking on a flight where Air Canada is not able to seat an adult in close proximity to a child, you'll have the option to change or cancel your trip at no extra charge.
Read Air Canada's family seating policy.
WestJet family seating
WestJet's family seating policy is also quite good. Within 26 hours after any new booking or changes to an existing itinerary, WestJet will assign seats to the booking group. WestJet will also notify you once seats have been assigned.
If, for some reason, WestJet can't assign everyone seats together according to their policy, they'll attempt to assign seats a second time 72 hours before departure.
Read WestJet's family seating policy.
Porter family seating
Porter has 2 options when it comes to family seating. They primarily assign seats for you 24 hours before check-in opens.
Read Porter's family seating policy.
Flair family seating
As you might expect from a budget airline, Flair is more limited when it comes to family seating. While Flair is still mandated to try to sit families together, they don't offer special privileges like other airlines. If you don't buy seats ahead of time, they'll be assigned during check-in.
If you're looking for the peace of mind that comes with knowing your family's seats in advance, you should pre-purchase assigned seats from Flair on your initial booking or travel on another airline.
Read Flair's family seating policy.
Air Transat family seating
Air Transat will make you wait a bit before your seats are assigned. You'll find out where you and your family are sitting 14 days before departure. Seating info is available when you log in and manage your booking.
In the past, Air Transat would assign seats 4 days after you'd make a booking (an experience Team Genius can personally confirm), but they're now provided much later.
Read Air Transat's family seating policy.
Canadian North family seating
If you're heading to the far north, Canadian North has an excellent policy – at the time of booking, you can actually select your own seats.
We tested it out and verified that, after selecting our flights, we were able to actually select seats for everyone free of charge.
If you book on a flight where this is not possible, Canadian North will attempt to change the seats at check-in, then ask for volunteers to change seats at the time of boarding.
Read Canadian North's family seating policy.
Credit cards with free seat selection
Airline credit cards offer plenty of perks: priority airport services, free checked bags, lounge access, and more.
As for free seat selection? That's more difficult to find. But it does exist.
National Bank World Elite Mastercard
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard has a unique perk. It comes with a $150 annual travel credit that can be used toward the following things:
- Checked bags
- Seat selection
- Airport lounge access
- Airport parking
- Seat upgrades
The card takes a nice chunk out of those pesky fees you may be paying, essentially offsetting the $150.
As for what else it offers, here are the rewards you'll get on purchases:
- 5 points per $1 spent on groceries and restaurants, up to $2,500 in total spend per month (2 points after)
- 2 points per $1 spent on gas, electric vehicle charging, recurring bills, and travel booked through À La Carte Rewards
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
It also comes with a fantastic insurance package with 10 types included.
BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard
The BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard is the only airline credit card in Canada with free seat selection. As part of having this credit card, you get an automatic VIPorter Venture membership.
And one of the many benefits of that membership is free standard seat selection.
These benefits extend to anyone travelling with you on the same reservation, unless the group size is larger than 10. And that's one of many benefits having a Venture membership offers. Others include:
- Free first checked bag
- Priority airport services
- Priority standby
- Increased earn rate on paid flights with Porter
There's more to this card than the advanced membership. Here's what you'll earn on purchases:
- 3 points per $1 spent on Porter
- 2 point per $1 spent on gas, transit, groceries, restaurants, and hotels
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
It also comes with an annual companion pass, where you book a ticket for yourself and someone else comes with you for just the taxes and fees. (The only downside is you need to spend $50,000 per year to earn it.)
The insurance is also excellent, with 11 types, all for a $199 annual fee.
×1 Award winner 
$150 GeniusCash + Get up to $2,400 in value + Automatic VIPorter Venture membership.*
GC: $150
1x Award winner FAQ
What is family seating?
Family seating is where a party travelling with someone under the age of 14 gets assigned seats by the airline to ensure they are travelling together. This is mandated by the Canadian Transportation Agency.
What policies do airlines in Canada have?
The policies vary by airline – they can assign seats after booking, before check-in, by calling the reservations line, and in one case, they simply allow you to select your own seats at booking. It's best to check the airline's website and see what they offer before booking.
Are there credit cards in Canada that offer free seat selection?
It's a rare perk, but there are a couple of credit cards that offer free seat selection. The National Bank World Elite Mastercard rebates seat selection fees as part of the $150 travel credit it includes. The BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard also includes free seat selection with the Porter Venture travel status it includes.
What's the best airline in Canada?
The best airline depends on your preferences, but if you're looking for the best rewards, we recommend Air Canada. Aeroplan is Canada's best airline loyalty program, and the best airline-branded credit cards are all Aeroplan cards. They're also quick to assign seats for families looking to sit together on flights.
creditcardGenius is the only tool that compares 126+ features of 239 Canadian credit cards using math-based ratings and rankings that respond to your needs, instantly. Take our quiz and see which of Canada's 239 cards is for you.
GC: 
Comments
Leave a comment
Required fields are marked with *. Your email address will not be published.