If traveling under unaccompanied-minor procedures, he or she will be escorted onto the airplane during pre-boarding. Airline policies call for a positive hand-off of your child from one employee to the next. At the destination, the person meeting your child may have to show ID (many airlines require photo ID).

Flying as an unaccompanied minor is a highly structured and supervised experience designed to ensure the safety of children aged 5 to 14 traveling alone. At the departure airport, a parent or guardian must check the child in at the counter, provide valid ID for both themselves and the "receiver" at the destination, and complete a detailed "Unaccompanied Minor" form. The child is usually given a lanyard with their boarding pass and documents to wear throughout the journey. A ground agent or the guardian (with a gate pass) will escort the child to the gate, where they receive priority boarding to meet the cabin crew and get settled before other passengers. During the flight, attendants check on the child frequently, and they are typically seated near the galley or crew areas for easy supervision. Upon landing, a flight attendant will escort the child off the plane and through the airport—including customs for international flights—until they are handed over directly to the authorized adult listed on the forms. This adult must present a matching government-issued photo ID to "sign out" the child, completing the chain of custody.