An unaccompanied minor is a child between the ages of 5 and 14 who travel without a parent or a guardian.
An unaccompanied minor does not typically need to show ID, however, adults accompanying the minor through the airport do need to bring their own IDs to complete the process.
To send an unaccompanied minor by plane, parents need to do the unaccompanied minor booking. To do the booking, parents need to fill a form detailing the child's name, age, and other relevant information. Unaccompanied minor fee is applied on such bookings. After filling the details and paying the fees, one parent or guardian will receive a special pass that will allow him/her to get through the security checkpoint. After the check-point, the child is escorted by the airline staff.
If the child is from 5 to 14 years of age and traveling alone, he/she has to book unaccompanied minor service. Children from 14 to 17 years of age can also apply for unaccompanied minor service but for them, the service is optional not mandatory.
Yes, a 6-year-old can fly alone by taking unaccompanied minor service
Some of the major airlines offering UNMR service are American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, and United Airlines. These airlines offer this service to children who are from 5-14 years of age and are traveling alone. It is a paid service for which parent or guardian needs to fill a form requesting for the same. Most of these airlines do not allow unaccompanied minors to travel on connecting flights. However, the rules may differ depending on the airline; for example, Spirit Airlines allows unaccompanied minors to travel only on domestic direct flights. In many airlines, UNMR service request can also be made for unaccompanied children from 14-17 years of age.
Airlines charge anywhere from $50 to $150 each way as the unaccompanied minor fee. The exact amount depends on the airline, the age of the child, and whether the flight involves connections. Few airlines charge fees per child, while few will allow multiple children to travel together under a single fee.
You can call 1-888-315-5760 to speak with a customer service representative and make an unaccompanied minor booking.