A note before we start: we haven’t flown Jet2 with Nayeli yet, this guide is built from careful research into Jet2’s official policies and other parents’ real experiences, so you have everything verified in one place before you book.
Table of Contents
- Adding an infant to your Jet2 booking
- Infant age and the free travel policy
- Car seat policy
- Pushchair and stroller policy
- Bassinets (and why there aren’t any)
- Baggage allowance and the nappy bag catch
- Baby food, milk, and liquids at security
- Onboard and priority boarding
- Takeoff, landing, and flying solo with a baby
- FAQ
- My verdict
Jet2 has quietly become one of the most family-friendly budget airlines flying out of the UK, and the free infant policy introduced in August 2025 is the headline reason why. But free doesn’t mean simple, there are still a few things worth knowing before you book, especially around baggage and the nappy bag. Here’s everything laid out the way you’ll actually need it: at booking, at the airport, and on board.
Adding an infant to your Jet2 booking
Unlike an adult or child ticket, an infant can’t be booked on its own, it’s always added to a specific adult’s booking. Here’s how it works:
Select “infant” as the passenger type for your baby, then enter their name and date of birth. No fee is applied at any point, the infant is linked to one specific adult on the booking.
If you’re booking a package rather than a flight-only, infant terms can differ slightly. Free infant travel generally applies across both, but it’s worth checking the specific package terms before you pay.
Infant age and the free travel policy
This is the headline reason families choose Jet2 over other UK budget airlines. Since August 2025, Jet2 has been the only major UK carrier to let infants under 2 fly completely free as lap infants, whether you’re booking a flight-only ticket or a Jet2holidays package. On a return European trip, that’s a cost easyJet, Ryanair, and British Airways would all still be charging you for.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Lap infant fee | Free, no charge applied at checkout |
| Minimum age | 7 days old |
| Infants per adult | One lap infant per adult ticket |
| Documents needed | Birth certificate (plus passport for flights abroad) |
| Turning 2 before the return flight | They’ll need their own paid seat for that flight |
Car seat policy
Car seats are allowed in the cabin, but only if your child has their own paid seat. Since infants already fly free as lap babies on Jet2, buying a separate seat is an added cost most families weigh up rather than default to, and on shorter routes many decide holding their baby is simpler.
- The car seat must be an aircraft-approved model that fits within the aircraft seat dimensions
- Check Jet2’s approved car seat list when booking if you’re planning to bring one
- If you don’t buy a seat, the car seat travels in the hold instead, and it’s one of your two free checked baby items (see below)
- For a toddler who can sit up unassisted, a lightweight aviation harness is a much easier alternative to carrying a full car seat through the airport
Pushchair and stroller policy
You have two ways to bring a pushchair on a Jet2 flight, and which one suits you depends mostly on the size of your stroller:
| Option | Cost | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Cabin (overhead locker) | Free | Only if folded size is within 56 x 45 x 25 cm, ready the moment you land |
| Gate-check | Free | No size limit, hand it over at the aircraft door, collect at the jet bridge or baggage reclaim on arrival |
Larger travel systems and standard pushchairs simply go through gate-check, there’s no extra charge for the size or the weight. If your pushchair is compact enough to qualify for the cabin, it’s worth it, you avoid the wait at arrival entirely and it comes off the flight with you. A padded gate-check bag protects the pushchair from scuffs during hold handling if you go that route.
Bassinets (and why there aren’t any)
Jet2 doesn’t offer bassinets on any route. The airline flies exclusively short and medium-haul, mostly to European beach and city destinations, on Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft that aren’t fitted with bulkhead bassinet attachments. Your baby will be on your lap for the whole flight, which on most Jet2 routes means under 4 hours, very manageable with a little preparation.
Baggage allowance and the nappy bag catch
Jet2’s baggage allowance for babies is genuinely generous in the hold, and this is where it stands out most from other airlines:
- An extra 10kg added to the accompanying adult’s 22kg hold bag, for clothes, nappies, and other essentials
- Up to two items checked in free, chosen from: pushchair, car seat, booster seat, baby carrier, or travel cot, with no weight limit applied to these specific items
Where Jet2 is less generous is in the cabin. Unlike easyJet and Ryanair, which both give a separate small bag allowance for a lap infant, Jet2’s nappy bag counts as your own personal item, the small bag that goes under the seat in front of you. There’s no additional bag on top of your normal cabin allowance.
| Item | Allowance |
|---|---|
| Adult cabin bag | 56 x 45 x 25 cm, overhead locker |
| Nappy bag | Counts as the adult’s personal item, no separate baby bag |
| Hold baggage | Extra 10kg added to the adult’s 22kg allowance |
| Free checked items | Up to 2 per child, from pushchair/car seat/booster/carrier/travel cot |
Baby food, milk, liquids, and priority boarding
Baby milk, formula, and expressed breast milk are exempt from the standard 100 ml liquid rule at UK airport security, carry as much as you reasonably need for the journey. Security staff may ask you to open a container for testing, this is standard practice and not specific to Jet2.
