Airline Youth Fares in 2026: Which Airlines Still Offer Discounts?

Updated August 2026

Youth fares are not dead.

They are much less common among U.S. airlines than they once were, but several airlines still sell real age-based fares in 2026. United offers a young-adult discount to eligible passengers ages 18 through 23. Air France and KLM have youth fares for travelers ages 12 through 24. SAS and Norwegian extend theirs through age 25. Iberia goes even further with an under-30 program.

And you do not necessarily need to be a student.

That is one of the most useful things to know before searching. A youth fare is usually based on age. A student fare generally requires enrollment in an educational institution. Some airlines offer both.

Quick answer: If you are under 26, check for an age-based fare before buying the regular ticket. In the United States, United’s current Young Adult Discount is the most obvious place to start. For international travel, Air France, SAS, Norwegian, KLM and Iberia all have current programs worth checking.

Airline	Program	Age	Student Required?	Key Benefit
United	Young Adult Discount	18–23	No	5% off eligible fares
Air France	Youth Fare	12–24	No	Special fare, extra baggage and flexibility
SAS	SAS Young	12–25	No	At least 10% off, with discounts up to 70%
Norwegian	Youth Ticket / UNDER26	12–25	No	Special youth pricing on selected routes
KLM	Youth Fare	12–24	No	Special fare, extra baggage and flexibility where offered
Iberia	Iberia Joven	Under 30	No	10% off qualifying fares

United Young Adult Discount: 5% Off for Ages 18–23

United has one of the most interesting youth discounts for a U.S. traveler because you do not have to hunt through a foreign airline’s regional website to find it.

MileagePlus members ages 18 through 23 currently receive 5% off eligible United Economy and Basic Economy fares when booking through the United app.

You do not have to be a student.

The important requirements are:

• You must be between 18 and 23 years old.
• You must be a MileagePlus member.
• Your birth date in your MileagePlus account must be correct.
• You need to book through the United app to access the discount.
• The discount applies to eligible fares rather than every possible ticket.

If you already fly United and fall into the age range, there is very little reason not to check it.

United’s current details are on its Young Adult Discount page.

Air France Youth Fare: Ages 12–24

Air France separates its age-based Youth fare from its Student fare.

The Youth fare is available to travelers ages 12 through 24. You do not need to be enrolled in school simply to qualify for the youth category.

When booking on Air France, select Youth as the passenger type. If a qualifying youth fare is available for that itinerary, Air France displays it during the booking process.

The benefits can be more valuable than the difference in ticket price alone.

Air France currently says Youth and Student fares include:

• Up to two checked bags of 23 kg / 50 pounds each
• Changes without a change fee, although a fare difference can apply
• Refundability subject to a cancellation fee

The fares are available only in Economy and are subject to availability.

Air France can require proof that you qualify at check-in or at the boarding gate, so bring valid identification.

Air France also has a separate Student fare for travelers ages 18 through 29 who are enrolled in an educational institution.

See the current Air France Youth and Student fare rules.

SAS Young: Ages 12–25 and Discounts Up to 70%

SAS has one of the clearest youth programs still operating.

SAS Young is available to travelers ages 12 through 25.

SAS says Young fares provide a minimum 10% discount on SAS flights, while less popular flights can be discounted by as much as 70% compared with regular fares.

Availability matters. A 70% discount is clearly not something you should expect every time you search.

SAS Young tickets come in multiple fare types. Current benefits can include:

• Discounted pricing
• Free date and time changes, with any fare difference still payable
• EuroBonus earning
• A checked bag with SAS Young Standard

There are a few unusual rules worth knowing.

For destinations outside Europe, SAS says youth tickets are available only as round trips. SAS also requires a physical ID at the airport to verify age; it specifically says digital identification is not accepted for this purpose.

If an adult and youth are traveling together, SAS says a youth ticket has to be booked separately from the adult ticket. Otherwise, both passengers can be booked as adults on the same reservation.

SAS Young also cannot be combined with SAS’s unaccompanied-minor service.

See the current SAS Young rules.

Norwegian Youth Tickets: Use UNDER26

Norwegian makes its youth fare unusually easy to remember:

UNDER26.

Travelers ages 12 through 25 can select the Youth ticket type or use the promotional code UNDER26 when searching eligible flights.

