Emirates makes controversial change to kids’ rule in First Class

Emirates has made a huge change to its First Class Cabin – and it’s not the best news for parents with young kids.

For anyone who books the luxe cabin using Skywards Miles – whether it’s a full award ticket or an upgrade – can no longer use it on kids aged eight and under.

The policy was implemented as of August 15, 2025; however, it does not apply to tickets paid with cash, according to One Mile at a Time.

The change is only a limitation on accessing the cabin through miles, with the Dubai-based airline being the only known carrier to enforce this rule.

Many have weighed in on the new policy online, with some confused why it doesn’t extend to tickets paid with cash, too.

“The only controversial part of this is only applying this to the miles redemptions,” one person argued. “Not allowing kids in the first class is absolutely logical, and all airlines should have such a policy, but when an airline only does it in instances where it doesn’t hurt their bottom line, it becomes clear that customer experience is not the reason why they do it.”

Some pointy-end flyers agreed with the policy, saying: “I do not want to have my first class experience ruined by the noise of a small child. I paid money for a quiet, lovely experience.”

The terms and conditions of the Skywards program have been updated to read: “Please note that passengers aged 8 years old and below are ineligible for First Class Emirates Classic Rewards and Upgrade Rewards,” according to One Mile at a Time.

The change has ignited a heated discussion on whether kids should be allowed on flights altogether, as some described the airline’s move as “sad.”

“Honestly, I believe that kids should not be allowed in first class,” one woman wrote on Instagram.

“The last couple times I flew internationally, we had infants in first class that cried the whole time. I don’t want to be around that. I don’t want to hear your kid screaming. I am paying for a relaxing a comfortable flight, and you bringing your infant or small child into first class ruins that for everyone.”

Her comment was met with immediate frustration.

“Maybe it’s time you get your own private jet before complaining about sharing PUBLIC transport with the PUBLIC. Believe it or not, children count. I’m pretty sure the parent of the screaming child found that flight far harder than you did, where you can simply ignore, pop in some headphones or earplugs and get on with your journey,” a user hit back.

Another parent also fired back, saying, “Some of you might want to stop your celebratory dance. I can promise you those of us who can afford to fly our kids in business class aren’t just using miles to book our tickets. My toddler will see you on your next flight.”

A mom said that as a parent, she wishes there were ‘family-only’ flights.

“People can be so awful toward families, as you can see in this comment section. I promise you, the last thing I want is for my child to be crying, loud, or bothering anyone on a plane,” she explained. “It’s actually incredibly stressful for us, too. And I’m not even talking about business class.”

Some airlines have made adjustments to their cabins. For example, Turkish-Dutch carrier Corendon Airlines has introduced an “Only Adult” zone on board its Airbus A350 jets.

The section is for flying between the Netherlands’ capital, Amsterdam, and the Dutch Caribbean island Curaçao. It is about a 10-hour flight.

“The Only Adult zone is located in the front area of the plane, and is only accessible to passengers of 16 years and up,” the airline states on its site.

“The Only Adult zone is separated — both you and happy kids will stay happy travellers.”

Scoot has a ‘ScootinSilence’ cabin situated in the forward section of its Boeing 787 aircraft. “Exclusively for passengers aged 12 and above, this quiet zone offers enhanced comfort with generous legroom, with a seat pitch of 33-34 inches on the 787-9, and adjustable headrests,” its website states.

AirAsia X’s Quiet Zone is for guests aged 10 years and above.

“Quiet Zone seating is available on selected flights operated by Airbus A330 aircraft. These zones are designed for passengers seeking a more serene flying experience with minimal noise,” it states.

Meanwhile, in 2019, Japan Airlines introduced a booking system that shows where babies are seated on flights.

It’s called a “baby map” and travellers who book through the airline website can see seats that have been claimed by passengers aged up to two years old. Those seats will have a child icon displayed.