On board, cabin crew can warm formula or baby food with hot water on request once the seatbelt sign is off. Jet2 has a solid reputation for friendly, family-oriented service, and that generally extends to parents travelling with a baby.
Jet2 offers priority boarding to families with young children, typically included without an extra charge. Boarding first means you get time to stow your bags and settle into your seat before the rest of the cabin fills in behind you, genuinely useful when you’re managing a baby and hand luggage on your own.
Takeoff, landing, and flying solo with a baby
Ear pressure during takeoff and descent is usually what unsettles a baby most, not the flight itself. Sucking and swallowing is the simplest fix, so time a feed for exactly those two windows:
- Offer a breastfeed, bottle, or dummy right as the plane starts its takeoff roll, and again as it begins its final descent
- If your baby is asleep at those moments, let them sleep, a sleeping baby swallows enough on their own and handles pressure changes better than an awake baby fighting discomfort
- Babywearing through boarding and the initial climb keeps your hands free and lets your baby settle against you rather than in an unfamiliar seat
- Wanting to hold your baby close for the whole flight isn’t something to manage or fix, it’s simply what settles them, and that’s completely normal
Flying alone with a baby on Jet2 is genuinely made easier by two things: priority boarding, which gives you breathing room before the cabin fills up, and the free gate-check option, which means you’re never lifting a folded pushchair over your head into an overhead locker with a baby in your arms. Choose an aisle seat if you’re travelling solo, it makes getting up to change or settle your baby far easier without climbing over anyone. A front-of-cabin seat also means faster boarding and a quicker exit on arrival.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do babies fly free on Jet2?
Yes. Jet2 is currently the only major UK airline offering completely free infant travel, babies under 2 flying as lap infants pay nothing. This applies to Jet2 flights and Jet2holidays packages alike. One infant per adult, minimum age 7 days. It’s worth confirming the policy is still in place when you book, since it was only introduced in August 2025.
Can I take a stroller on Jet2?
Yes. A compact pushchair that folds within 56 x 45 x 25 cm can travel in the cabin overhead locker. Larger pushchairs are gate-checked free of charge with no size limit, handed over at the aircraft door and returned at the jet bridge or baggage reclaim.
Does Jet2 have bassinets?
No. Jet2 operates short and medium-haul routes only, and its Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft aren’t fitted with bulkhead bassinet attachments. Your baby will be on your lap for the entire flight, typically under 4 hours on most Jet2 routes.
What baby items can I bring on Jet2?
Nappies, wipes, formula, breast milk, baby food, medicines, a portable changing mat, and a compact pushchair if it meets the cabin size limit. Baby milk and food are exempt from the 100 ml liquid rule at UK airports. Remember your nappy bag counts as your personal item rather than a separate baby bag, so pack it to fit under the seat.
Can I bring a car seat on Jet2?
Only if your child has their own paid seat, and it must be an aircraft-approved model. If your baby is flying as a free lap infant, the car seat travels in the hold instead, as one of your two free checked baby items.
Is Jet2 good for flying with a baby?
Yes, particularly for European trips. Free infant travel, family-friendly short-haul routes, priority boarding, and a generally good crew reputation with families make it one of the strongest budget options. The main thing to plan around is the nappy bag counting as your personal item rather than a separate allowance, unlike easyJet or Ryanair.
“Jet2 makes the biggest single difference of any UK airline simply by not charging for your baby’s seat, everything else about flying with a baby here is straightforward once you know your nappy bag has to double as your personal item.”
My verdict: add your infant to the booking as soon as you can, pick a compact stroller if you want the convenience of the cabin, and pack your under-seat bag deliberately since it’s doing double duty. The free infant policy alone makes Jet2 worth checking first for a European trip with a baby, and the priority boarding is a genuinely useful perk that’s easy to overlook until you’re the one juggling a car seat and a boarding pass at the gate.
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