Infant and Child Fare & Ticketing Guidelines
Please refer to the operating airline if your customer's booking contains other airline prime or codeshare flights.
For unaccompanied children on QF, refer to Unaccompanied Minor and Young Passenger. JQ does not offer an Unaccompanied Minor (UMNR) service.
An infant is a child under two years of age who does not occupy a seat. A child is aged two and under twelve years of age.
Qantas NDC Call out
Qantas NDC orders can be created and priced for the applicable infant or child. See details.
On this page
Infant Booking, Fare and Ticketing Information
Booking an Infant
An infant not occupying a seat can be added to the PNR at the time of booking creation or later. To add an infant to the booking, the following information is required:
- Full name as per passport
- Date of birth
Please refer to your technology partner for assistance with entry codes.
Booking an Infant Occupying a Seat
If a seat is required for an infant, this must be booked at time of PNR creation.
From 1 June 2026, an IATA mandate requires a SSR:INST (Infant Occupying a Seat) to be added to the booking. This new SSR is available from 28 October 2025
In the interim, SSR:INFT with free-text OCCUPYING SEAT may still be used. This must be associated to the infant name field and include the date of birth.
Refer to your Technology Partner for required entries.
Infants occupying a seat must be able to sit upright without assistance or travel in an approved Child Restraint
How are Infant Fares Calculated
Australian Domestic
On QF flights, an infant not occupying a seat travels free of charge. No ticket is required. If a seat is booked for the infant, a ticket must be purchased. If one adult is travelling with two infants, a seat must be purchased for the second infant.
On JQ flights, a fee applies for infants not occupying a seat. Refer to JQ fare rules.
International
For QF fares, an infant not occupying a seat travels for 10% of the applicable QF adult fare (plus taxes and surcharges). If occupying a seat, a child fare applies.
For JQ fares, a fee applies for infants not occupying a seat. Refer to JQ fare rules.
When an Infant Turns Two
Please refer to the following rules for an infant who turns two after travel has commenced:
Bookings with QF Operated and Marketed Flights Only
If all flights in the booking are QF operated and marketed only and the infant does not occupy a seat:
- For international fares, the infant fare applies for the entire journey
- For Australian domestic fares, no fare applies
Bookings with JQ Operated and Marketed Flights
- For both international, Australian domestic and New Zealand domestic fares, the infant fare applies for the entire journey.
Bookings with Inbound Emirates (EK) Flights
If inbound travel includes EK operated (prime and codeshare) flights, you can select from the following options:
- Book the outbound as an infant fare and the inbound as a child fare. You will need to book a seat for the infant for inbound travel. These fares can be combined on one ticket if manually processed.
- Book a child fare for the entire journey
- Rebook to Qantas operated flights only
Bookings with Other Airline or Codeshare Flights
Please check the infant policy direct with the operating airline. Many airlines require a child fare to be purchased for the entire journey.
oneworld and Global Fare Products
If an infant reaches two years of age after travel has commenced but before travel is complete, a full child fare ticket must be purchased for the entire journey.
Infant Ticketing
Australian Domestic
For QF flights, a ticket is not required if the infant does not occupy a seat.
For JQ flights, a fee applies. A ticket must be issued for the infant and will auto-price in the GDS. The passenger type code shows as 'IN' on the ticket.
International
For QF fares, if an infant is included when the booking is created, issue the infant ticket at 10% of the adult fare plus applicable taxes. The fare bases ends in 'IN'.
If an infant is added to the booking later, issue the ticket at 10% of the ticketed adult fare plus applicable taxes. This applies regardless of ticketing time limit and whether the ticketed fare is still available for sale. No authority is required. If issuing a nett/private fare, please check the fare rules for any special requirements.
For JQ fares, the ticket for the infant fee can be issued at any time. The passenger type code shows as 'IN' on the ticket.
Child Booking, Fares and Ticketing Information
Booking a Child
Children and infants occupying a seat require a seat to be booked for them and their name and age added. Adding the child's age to their booking will exempt any taxes, fees and charges that may not apply to children even if an adult fare level applies.
Please refer to your technology partner for entry formats.
How Child Fares are Calculated
Australian Domestic
There is no child discount for QF or JQ Australian domestic fares – children and infants occupying a seat travel at 100% of the adult fare.
Note: Refer to fare rules for international connection and Explorer fares sold in conjunction with international fares.
International
For QF fares, children travel for between 75% and 100% of the adult fare (plus taxes and surcharges) dependant on class of travel and destination. Check the applicable fare rules.
For JQ fares, no child discount applies - children and infants occupying a seat travel at 100% of the adult fare.
Child Ticketing
No discount applies for children on QF and JQ flights and a ticket is issued for the adult fare. For QF fares, the fare basis will end with 'CH'. For JQ fares, the passenger type code shows as 'CH' on the ticket.
International
For QF fares, the ticket is issued at the applicable discount and the fare basis end in 'CH'.
For JQ fares, no discount applies, and the ticket shows the passenger type code 'CH'.
When a Child Turns Twelve
Please refer to the following rules for a child who turns twelve after travel has commenced:
Bookings with QF and JQ Operated and Marketed Flights Only
If all flights in the booking are QF and JQ operated and marketed, the child fare applies for the entire journey.
Bookings with Inbound Emirates (EK) Flights (Prime and Codeshare)
If a ticket is issued for a child who will turn twelve after departure, half a child fare is charged for the outbound and half an adult fare for the inbound. These fares can be combined on one ticket if processed manually.
Bookings with Other Airline or Codeshare Flights
Please check the child fare policy direct with the operating airline.
oneworld and Global Fare Products
If a child reaches twelve years of age after travel has commenced but before travel is complete, an adult fare must be purchased for the entire journey.
Booking Young Adult Passengers (YNGP)
Young passengers 12 years of age and above travel on an adult fare.
Those aged 12- 15 years can be booked as an Unaccompanied Minor on QF flights. Refer Unaccompanied Minor and Young Passenger
When booking a young passenger 12 – 15 years, adding the description 'young adult' to the name requires the date of birth to be entered and generates the designator 'C15' to the booking.
We recommend adding a YNGP OSI to bookings for young adult passengers under 18 years of age to ensure they can be identified by Qantas crew in the event of a delay or disruption.
Refer to your technology partner for assistance with entry formats.
Exempting UK Air Passenger Duty (GB) Tax
UK Air Passenger Duty (GB) tax does not apply to young passengers under the age of 16 years. When the 'C15' designator is added to the name field for a young passenger aged 12-15 years, GB tax is automatically exempted when pricing a booking and issuing the ticket.