What are the rules regarding children traveling alone? (Unaccompanied Minor)
Each airline has their own policy regarding unaccompanied minors and we strongly recommend you reach out to us hel[email protected] if you are planning to have your child fly alone.
There are additional fees collected for a minor traveling alone, which can range from $25 to $150, per direction. These fees are not part of the ticket price and must be paid before an airline will issue a boarding pass.
To help with your planning there are a few general policies held by nearly all airlines.
Plan on arriving at the airport at least 30 minutes to an hour earlier than you normally would, as you will have to fill out an “Unaccompanied Minor” form at the airline counter. You will also be asked to provide the name of the adult who will be meeting your child at the destination and that individual will have to provide identification before they can take your child.
In addition, all airlines prohibit unaccompanied minors from flying on the last non-stop flight of the day.
Most airlines also have rules stating that minors can only fly unaccompanied on “non-stop” flights and they can and will deny boarding on a connecting flight.
Again, much of this information is general to all airlines but each will have their own specific policy. In addition each airline has their own age limit on what they consider an unaccompanied minor so it is important to check that as well. Most allow children 15 and over to fly without a guardian or adult without being considered an unaccompanied minor but this is also something you will want to confirm before booking travel.
If you have any questions please reach out to us at [email protected] and we will be happy to provide you with detail for your specific situation.