Why do airlines ask for kids ages?

Boarding Verification Document The boarding verification pass and age confirmation show the airline that you haven't cheated them into letting a child older than two fly for free. The information is also used for the passenger manifest so all travelers can be accounted for.



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We consider children ages 12 through 17 traveling alone to be Young Travelers (YTs), not Unaccompanied Minors (UMs). Accordingly, our UM procedures do not apply to travelers ages 12 through 17.

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Our unaccompanied minor service is required for kids 5-14, and optional for those 15-17, who are traveling alone. Here's how to book a ticket and prepare your child for their trip.

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The airline allows children 13 and older to fly by themselves without an accompanying adult. Children 13 and older can also accompany younger children without an adult. Children ages 13 to 17 will need to provide government documentation stating their age.

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?Parents of children over the age of 2 are typically required to pay the full adult fare for their kids. ? Whereas kids fly free with an accompanying adult if they are sitting on the adult's lap and are under 2, they would then be considered a lap infant.

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Related: Why you should travel while your baby is an infant If you have a trip that spans your child's second birthday, only the outbound flight will be free. On the return flight, you will be required to purchase your now-2-year-old a seat with a one-way ticket.

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Although children who have not reached their second birthday are permitted to travel as lap children, the FAA strongly discourages this practice and recommends that you secure your child in an approved CRS in their own seat for the entire flight.

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Ticket fares for babies and children If you buy a separate ticket for a child, some airlines charge the full adult rate, while others have a discount rate for children between the ages of 2 and 11. Also, remember that you will need to arrange a passport for your baby when flying internationally.

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A birth certificate or passport as proof of the child's age. The adult's government-issued photo ID with their current address. Your phone number so we can contact you. The name, address and phone number of the adult meeting your child at their destination.

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We recommend a signed and notarized consent letter from the child's parent or parents, such as our Child Travel Consent Form. Be sure to include the child's name, the companion's name, the dates of travel, the destination, the parents' names and contact information, and a statement of permission from the parents.

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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 parent or guardian must escort an Unaccompanied Minor to the departure gate 45 minutes before scheduled departure and must remain in the gate area until the flight is in the air.

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The minimum age for children to travel alone as adults paying adult fares varies: Kids have to be 12 years old to fly alone on domestic flights with Hawaiian, Southwest, Air Canada, and WestJet; 13 years old on Alaska; 14 years old to fly as an adult on JetBlue; and 15 years old on Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, ...

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