You must still be 25 or younger on the date of departure. Someone who books at 25 but turns 26 before flying no longer satisfies the eligibility rule.

Norwegian says youth-ticket passengers should be prepared to show valid identification such as:

• Passport
• National identity card
• Driver’s license

Norwegian can conduct age spot checks at check-in or boarding.

The youth fare is available only on selected routes and subject to availability, so seeing a Norwegian flight does not guarantee there will be a youth price for it.

One attractive feature is flexibility: Norwegian currently allows youth-ticket date and time changes without a change fee, although you still pay any increase in the fare.

Unaccompanied minors cannot travel on Norwegian Youth Tickets.

See Norwegian’s current Youth Ticket rules.

KLM Youth Fares: Ages 12–24, but Availability Varies

KLM also publishes Youth and Student fares.

The age categories are similar to Air France:

• Youth: ages 12 through 24
• Student: ages 18 through 29 and enrolled full-time in an educational institution

The important caveat with KLM is availability. Youth and Student fares are not offered on every flight, destination or point of sale.

Where they are offered, KLM says the fares are Economy-only and can include:

• An extra checked bag of up to 23 kg
• Changes without a change fee, although fare differences apply
• Refundability subject to a cancellation fee

KLM also imposes minimum-trip requirements on these fares in markets where they are available: at least seven days for intercontinental trips and at least three days, or a weekend, for European travel.

When searching KLM, choose Youth or Student as the passenger type. If KLM does not display the special fare, do not assume you are doing something wrong; it may simply not be offered for that route, origin or date.

See KLM’s current Youth and Student ticket information.

Iberia Joven: 10% Off for Travelers Under 30

Iberia takes a broader approach than most airlines on this list.

Iberia Joven currently offers a 10% discount to qualifying travelers under age 30.

That pushes the age limit well beyond the 24- or 25-year cutoff used by most traditional youth fares.

You need to book through the Iberia Joven program and be prepared to prove your eligibility.

The discount has some meaningful restrictions:

• It applies to qualifying Economy fares.
• It applies to the fare itself rather than taxes and surcharges.
• Eligible destinations and dates can vary.
• Some Iberia and partner flight-number ranges are excluded.
• Identification can be required during travel.

Iberia also advertises a larger 15% group discount when four or more qualifying travelers book under the applicable Under 30 offer.

The program is linked to Iberia Club, so setting up the account before you are ready to purchase is sensible.

See the current Iberia Joven program.

Student Fares Still Exist Too

Youth fares and student fares overlap, but they are not interchangeable.

A 22-year-old who is not in college can qualify for United’s Young Adult Discount, SAS Young, Norwegian Youth and the age-based Air France fare.

A 35-year-old graduate student may be too old for all of those youth programs but could potentially qualify for an airline’s student fare if its rules do not impose a lower age ceiling.

That is why you should check both categories when you genuinely qualify.

Lufthansa Student Fares

Lufthansa currently offers dedicated student fares for eligible travelers who are at least 16 years old and enrolled in, or accepted to, a higher-education institution.

You need to create a Travel ID and verify your student status before searching for the fare.

Lufthansa’s student fares are available on selected Lufthansa Group flights and routes. They are Economy-only.

For itineraries originating in the United States, Lufthansa currently says its student fares include one checked bag of up to 23 kg. Benefits on some other origins can include two checked bags.

The fares may also offer more flexible rebooking and refund rules than comparable ordinary tickets.

See Lufthansa’s current student-fare page.

SWISS Student Fares

SWISS uses a very similar student-fare structure because it is part of Lufthansa Group.

Eligible passengers must be at least 16 and enrolled in or accepted to a higher-education institution. Travel ID is used to verify student status.

SWISS offers student fares only on selected routes and flights, and they are Economy-only.

Current SWISS information also says student fares originating in the United States include one checked bag of up to 23 kg.

See SWISS student fares.

What About Delta, American and Southwest?

United currently stands out among the largest U.S. airlines by prominently advertising a general age-based Young Adult Discount.

Delta’s current U.S. fares-and-discounts material does not advertise a comparable standing youth fare. American and Southwest likewise do not prominently market a general age-based youth discount alongside their normal U.S. fare products.

That does not mean a 21-year-old should ignore those airlines.

