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I am with my current bank, because I have been with them since very early age. My bank is very smart in knowing that if you have been with a bank for years, you are not likely to change.

I am wondering if this also works with airlines. Are there FF programs for kids?

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Air France-KLM has a Flying Blue Youth{fr} program that gives some extra miles if you fly a lot. For French residents flying from/to France, they give 4000 miles after 6 one-way flights, which can be nice. They claim the program is open to kids from 2 to 24 years old.

Unfortunately, I am afraid it's offered to French (continental and overseas) and Maghreb residents only.

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I'm not aware of any Frequent Flyer programs specifically for children, however children are able to join any airlines frequent flyer programs in the same way that adults are.

For children less than 2 years old, if not paying for a seat, then they will not be able to earn points.

However once they reach 2 years old and are required to buy a seat (or if less than 2 and buying a seat anyway) then they will earn points/miles/status/etc just like any other FF member.

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Air Canada has one provision for children that I find interesting: their miles don't expire. Adult accounts must be kept active or the miles are lost. Poke around in the rules of the program you're considering to see if there are special rules for children.

Children old enough to travel alone who accumulate enough status miles to earn elite status may not be able to use all the privileges it grants. For example since the lounges serve alcohol, an underage person can't come in without an adult. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-canada-aeroplan/1261727-lounge-access-minor-status.html for a real-life example involving a 16 year old concert pianist who travels the world to play and can't use the lounge.

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  • If you follow that thread to near the end (post 119), AC modified it's policies at a number of lounges to have their staff provide escorts to minors.
    – Dan Is Fiddling By Firelight
    Commented Jan 28, 2013 at 1:51
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As a recent convert to the absolute class service on Emirates, my further investigations have produced Skysurfers, their FF program for kids ages 2 - 16 for earning and redeeming miles.

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Many, many regular frequent flyer programs are available for children as well.

Much like you mention with a bank, it makes sense for them to get your kids in early as well on their loyalty programs.

Indeed, as a piece on InsideFlyer points out, it's not unusual these days for children to get a frequent flyer card before they get their social security card.

Some examples:

and many more.

Should you enrol you kids in any programs? This is discussed in a piece entitled Would you enroll your child in a frequent flyer program? in The Independent.

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In British Airways you can set up an Executive Club account for everyone, including small kids. E.g. I set it up for my 1 year old son and 3 year old daughter. My daughter has her own seat now, and she collects the same number of miles as an adult. Now the missing ingredient is a Household Account, where you join all your family accounts together (all members must be living under one address) and you can use the combined number of miles (they call it Avios) to buy reward tickets, etc.

I can't really imagine this being organized in a better way.

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