Children flying alone
There is no single rule for a child who travels alone: the unaccompanied minor service is set by each airline, and the ages, the flights allowed and the paperwork all differ. What every airline needs is the same: a form for the child, proof of age, the adults' contact details, and who will meet the child on arrival.
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Updated October 2026
What the unaccompanied minor service is
An unaccompanied minor service is the airline's own procedure for a child who flies without an adult. There are no United States rules about it: the Department of Transportation says plainly that there are no Department of Transportation regulations concerning travel by unaccompanied minors, but that the airlines have specific procedures to protect the well-being of youngsters flying by themselves.
What the service usually covers is the same everywhere: the child checks in at the ticket counter instead of online, an airline employee takes them through the airport to the gate and hands them over to the flight crew, the crew looks after them during the flight, and an airline employee meets them at the gate on arrival and hands them to the adult you named. It is a hand-off at every step, not supervision: the flight attendants check on a child as their duties allow, but they cannot watch them continuously.
The rules differ by airline
The ages a child can travel alone, the flights allowed and the paperwork are each airline's own, so the airline you fly is the only place to check. Three examples from the airlines' own pages:
- American Airlines: children from 5 to 14 travelling alone must use the unaccompanied minor service, and it is optional for those from 15 to 17.
- United Airlines: the service is required for children from 5 to 14 and optional for those from 15 to 17 who are travelling alone.
- Avianca: passengers aged 14 or younger must travel with their parents or a responsible adult over 18, on domestic and international flights, or they are denied boarding. Avianca does not provide the unaccompanied minor service on any of its routes, so a child of that age simply cannot travel with them alone.
The Department of Transportation's own booklet sets out the broad pattern across United States airlines: children under 5 must always be accompanied by someone at least 12 flying in the same cabin, children from 5 to 7 can usually travel alone on nonstop and direct or through flights, children from 8 can usually take connecting flights, and some airlines do not require the unaccompanied procedures for children from 12 or over on domestic flights, while many carriers do require them on international flights. On a booking with more than one airline, each carrier's own rules apply to its own flights.
What the adult brings to drop-off
A child who travels alone cannot check in online or at a kiosk: the check-in has to be done at the ticket counter, in person, with the adult. Arrive early for it. American Airlines asks for at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure, and the Department of Transportation's booklet suggests one or two hours for a domestic flight and two hours or more for an international one.
What you hand over at the counter:
- The unaccompanied minor form, filled in, which stays with the child for the whole journey.
- Proof of the child's age: a birth certificate or a passport.
- Your own government-issued photo ID.
- Your phone number, so the airline can reach you.
- The name, the address and the phone number of the adult who will meet the child at the destination.
- Copies of the child's passport, and of the birth certificate if the child might appear younger than the airline's age limit.
You are also given a pass to go through security with the child to the gate, and on a flight from the United States the adult walks the child all the way. Stay at the airport until the flight has taken off, because the aircraft sometimes has to come back to the gate, and the gate agent can tell you when it is airborne.
What happens at pick-up
On arrival the child is met at the gate by an airline employee, who hands them over to the adult you named and who does not release the child to anyone else. The adult meeting the child has to show photo ID, and airlines typically give a gate pass so they can get to the gate to wait.
The person meeting the child should be at the gate before the flight lands, check the screens because the gate changes, and bring the child's itinerary and the birth certificate copy. Make sure they go to the right airport, because some cities have more than one.
International trips and the consent letter
For an international trip the child usually needs the same passport, visa or entry document as an adult, and the airline and the travel agent are not responsible for checking that a child has what is required. Certain countries require a child leaving without both parents, or without a legal guardian, to carry a letter of consent, in some cases notarised, so check the embassy or consulate of the destination country before you book.
Avianca asks passengers travelling with a minor on an international flight to visit the airline's counters at the departure airport, at least 3 hours before departure, so the documents can be reviewed before going to the gate, and to confirm the entry and exit requirements with the immigration authority of each country. Ask your airline what it needs for the route you are flying.
Sources
- When Kids Fly Alone, of the U.S. Department of Transportation: there are no Department of Transportation regulations concerning travel by unaccompanied minors, but the airlines have specific procedures to protect the well-being of youngsters flying by themselves. The booklet summarizes some of the most common airline policies, and these policies may differ, so you should check with the carrier you plan to use. — transportation.gov (checked 21 October 2026)
- The booklet itself, of the same agency: children under 5 must always be accompanied by someone at least 12 years old flying in the same cabin; kids ages 5 to 7 can usually travel alone on nonstop and direct or through flights; ages 8 and up can usually take connecting flights; and on domestic flights some airlines do not require unaccompanied minor procedures for children 12 and over, while many carriers require them on international flights. It also says that airlines and travel agents are not responsible for ensuring that a child has the required international travel documents, and that certain countries require children leaving without both parents or a legal guardian to have a letter of consent, in some cases notarized. — transportation.gov (checked 21 October 2026)
- Children traveling alone, of American Airlines: for safety, children age 5 to 14 traveling alone must use the unaccompanied minor service, and it is optional for children age 15 to 17. At check-in the parents or guardians must fill out an unaccompanied minor form, which stays with the child, and provide a birth certificate or passport as proof of the child's age, their own government-issued ID, their phone number, and the name, address and phone number of the adult meeting the child at the destination. A child alone cannot check in online or at a kiosk, and the adult must arrive at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure. — aa.com (checked 21 October 2026)
- Unaccompanied minors, of United Airlines: the service is required for kids 5 to 14 and optional for those 15 to 17 who are travelling alone. During booking you tell the airline who is dropping the kids off and who is picking them up, and the airline selects their seats. The child has to check in at the airport ticket counter, where they are given a special wristband and an envelope for their travel documents, and for a flight from a United States airport the adult is given a security pass to go through to the gate with the child. — united.com (checked 21 October 2026)
- What are the requirements for a minor to travel, in the help centre of Avianca: passengers aged 14 or younger must travel with their parents or a responsible adult over 18 on both domestic and international flights, otherwise they are denied boarding, and the airline does not provide the unaccompanied minor or recommended minor service on any of its routes. It also says the minimum age for an unaccompanied minor to travel varies according to each airline, and that if you have connecting flights, the unaccompanied minor handling policies of each airline apply. — ayuda.avianca.com (checked 21 October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What is the unaccompanied minor service?
It is the airline's own procedure for a child who flies alone: check-in at the ticket counter, an employee taking the child to the gate and handing them to the crew, and an employee meeting them at the gate on arrival to hand them to the adult you named. There are no United States rules about it; each airline sets its own.
How old does a child have to be to fly alone?
It depends on the airline, and the answer changes. American Airlines requires the service from 5 to 14, United Airlines requires it from 5 to 14, and Avianca does not carry unaccompanied minors at all, so a child of 14 or under cannot travel with them alone. Check the airline you are flying with.
What do I have to bring when I drop my child off?
The unaccompanied minor form, which stays with the child, proof of the child's age such as a birth certificate or passport, your own government-issued photo ID, your phone number, and the name, address and phone number of the adult meeting the child at the destination. A child who travels alone cannot check in online or at a kiosk.
What does the person picking up my child need?
Photo ID, and usually a gate pass so they can get to the gate to wait before the flight lands. They should know which airport the child is arriving at, and bring a copy of the itinerary and of the birth certificate.
Does my child need a letter of consent to travel alone internationally?
Certain countries require a child leaving without both parents or a legal guardian to carry a letter of consent, in some cases notarised, and the child usually needs the same passport or visa as an adult. Check the embassy or consulate of the destination country before you book.