The cheapest ordinary fare on American, Delta or Southwest can easily beat a discounted youth fare on another carrier. Airline pricing changes constantly, and a fare labeled “Youth” is not automatically the lowest ticket available for your itinerary.

Does a Youth Fare Always Save Money?

No.

This is probably the most important shopping rule in the entire article.

Suppose the ordinary fare is $180 and the youth fare is $190 but includes a checked bag and free changes.

If you need the bag, the youth fare may be the better deal.

If you are traveling with only a backpack and your plans are fixed, the $180 ordinary fare may still be preferable.

Or a low-cost carrier may offer a $90 fare on the same route, making the age discount largely irrelevant.

Compare:

• Total ticket price
• Baggage allowance
• Seat-selection cost
• Change rules
• Refund rules
• Flight schedule
• Connection time

The name of the fare matters much less than what you actually pay and receive.

How to Search for Youth Fares

Youth fares frequently do not appear when you run a normal one-adult flight search.

Before buying, try this process:

1. Search the normal adult fare first. This gives you a comparison price.
2. Go to the airline’s youth-fare page. Do not assume Google Flights will expose every special fare.
3. Select the correct passenger type. Look for Youth, Young Adult or Student.
4. Sign into the airline’s loyalty program when required. United requires MileagePlus, for example.
5. Compare the final price and benefits. Look beyond the base fare.
6. Check the age rule on the actual travel date.
7. Bring the required identification.

If the youth fare is substantially more flexible, compare it with an equally flexible adult ticket rather than comparing it only with the airline’s most restrictive Basic Economy fare.

Do You Need a Student ID for a Youth Fare?

Usually not when the fare is genuinely age-based.

United’s Young Adult Discount is based on age and MileagePlus membership. SAS Young and Norwegian Youth are age-based. Air France has separate Youth and Student categories.

For a true student fare, expect to prove enrollment.

Airlines may ask for:

• Student ID
• Enrollment certificate
• University acceptance letter
• Student visa
• Other documentation specified by the airline

Do not book a student fare simply because the website allows the transaction to go through. Eligibility can be checked later at the airport.

What ID Do You Need for a Youth Fare?

You should travel with government-issued identification showing your date of birth.

The exact rule varies by airline.

SAS specifically requires a valid physical ID for SAS Young verification. Norwegian lists passports, national ID cards and driver’s licenses as examples of acceptable identification and says it conducts spot checks.

Air France says Youth and Student passengers must present valid proof of eligibility at check-in or at the boarding gate.

If your discounted ticket depends on your age, I would not travel assuming a screenshot of an ID will be enough unless the airline explicitly says it is.

Can a Teenager Traveling Alone Use a Youth Fare?

Sometimes, but check the airline carefully.

A youth fare does not override unaccompanied-minor rules.

SAS specifically says SAS Young cannot be combined with its unaccompanied-minor service. Norwegian likewise says unaccompanied minors cannot travel on Youth Tickets.

A 16-year-old may be old enough to travel independently under one airline’s rules and still face different restrictions on another.

If the traveler is under 18 and flying alone, check both:

• The youth-fare eligibility rules
• The airline’s rules for minors traveling without an adult

What Happened to the Old U.S. Youth Fares?

Airline youth fares used to be much more familiar in the United States.

They made more sense in a world where airfares were less dynamically priced and airlines needed simple ways to segment travelers who were particularly price-sensitive.

Modern airline pricing does that far more precisely.

An airline can now vary prices based on:

• Travel date
• Time of day
• Advance purchase
• Demand
• Remaining inventory
• Fare restrictions
• Route competition

Low-cost carriers also made inexpensive tickets available to everyone willing to accept the tradeoffs.

That reduced the need for every U.S. airline to maintain a broad “under 25” fare.

But the current programs show that the idea never disappeared. Airlines such as United, SAS and Iberia still see value in giving younger travelers a reason to choose them early in their traveling lives.

Youth Fares Are Different From Child and Infant Fares

A youth fare generally targets teenagers and young adults.

Child and infant pricing follows a different set of rules.

A baby under two may qualify to travel as a lap infant, while a child age two or older generally needs their own seat. International infant pricing also varies by airline and should not be reduced to a universal “10% rule.”

We cover those rules separately in Flying With a Baby in 2026: Lap Infant Fares, Rules and Car Seats.

What About Senior Fares?

