When you book the flight, make sure that you personally notify the airline that your child will be flying alone. This means that although you may purchase tickets online, you'll need to make an additional phone call directly to the airline to state that the passenger is an unaccompanied minor.
- Children ages 5 and older can usually fly unaccompanied by an adult passenger.
- However, children ages 5-8 may not be allowed to take connecting flights on their own.
- Children over 8 years old may be able to take a connecting flight, but you should be prepared for a significant airline surcharge for the additional service of having airline personnel escort your child through the terminal.
To be safe, plan to make that call before you purchase the ticket online, so that you can be well informed of any surcharges the airline may apply for unaccompanied minor passengers.
Tip: To compare flights and scout out ticket prices, use kayak.com, which allows you to compare flights and prices offered through all the major discount travel companies.
