How young is too young to fly alone in CA? See rules for children traveling solo
Sending your kids to visit Grandma, but can’t travel with them?
Most major airlines allow children to fly without a parent or guardian through unaccompanied minors policies at airports, including in California.
How young is too young for kids to fly by themselves? And which services do air carriers provide for children traveling without adults?
Here’s what to know:
What is an unaccompanied minor?
An unaccompanied minor is any child traveling on an airplane by themselves, with assistance from the airline, according to 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 agency said on its website.
This can include guiding children from their departure gate onto the plane, and then handing them over to an adult picking them up at their destination.
Flight attendants may even check on your kids throughout their flight.
“Once your kids get to the arrival airport, they should wait on the plane for an agent to come get them,” United Airlines said on its website. “We’ll then bring your kids to the person picking them up, whether it’s you or someone else.
How old do kids have to be to fly alone?
Children must be at least 5 years old to board a plane by themselves, according to the U.S. Transportation Department.
“Kids ages 5 through 11 who are flying alone must usually travel pursuant to special ‘unaccompanied minor’ procedures,” the federal Transportation Department said on its website.
“On many carriers, children 5 through 7 will only be accepted for nonstop flights,” the agency said, while “kids ages 8 and up can usually take connecting flights as well as direct or ‘through’ flights.”
When can my child travel by themselves without help?
Most airlines allow children 15 or older to fly alone on domestic flights without any unaccompanied minor procedures, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
In some cases, kids as young as 12 can travel by themselves without special help from airline employees.
“When a child has reached this minimum age for traveling alone without unaccompanied minor procedures, the airline does not require evidence of parental permission to travel alone,” the U.S. Transportation Department said.
“If the child has a passport, he or she can even travel internationally,” the federal transportation agency said.
What are airline policies for unaccompanied minors?
Here are the unaccompanied minor policies for major airlines operating in California, including age limits, costs and the kind of identification your child will need.
Policies may differ by carrier, so check before you book your flight.
American Airlines
Who can use unaccompanied minor service? Children ages 5 to 14 on domestic and international flights.
Type of ID needed: Child’s birth certificate or a passport to show proof of age, plus the ID of the adult accompanying the child. Grownups must also provide a phone number, as well as the name, address and phone number of the adult meeting the child at their destination airport.
Who can accompany the child? The child’s parents or a legal guardian who’s at least 16 years old. An escort with the airline will help children to the gate for connecting flights, if any, and hand them off to the adult picking them up.
How much it costs: $150 each way, which also covers the cost per child. Service is optional for teenagers age 15 to 17, with $150 fee still applying.
Alaska Airlines
Who can use unaccompanied minor service? Children ages 5 to 17 on domestic and international flights.
Type of ID needed: Child’s birth certificate or a passport to show proof of age, plus the ID of the adult accompanying the child. Grownups must also provide a phone number, as well as the name, address and phone number of the adult meeting the child at their destination airport.
Who can accompany the child? The child’s parents or a legal guardian with an escort pass. An escort with the airline will help children to the gate and to the adult meeting them after the flight has arrived.
How much it costs: $50 each way per minor for nonstop flights; $75 each way per minor for connecting flights.
Southwest Airlines
Who can use unaccompanied minor service? Children ages 5 to 11 on domestic flights only.
Type of ID needed: Proof of age, such as a birth certificate, plus the ID of the adult accompanying the child. The adult dropping off the child must provide their name, address, phone number and relationship to the child, as well as those for the person picking up the child and an alternate contact at the destination.
Who can accompany the child? The child’s parents or a legal guardian. Southwest also allows children between 5 and 11 to fly without adults when accompanied with a child between 12 and 17, an age range classified as ”young travelers flying alone.”
How much it costs: $100 one-way per child for the service.
Delta Air Lines
Who can use unaccompanied minor service? Children ages 5 to 14 on domestic and international flights.
Type of ID needed: Proof of the child’s age, such as a birth certificate or passport, plus the ID of the adult accompanying the child. The accompanying adult must provide their phone number and the name, address and phone number of the adult meeting the child.
Children ages 15 to 17 who fly without Delta’s unaccompanied minor service must provide a valid photo ID.
Who can accompany the child: The child’s parents or a legal guardian who is at least 18 years old. The accompanying adult must remain at the gate until the child has boarded. An escort with the airline will help the child to the gate for connecting flights, if any, and to the adult meeting them at their destination.
How much it costs: $150 each way for up to four children.
United Airlines
Who can use unaccompanied minor service? Children ages 5 to 14 on nonstop United or United Express domestic and international flights. United will select your child’s seat within 72 hours after booking the flight.
Type of ID needed: Proof of the child’s age, such as a birth certificate or passport, plus the ID of the adult accompanying the child. The accompanying adult must also provide their phone number and the name, address and phone number of the adult meeting the child.
Who can accompany the child? The child’s parents or a legal guardian at least 18 years old. The accompanying adult must remain at the gate until the child has boarded. An airline escort will help your child to the gate for connecting flights, and to the adult meeting them at their destination.
How much it costs: $150 each way for up to two children, $300 for three to four minors, and $450 for five to six minors.
What are California airport rules for children traveling alone?
All airports, including Sacramento International Airport and Fresno Yosemite International Airport, advise travelers to check with the specific airline your child is flying with for unaccompanied minors protocols and requirements.
Tips for children flying alone
The U.S. Department of Transportation offers these tips for parents or guardians whose children are flying as unaccompanied minors:
Arrange your schedule so you can wait with your child at the airport in case of a delay or cancellation.
Get to the airport a couple of hours before departure. Adults should have a government-issued photo ID.
Request a gate pass in advance so you can accompany your child through security and to the gate.
Bring a copy of the child’s itinerary with flight numbers.
- Bring a copy of the child’s birth certificate
- Bring a paper ticket if one was issued.
- Make sure the child understands their itinerary.
Make sure the child’s carry-on bag contains a snack (be alert to security restrictions on liquids), a copy of the itinerary, the child’s name (in case the carry-on bag is lost), phone numbers, essentials such as eyeglasses and medicines and cash for a meal.
- Bring a government-issued photo ID when picking up the child.
- The airline will only release the child to the person named on the unaccompanied minor form. Don’t send someone else at the last minute.
- Double-check your child’s arrival gate on an airport monitor.
This story was originally published June 4, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "How young is too young to fly alone in CA? See rules for children traveling solo."
