United Airlines is making it easier for families to sit together

(Gray News) – United Airlines has implemented a policy to improve family seating, making it easier for children under 12 to sit next to an adult in their party for free.

The policy includes a new seat map feature that finds seats available at the time of booking.

According to the airline, the online seat engine reviews all available free seats in economy and then opens complimentary upgrades to available preferred seats, if needed.

“In an era where more families are working in a hybrid environment, they’re traveling more often – and they’re flying United,” United chief customer officer Linda Jojo said in a news release. “We’re focused on delivering a great experience for our younger passengers and their parents and know it often starts with the right seat. We look forward to rolling out more family-friendly features this year.”

The airline has been working to improve its ability to seat families together more easily since the summer of 2022.