A Detailed Manual To Unaccompanied Minor Travels For Kids Flying Solo

It’s time to set your baby bird to soar in the sky. As a parent, you must be feeling anxious about sending your kid on their own on a flight. Hence, it becomes even more crucial to prepare carefully. Going alone by air as a minor means going through all the flight procedures alone. It can be daunting and difficult for these little ones, especially if faced with any trouble or error with the flight.

However, with this simple guide to unaccompanied minor flights, your child’s tours in the air will become effortless. So, let’s start uncovering the secrets of how you can create your kid’s tours a no-sweat.

What Makes You An Unaccompanied Minor?

Before you get started, you must know what makes you an unaccompanied minor. In order to be eligible to travel alone by the airlines, you must be between 5 to 12 years old.  Children below 5 years aren’t allowed to travel alone, simply because they are too small even to carry their own bag. The ones above 12 years are not minors.

Understanding The Rules Of Traveling Alone

The rules laid for traveling alone as a kid vary from airline to airline. Let’s discuss how your tours are shaped when you travel with the following airlines as a minor.

Southwest Airlines

• With Southwest, you can only travel on flights that operate non-stop.
• You must be between 5 years of age to 11 years old to travel as an unaccompanied minor with this airline.
• If you are over 12 years and upto 17 years old, you fall into the category of their “Young Traveler” program that allows you to travel alone.
• Unaccompanied minors aren’t observed 24/7, but the flight attendant keeps an eye on them at regular intervals.

United Airlines

• If a child aged 5-14 years is traveling alone with United Airlines, they have to take the unaccompanied minor service.
• If you are over 14 years old and traveling alone, receiving this service isn’t mandatory.
• Children who avail of this service receive pre-boarding opportunity and free food.

JetBlue Airlines

• The unaccompanied minor service is a requisite for children from 5 to 14 years of age traveling with JetBlue.
• You are only allowed to travel on non-stop flights, and the airfare for unaccompanied minors is $150.

Frontier Airlines

Unfortunately, you can’t fly alone as a minor with Frontier Airlines. It is required that an adult accompany children below 15 years on a flight.

Delta Airlines

• Delta Airlines is well-known to be the best airline for unaccompanied minors.
• With Delta Airlines, at least 4 kids between 5 and 14 years of age can travel alone for a fee of $150.
• During your tours, you will receive a wristband. The airline official will personally escort you to your aircraft.

Preparing Your Child To Traverse The Air

Excited to know what it looks like to travel alone? The following sections present a map that will guide you in preparing for the air journey, from booking the flight to arrival at the airport.

Booking And Prepping For The Flight

How to book a flight for a minor? One of the crucial procedures to ensure a trouble-free and safe journey for your kid’s alone air trips is booking their flight tickets cautiously. The following steps will show you what you need to make reservations for an unaccompanied minor.

• You must give detailed information about the person who will drop the child, pick them up from the airport, and be present with them at the destination. The information must include:
  • The person’s name
  • Their relationship with the child
  • Their address
  • Their phone number

• Stay aware of the airline’s rules and regulations for unaccompanied minor travel before sending your kid on air tours.
• You need to pay a charge for gaining this service by the airline. You can do so at the airport or online as available.
• Make sure your kid has all the necessary documents, such as a Visa, Passport, health certificate, and the contact info of the person in charge of them. You may also need to fill in any important paperwork, like a parental concern form, unaccompanied minor form, etc., as required by the airline.
• Pack some food and snacks for your kid’s trip. They get hungry often.
• Provide them with charged mobile phones so you can communicate with them easily.

At The Airport

• You must be present with your minor at the airport early so you have enough time to go through your flight processes.
• Complete the check-in process and paperwork for your minor and hand it over to the airline’s agent. You will receive an Unaccompanied Minor Lanyard that your child should wear at all times during their air tour.
• From the boarding gates, an airline official will accompany the child and escort them to their aircraft. From there, they have to cover the rest of the journey alone.
• You are asked to remain at the boarding gate area until the flight takes off, and you are notified that you may leave.
• After the flight has alighted in the air, you must inform the guardian intended to pick up the UM on their arrival.

During The Flight

Concerned about your child while they are on their solo flight? Here’s what you and your UM must know during their flight.

• You must instruct the child to keep wearing their Lanyards throughout their flight.
• They must obey the directions of the airline employees.
• The flight attendant will supervise the UM from time to time.
• The guardian responsible for picking the minor up must be available to attend the child’s call when the flight is about to arrive.
• Upon arrival, the airline’s employee will be with the minor and escort them to their guardian waiting at the departures.

Arriving At The Destination

This is the concluding step of your child’s flight tour. From here comes the role of their guardian.

• The guardian has to collect the gate pass from the ticket counter.
• Then, they have to pass through the security and reach the gate where the UM’s flight will land.
• You must have the child’s valid photo ID and documents. Only then will you receive a gate pass.
• Check in with the airline’s official and notify them that you are about to pick up an Unaccompanied Minor from the flight.
• The official will identify with your documents, after which you are allowed to pick the child.

Wrapping Up The Solo Trip

This finalizes your guide to preparing for solo traveling as a kid. You must be unsure of how to go through the process of sending your kid all alone on a flight journey. This guide gives clarity on the flight procedures required to ensure smooth and safe travel for your kids. Make sure to go through the airline’s rules before commencing your travel. Now, you are all ready to make your kids self-reliant.

Common Questions