Flying Akasa Air with Family: What Parents Need to Know in 2026

Thinking of booking Akasa Air for a family trip? Here is the honest picture on infant fees, group booking thresholds, seat selection charges, the no-bassinet

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Flying Akasa Air with your family in 2026: infant policy, group booking, seat fees, and whether it beats IndiGo for a family of four

By Saanvi Iyer (Saanvi Iyer writes offbeat destination guides for Indian travellers — places that work in monsoon, shoulder-season picks, and the cities Indian first-time international travellers underrate. Based in Bangalore, perpetually mid-itinerary.) · Published · 9 min read

Akasa Air is a few years old now, the newest entrant in India's LCC market and aggressively pricing certain routes. I have watched families book it under the assumption it works like a slightly cheaper IndiGo. Sometimes that is true; sometimes there is a rude surprise involving seat selection fees, a group size quirk, or the discovery that domestic flights in India simply do not have bassinets. Here is the actual picture.

TL;DR — Akasa Air for families, honestly

Akasa Air is a genuine budget option on the domestic routes it covers — typically competitive with IndiGo on base fares — but its fee structure for seat selection and its no-frills approach mean a family of four flying together needs to budget for add-ons. There are no bassinets on domestic Indian flights (Akasa's fleet is Boeing 737 MAX, which can carry bassinets in theory, but domestic Indian routes do not offer them). For a family-of-four value comparison, the honest answer is: check the all-in fare (base + seat selection + baggage + meal if needed) on both airlines for your specific date, because the difference can swing significantly depending on the route and how full the flight is. Use FlightGPT to get a quick all-sources comparison before deciding.

Akasa Air infant policy: what you are actually paying for

Akasa Air follows the standard domestic Indian LCC approach to infants: a lap infant under 2 years old travels at a fee that is a percentage of the adult base fare, typically in the range of 10–15% of the base adult fare (not including taxes and fees separately). Verify the current infant charge in the Akasa booking flow — it is displayed at the passenger selection step.

What the infant fee covers: the right to have the baby on your lap. That is it. No seat, no baggage allowance beyond what the accompanying adult already gets, no meal service for the infant. If you need to travel with a child who is close to the 2-year age threshold, note that Akasa (like all Indian carriers) goes by the age on the date of travel, not the date of booking. If your child turns 2 before the flight date, you need to book them as a child (with their own seat) rather than as an infant. Missing this and trying to board a 2-year-old as a 'lap infant' causes issues at check-in.

Child fares (age 2–11) on Akasa are priced separately from adult fares and include a seat. The discount on child fares versus adult fares on domestic Akasa flights is typically modest — often in the range of a small percentage — so do not expect a dramatic price difference from the adult fare. Check the current pricing in the booking flow.

For older children (12 and above), Akasa books them as adults. This is consistent across Indian carriers.

No bassinets on domestic: the reality Indian families discover at check-in

Let me save someone a support-desk call: there are no bassinets (infant cradles) on domestic Indian flights. Not on Akasa, not on IndiGo, not on SpiceJet. Air India's domestic routes are also generally bassinet-free. Bassinets exist on long-haul international wide-body flights operated by Air India (on international sectors), Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and similar carriers. The Boeing 737 MAX that Akasa flies is a single-aisle narrow-body aircraft used for short-to-medium domestic routes — it can theoretically carry a bassinet in the bulkhead, but Indian domestic carriers do not offer this service.

This means: for your Mumbai–Goa or Delhi–Bangalore Akasa flight with an infant, the baby is on your lap for the duration. Pack accordingly — have feeding, distraction, and a pacifier or soother accessible, and book a bulkhead row if you want the extra legroom (though that comes with a seat selection fee, see below). The flight durations on most domestic Akasa routes are typically under 2.5 hours, which makes the no-bassinet situation manageable in practice.

Seat selection fees: how much and what is actually free

Akasa Air charges for advance seat selection on most fare buckets. The fee varies by seat type and route — roughly, standard middle seats may be available for a lower fee or free, window and aisle seats carry a moderate charge, and bulkhead or extra-legroom rows cost more. Exact figures fluctuate with demand and route, so check the seat map at booking for the specific prices on your flight.

The DGCA's 2026 circular on 60% free seat availability (discussed in more detail in our DGCA seat rule article) applies to Akasa as it does to all Indian carriers. In practice, as of mid-2026, Akasa has a more transparent seat pricing structure than IndiGo's earlier approach — the seat map shows prices clearly, including which seats if any are currently in the no-extra-charge category. Check this at booking.

For a family of four wanting to sit together (two adults, two children), the minimum you need is two pairs of adjacent seats. In practice, on a 737 MAX with a 3-3 seat configuration across the cabin, this usually means one row of three or two pairs of two on opposite sides. If seats are available and the flight is not very full, this can sometimes be done at web check-in (48 hours before departure) at no extra charge when Akasa releases additional free-seat inventory. But on a popular route in peak season, you are unlikely to find four adjacent free seats at web check-in — book them early and factor the seat cost into your all-in comparison.

