Unaccompanied minor assistance
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Help With Unaccompanied Minor Travel
Is a child flying without an adult? Call an independent travel agent to check the airline's unaccompanied minor rules for the trip, which flights are eligible, how drop-off and pick-up work, and what the service costs.
- Age rules and eligible flights
- Drop-off and pick-up steps
- Nothing booked without your OK
Call About a Child Flying Alone
Phone hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Independent travel agency · Not affiliated with any airline · Service fees may apply.
Independent travel agency · Not affiliated with any airline · Service fees may apply.
The airline service
What you can ask about
There are no U.S. Department of Transportation regulations for unaccompanied minors. Each airline sets its own procedures, so the details differ between airlines.
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Age rules
The ages at which a child can fly alone, and whether the airline's unaccompanied minor service is required or optional.
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Eligible flights
Younger children are often limited to nonstop or through flights, and connecting flights may not be allowed.
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Drop-off and pick-up
The adults dropping the child off and collecting them are usually named in advance and asked to show photo ID.
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Supervision during the trip
Children using the service are escorted by airline staff, or the airline's contractor, to the adult meeting them.
Good to know
How unaccompanied minor travel works
Because each airline writes its own rules, it's worth checking the details for the exact flights before the trip is confirmed.
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Young children may not fly alone
Airlines usually set a minimum age, commonly around five, below which a child cannot travel without an adult.
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Connections are often restricted
Many airlines don't allow younger children to take connecting flights alone, and may limit them to nonstop flights.
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The service may be required
Depending on the child's age, the airline's unaccompanied minor service can be mandatory, and it usually carries a charge.
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Adults are named in advance
The airline usually needs the names and contact details of the adults at both ends of the trip, and those adults must show ID.
Call About a Child Flying Alone
Phone hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Independent travel agency · Not affiliated with any airline · Service fees may apply.
Costs
What the service can cost
Unaccompanied minor charges are set by the airline and are separate from the child's ticket.
Airline service charge
Most airlines charge for their unaccompanied minor service, usually for each direction of travel. The amount, and what it covers, is set by the airline.
Our service fee
Quoted on the call before you authorize
Charged by Travelz Portal for our own help with this request: a flat fee per passenger, separate from the airline’s charges and not paid to the airline. There is no charge to discuss your options, and nothing is charged until you authorize it.
Special situations
Teenagers, international trips, and disruptions
Teenager flying alone? Some airlines let older children travel without the service, or offer it as an option. Check what applies at your child's age.
International trip? Children flying alone internationally may need extra documents, such as a passport and a consent letter from a parent or guardian. The countries involved set the requirements.
Delay or cancellation on the day? Contact the airline directly for anything time-sensitive while a child is traveling alone. DOT: When Kids Fly Alone
Preparation checklist
Before you call about the trip
Having these details ready makes it quicker to check the airline's rules and what the service would cost.
You can also contact the airline or your original booking provider directly to arrange unaccompanied minor service.
- The booking reference, if the trip is already booked
- The child's full name and date of birth
- The flights, and whether any of them connect
- Name, phone, and address of the adult dropping the child off
- Name, phone, and address of the adult picking the child up
- The child's passport and consent letter, for international trips
- Any medical or dietary needs the airline should know about
- Whether the whole trip is on the same airline
Unaccompanied minor FAQs
Questions about children flying alone
Each airline sets its own rules for children traveling without an adult.
At what age can a child fly alone?
The airline decides. Many airlines don't allow children below a certain age, commonly around five, to travel alone, and some require their unaccompanied minor service up to an older age.
Can a child take a connecting flight alone?
Often not at younger ages. Many airlines restrict younger children to nonstop or through flights, so it's important to check the rules for the exact itinerary before it is confirmed.
How much does the unaccompanied minor service cost?
The airline sets the charge, and it is usually charged for each direction of travel. If you ask us to request the service, our own service fee applies as well. We explain both before you authorize anything.
Who can drop off and pick up the child?
The adults named with the airline in advance. They are usually asked to show photo ID, and the adult meeting the child may need to be at the arrival gate before the flight lands.
Can the service be added to a ticket that's already booked?
Often, where the airline allows it for the child's age and flights. We can review the booking, explain any charge, and request the service with your authorization.
Can I arrange this directly with the airline?
Yes. You can contact the airline, or the company you originally booked with, directly. You do not need to use our service. See also the Department of Transportation's guidance for kids flying alone.
Talk through the child's trip
Call to check the airline's unaccompanied minor rules for the trip, and what the service costs, before you decide.
Call About a Child Flying Alone
Phone hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Independent travel agency · Not affiliated with any airline · Service fees may apply.