Unaccompanied Minor Travel Journey. If your child is traveling alone as an unaccompanied minor, an adult (18 years old or older) must accompany the minor through the check-in process and pick up the child at their destination. Review the process to help your unaccompanied minor prepare for their flight.

Yes, minors can fly without their parents in 2026, but the rules vary significantly by age and airline. Generally, children under 5 cannot fly alone and must be accompanied by someone at least 18. Children aged 5 to 12 can typically fly alone using an Unaccompanied Minor (UM) service, where an airline staff member escorts the child through security, to the gate, and hands them over to the cabin crew. For teenagers aged 13 to 17, the UM service is usually optional, and they may be allowed to travel as adults on most domestic routes. However, international travel for minors often requires a Notarized Consent Letter from the non-traveling parent(s) to prevent issues with border control. Fees for UM services can range from $50 to $150 per leg, and parents are usually required to remain at the departure airport until the flight has officially taken off.