Group booking on Akasa: the 10-passenger threshold

Akasa Air, like other Indian carriers, has a separate group booking process that kicks in at 10 or more passengers on the same booking. Below that threshold, you book as individuals through the standard booking flow — and this matters for families. A joint family group of 8 (grandparents, parents, children) books through the standard flow. A group of 12 would go through the group desk.

Why does the threshold matter? Group bookings get a fixed block price agreed in advance with the group booking team, a name-change window (useful when family travel plans shift — someone drops out, a different relative joins), and sometimes a deposit structure rather than full prepayment. If you are planning a large joint-family trip — a wedding celebration trip, a milestone holiday with extended family — and you are at or above 10 passengers, contact Akasa's group bookings directly. The economics can be different from buying 10 individual tickets, though not always better — it depends on timing and demand.

Below 10 passengers, there is no group benefit. You book individually (or under one booking for up to 9 passengers, which is the typical maximum that booking engines handle in a single transaction). Ensure everyone is on the same PNR where possible — split PNRs mean the system does not automatically try to seat you together.

Akasa vs IndiGo for a family of four: the honest comparison

I get asked this a lot. The answer is genuinely 'it depends', but here is how to think through it:

Where Akasa tends to win: Routes where Akasa has a strong presence and IndiGo is less competitive — some metro-to-tier-2-city routes, newer routes where Akasa entered specifically to undercut. On these routes, the base fare gap can be meaningful. Akasa also has a newer fleet (737 MAX is arguably more comfortable cabin-wise than older IndiGo A320s), slightly more legroom in standard seats on some configurations, and a customer service reputation that is currently decent (the advantage of being newer — fewer legacy complaints).

Where IndiGo tends to win: High-frequency routes (DEL–BOM, DEL–BLR, BOM–BLR) where IndiGo's sheer number of daily flights gives you more timing flexibility. On popular routes, IndiGo's web check-in free seat availability at 48 hours out is sometimes better simply because they have more flights to manage inventory across. IndiGo also has the deeper promotional calendar — their 'sale' fares come up more regularly on more routes.

The all-in comparison: For a family of four on a route both airlines serve, compare: base fare × 4, plus seat selection (if you want four seats together, add both airlines' current seat fees), plus baggage if you need more than the included allowance, plus any meal add-on if flying a duration where kids will need food. The all-in price is often closer between the two than the base fare headline suggests. Run this comparison on FlightGPT or directly on both airline sites for your specific date. There is no permanent winner — it varies by route and timing.

One genuine differentiator: if the flight is delayed or cancelled, IndiGo's larger network means re-accommodation options are wider. Akasa, with a smaller fleet, has fewer alternatives if your flight is disrupted. For a family where a long delay is especially painful (young children, elderly, tight onward connections), this is worth considering.

Practical Akasa family tips that save stress

A few things that are either Akasa-specific or worth highlighting for the LCC-with-family context:

Frequently asked questions

Does Akasa Air allow bassinets for infants on domestic flights?

No — Akasa Air does not offer bassinets on domestic Indian routes. This is consistent across all domestic Indian LCCs including IndiGo and SpiceJet. Bassinets are available on long-haul international flights operated by full-service carriers (Air India on international sectors, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, etc.). For domestic Akasa flights, infants travel on a parent's lap.

What is the Akasa Air infant fare on domestic routes?

Akasa charges an infant fee that is typically a percentage of the adult base fare (often in the 10–15% range), plus applicable taxes. The exact amount is shown in the booking flow when you select 'infant' as a passenger type. Infants must be under 2 years of age on the date of travel, not the date of booking.

Can I book 8 people on one Akasa Air booking for a family trip?

Yes — up to 9 passengers can typically be booked in a single Akasa Air booking through the standard online flow. For 10 or more passengers, you need to go through the Akasa group booking process, which involves contacting their group desk for a block price and different terms including a name-change window.

Is Akasa Air cheaper than IndiGo for a family of four?

It depends on the route, date, and what add-ons you need. On some routes, Akasa's base fare is lower; on others, IndiGo is competitive or cheaper after accounting for seat selection fees. The right approach is to compare the all-in fare (base + seats + baggage) for both airlines on your specific date — FlightGPT can show you a side-by-side comparison.

Does Akasa Air have a family boarding policy?

Yes — passengers travelling with infants are generally allowed to board in the first group on Akasa flights. This is standard Indian carrier practice but not always announced loudly. Approach the gate agent when priority boarding is called and let them know you have an infant — they will direct you to board early.

Does flying Akasa Air earn frequent flyer miles on any programme?

As of mid-2026, Akasa Air does not have a frequent flyer programme of its own, and Akasa flights do not earn points or miles on Air India's Flying Returns or other major Indian programmes. If earning miles matters to your family (e.g., you use a travel credit card and track miles), consider this when comparing Akasa against Air India or a full-service carrier on the same route.