Can I fly with a child that is not mine?

What Do I Need to Travel with Someone Else's Child? Children traveling with grandparents, cousins, other relatives, or school groups will need to have a signed document, such as a Child Travel Consent, allowing them to travel without a parent or legal guardian.



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A minor travel consent form is a legal document, signed by a child's parents and/or legal guardians, giving permission for the child to travel with another adult. Any time a child travels abroad without both parents and/or legal guardians, they need to have this written permission.

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When flying within the U.S., or traveling internationally by land or sea, a child's birth certificate will suffice most of the time. A notarized letter of consent will be required for children who travel without one or both of their parents or legal guardians.

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If you travel or are going to travel with a child, consider taking the following documents: If the child is traveling with only one of their custodial parents, they must have a letter of consent, preferably in English and notarized, from the other parent or signed by both parents.

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Children traveling with grandparents, cousins, other relatives, or school groups will need to have a signed document, such as a Child Travel Consent, allowing them to travel without a parent or legal guardian.

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Planning your trip
  • Infants on lap. Children under two can sit on a parent's lap during flights to any destination.
  • Infant seats. Alternatively, infants can have their own seat if you bring an approved car seat.
  • All other kids. Children older than two will need a ticket and their own seat on the plane.


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A Child Travel Consent is sometimes called a letter of permission to travel. A Child Travel Consent essentially proves to the transportation providers and Custom Officers that both parents or legal guardians give the child authorization to travel by providing their signatures.

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A child travel consent form allows a minor to travel alone or with another person or group. It is written by one or both parents and can be used for domestic or international travel.

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The letter should say I acknowledge that my son/daughter is traveling outside the country with [the name of the adult] with my permission. If one parent has sole custody of the child, a copy of the custody document can take the place of the other parent's letter.

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You'll need to fill out an unaccompanied minor form and any necessary Customs and Immigration documents for the day of departure. This form must remain with your child during their journey. At check-in, parents / guardians will also need to provide: A birth certificate or passport as proof of the child's age.

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The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says that “the seating of children close by their parents or guardians should be the aim of airline seat allocation procedures for family groups and large parties of children.”

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An adult must take the child to the departure gate and stay until the flight is airborne. When you get to the gate, tell the gate agent you have an unaccompanied minor traveling on the flight. We'll board your child early so they can meet the flight crew and learn about the plane's safety features.

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A Child Travel Consent form (sometimes called a letter of permission to travel) provides proof that a child has permission to travel without both (or either) legal guardians present. If a child is crossing borders alone or with an adult who isn't their legal guardian, they need a consent letter signed by both parents.

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Typically, minors under the age of 18 do not have to present identification for domestic U.S. travel. Airlines will accept identification from the responsible adult on behalf of the minor(s). For international travel, minors under the age of 18 must present the same travel documents as the adult.

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At that point, US travelers 18 and older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, identification card, state-issued enhanced driver's license (EDL), or another acceptable form of ID to fly within the United States. REAL IDs also will be needed to access certain federal facilities.

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Spirit Airlines reserves the right to request documented proof of age for any passenger 2 years of age or younger. You must be prepared to provide documentation (such as the child's birth certificate or passport) upon request.

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Some airlines permit this for kids as young as 12. When a child has reached this minimum age for traveling alone without unaccompanied-minor procedures, the airline does not require evidence of parental permission to travel alone. If the child has a passport, he or she can even travel internationally.

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United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requests written consent from both parents or the parent who is not accompanying the minor for minors (those less than 18 years of age) traveling to the U.S. alone or accompanied by only one parent. This written consent must be in English.

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It's not uncommon for parents with different last names than their children to have to produce either a Child Travel Consent form or some other proof of guardianship. A birth or adoption certificate is usually sufficient in this instance so long as you're listed on the forms as a parent or guardian.

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