Every US airline that carries children who fly without a parent has its own age limits, charges and flight restrictions. The 2015 version of this article compared a dozen airlines, including two that have since merged away (US Airways and Virgin America), and quoted fees from $25 to $150. This update uses what the airlines publish now. We could not read Alaska's pages, Spirit's help site, or United's own unaccompanied minor page, and Frontier's page did not answer the question. Those are marked below.
At a glance
| Airline | Service required for ages | Fee | Main conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| American | 5 to 14 (optional for 15 to 17) | $150 each way plus taxes | The fee covers additional siblings on the same flight. A 7% tax applies on US flights. |
| Delta | 5 to 14 (15 to 17 may opt in) | $150 each way for up to 4 children | Ages 5 to 7 may fly some nonstop flights only. Ages 8 and over may also use connecting flights. Children get a wristband and an escort, and the kids' lounge where available. |
| JetBlue | 5 to under 14 | $150 per child each way, added at booking | Nonstop flights only. No more than three unaccompanied minors on a flight. Not on flights to or from the UK or Europe, and not on bookings with other airlines. Seated at the back, not in Mint, extra legroom or preferred seats. |
| Southwest | 5 to 11 | $100 each way on the US mainland; $35 between the Hawaiian islands | Booked online, at the counter or by phone. Reservation must be on a nonstop flight or one with a stop but no change of plane. |
| Allegiant | No service offered | None | Children 14 and younger must travel with a passenger aged 15 or over on the same reservation. Ages 15 to 17 may fly alone with their own seat, no extra fee and proof of age. |
| United | 5 to 14 | A service charge applies; amount not confirmed | United's contract of carriage applies the charge when a child aged 5 to 14 flies with someone who is under 18 and is not a parent or guardian. |
What families have to do
- JetBlue: fill in the Unaccompanied Minor Form and bring three printed copies for each flight. The guardian who drops the child off must stay at the gate until the plane departs, and only the named guardian with matching photo ID can collect the child. A gate pass may be needed. The guardian's name, address and cell phone number must be on the reservation. A child who has turned 14 and flies alone is booked as an adult, although you may ask for extra help.
- JetBlue travel with an older companion: children aged 2 to 13 can be escorted by a companion aged 14 or over without the programme. If the two are on separate reservations, contact JetBlue to have the fee waived.
- Carry-on: a JetBlue unaccompanied minor may bring one carry-on that fits in the overhead bin and one personal item.
- Documents abroad: each country may need extra papers, such as a notarised permission letter.
Common rules
- No airline lets a child under 5 fly alone.
- Fees are charged each way, so a round trip costs double.
- Airlines require an adult to drop the child off and an authorised adult with photo ID to collect them.
Cost comparison
- Allegiant has no fee, but only teenagers aged 15 to 17 can use it alone.
- Southwest is the cheapest of the airlines that carry younger children, though its range is 5 to 11.
- American and Delta charge one fee for siblings flying together, which lowers the cost per child.
Airlines we could not confirm
- Alaska: its site refuses automated readers.
- Spirit: its help site did not load for us.
- Frontier: its help page lists the question "Can a child travel alone?" but the answer did not appear when we read it.
- United: we could not open its own unaccompanied minor page, so the amount of the charge is not given here.
Read the airline's own page before you book, because rules for children can change.
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