Why do airlines charge for unaccompanied minors?

Most US based airlines (but not all of them) offer flights for unaccompanied minors. For a fee, the airline and its employees provide limited supervision on board flights for the child. They also help the child in making flight connections, when applicable.



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The Unaccompanied Minor Program requires a fee of $150 USD/CAD/EUR each way, with CAD and EUR used when departing Canada or Europe. This fee applies to travel within the United States and International on both nonstop and connecting flights, in addition to the ticketed adult fare.

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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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Southwest Airlines unaccompanied minor policies and fees Southwest charges a $50 fee per direction of travel per child. Children ages 5 to 11 traveling without an accompanying passenger age 12 or older are considered unaccompanied minors.

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No major U.S. airline prohibits men from sitting next to unaccompanied children. But some carriers seat the children in specific areas.

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Most commercial airlines and similar transporting carriers have Unaccompanied Minor (UM) Programs in place and it is estimated that as many as 7 million children travel by plane yearly, using these UM-programs in the United States alone.

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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).

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Some airlines automatically apply the unaccompanied-minor procedures to kids through age 17 on international flights, and charge the standard unaccompanied-minor fee if applicable. Children must usually have the same passport, visa or other international entry documentation required of adults.

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In fact, most regular airlines now charge for seat selection anyways. It's often around $10-$30 per seat per flight segment, so if you cave in and pay for that, it can add up quickly. You shouldn't do it. No matter which airline you're flying on, don't ever pay to select a seat.

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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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However, there are ways you can achieve this for free.
  1. Pick your airline carefully. ...
  2. Check-in early. ...
  3. Make a specific request. ...
  4. Ask another passenger to swap seats. ...
  5. Sit near the front or the back. ...
  6. Use a seat map. ...
  7. Choose a window seat. ...
  8. Select extra legroom.


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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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Passport and Photo I.D. Children don't usually need a passport or photo I.D. for domestic flights; however, it's not a bad idea to have photo identification for your children when you travel together. All airlines require the same documentation for children as they would for an adult on international flights.

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Southwest offers Family Boarding, which occurs after the “A” group has boarded and before the “B” group begins boarding. Up to two adults traveling with a child six years old or younger may board during Family Boarding.

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The legal parent or guardian must stay at the airport until the flight has departed. We offer priority boarding to unaccompanied minors so they can board the aircraft first.

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Upon entering the US, UMC may still experience trauma such as community violence, abuse or neglect, and/or lack of basic resources. In addition, they may face stress associated with reunification, foster placement, or entering the US school system.

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