Unaccompanied Minor Rules and Fees by Airline

Age ranges, fees, nonstop requirements, and what happens at drop-off and pick-up on the major US carriers.

By WarBird Flight editors · Updated September 16, 2026 · 2 min read

Age ranges

No US airline carries children under 5 alone. The service is mandatory from 5 to 14 on most carriers (5 to 11 on Southwest, 5 to 12 on Alaska), and optional up to 17.

Fees

A flat fee each way, charged per booking rather than per child on most airlines, so siblings traveling together pay once. Fees are typically in the range of one to two hundred dollars each way; the agent quotes the exact figure.

Flight restrictions

Younger children are limited to nonstop or direct flights. Some carriers do not allow the last flight of the day, red-eyes, or connections for any unaccompanied minor. Flights with connections, where allowed, must be on the same airline.

Book the nonstop and the earliest flight you can

The restrictions point to one rule of thumb: for an unaccompanied minor, pick the earliest nonstop of the day. A nonstop removes the biggest risk — a missed or misconnected transfer that leaves a child in an airport — and an early departure leaves room for the airline to rebound the same day if the flight cancels. That matters more here than usual, because an unaccompanied minor generally cannot be rebooked onto another airline the way an adult can when things go wrong; the service is airline-specific, so a cancellation strands the booking on that carrier's remaining flights. Avoiding the last flight of the day is both a common rule and simple prudence.

The form and the two named adults

Every carrier issues an unaccompanied-minor form at check-in that lists the adult dropping off and the adult picking up, each with a name that must match a government photo ID. The pick-up person cannot be changed on the fly without contacting the airline, so name the right adult when you book and make sure they bring ID. The drop-off adult gets a gate pass, must clear security to the gate, and has to stay until the flight is airborne, not just boarded — if it returns to the gate, the child comes back to them. Pack essentials the child controls: any medication, a charged phone or a written list of contact numbers, and a snack, all in the carry-on rather than a checked bag.

At the airport

The drop-off adult needs photo ID and a gate pass, must stay until the flight departs, and the pick-up adult must match the name on the form with ID. Call (708) 866-8751 and the agent books the ticket and the service together so nothing is missed.