Age-based airline pricing exists at the other end of the age spectrum too, although traditional senior fares have become uncommon among large U.S. airlines.

We looked at those programs separately in Whatever Happened to Senior Fares?.

How I Would Shop for a Ticket if I Were Under 26

I would run two searches.

First, search normally across airlines to learn what the market price actually is.

Then check every age-based program for which you qualify.

For a U.S. domestic trip, that means checking United’s Young Adult Discount if you are 18–23.

For Europe or an international trip, I would also check:

• Air France Youth
• KLM Youth where available
• SAS Young
• Norwegian Youth
• Iberia Joven

If you are a student, add the student programs from Air France, KLM, Lufthansa and SWISS to the comparison.

Then compare the entire ticket rather than chasing the biggest advertised percentage.

A 10% youth discount on a $700 fare is still more expensive than another airline’s unrestricted $500 sale fare.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do airlines still offer youth fares in 2026?

Yes. United, Air France, SAS, Norwegian, KLM and Iberia all currently publish age-based youth or young-adult fare programs, although availability and rules vary by airline and market.

Which U.S. airline has a youth discount?

United currently offers a 5% Young Adult Discount to eligible MileagePlus members ages 18 through 23 when booking qualifying fares through the United app.

Do you have to be a student to get a youth fare?

No. Many youth fares are based only on age. United’s Young Adult Discount, SAS Young, Norwegian Youth, Air France Youth and Iberia Joven do not require you to be a student merely to qualify for the age-based program.

What age qualifies for airline youth fares?

It depends on the airline. United currently uses ages 18–23, Air France and KLM use 12–24, SAS and Norwegian use 12–25, and Iberia Joven is available to qualifying travelers under 30.

Does United have a student discount?

United’s current broadly advertised program is its Young Adult Discount rather than a student-only fare. Eligible MileagePlus members ages 18–23 can qualify regardless of whether they are students.

How much is United’s Young Adult Discount?

United currently advertises 5% off eligible United Economy and Basic Economy fares for qualifying MileagePlus members ages 18–23 who book through the United app.

Does Air France have a youth fare?

Yes. Air France’s Youth fare is for travelers ages 12–24. Air France separately offers a Student fare for qualifying students ages 18–29.

Does SAS have youth fares?

Yes. SAS Young is available to travelers ages 12–25. SAS says eligible tickets receive at least a 10% discount, with savings reaching up to 70% on some less-popular flights.

What is Norwegian’s UNDER26 fare?

Norwegian allows travelers ages 12–25 to search for eligible Youth Tickets using the Youth passenger type or the UNDER26 promotional code. The fare is offered only on selected routes and is subject to availability.

Does KLM have a youth fare?

KLM publishes Youth fares for ages 12–24 in markets where the fare is offered. Availability depends on the itinerary and point of sale.

Does Iberia have a youth discount?

Yes. Iberia Joven currently advertises a 10% discount on qualifying fares for travelers under 30. Taxes and surcharges are not discounted, and route and fare restrictions apply.

Does Lufthansa offer youth fares?

Lufthansa currently focuses on student fares rather than a broad age-only youth fare. Eligible students age 16 and older can verify their student status through Travel ID and search special fares on qualifying Lufthansa Group routes.

Are student fares always cheaper?

No. Compare the student or youth fare with the cheapest ordinary fare available on the same itinerary and with competing airlines. Extra baggage, better change rules or refundability can sometimes make the special fare valuable even when the ticket price itself is not the lowest.

Can I book a youth fare on Google Flights?

Do not rely on it. Many special fares require you to select a Youth or Student passenger type, sign into an airline account, use an app or enter a specific booking code. Search the airline’s own youth-fare page before purchasing a normal adult ticket.

Do airlines check your age for a youth ticket?

They can. SAS, Norwegian and Air France all explicitly require or reserve the ability to check proof of eligibility. Bring valid identification showing your date of birth.

Can a 25-year-old get a youth fare?

On some airlines. SAS and Norwegian include travelers through age 25. Iberia’s program extends to travelers under 30. Air France and KLM youth fares end at 24, while United’s Young Adult Discount ends at 23.

Can a 29-year-old get an airline discount?

Potentially. Iberia Joven covers qualifying travelers under 30. Some airline student programs also extend into the late twenties; Air France and KLM, for example, publish separate student eligibility through age 29.