Unaccompanied Minors Policy With United Airlines

 Unaccompanied minors

Letting your kids fly alone can be scary, both for you and them.

United unaccompanied minor service is required for kids 5-14, and optional for those 15-17, who are traveling alone.

United unaccompanied minor service is required for kids 5-14 years old who are flying alone or with someone under 18. Here are the important things to know about how the policy works:

• Your kids must be booked on a nonstop United or United Express flight.
• If your kids are under five, they don’t qualify for this service and must fly with you or another adult who is at least 18.
• If your kids are 15-17, they can travel alone without using this service, but you can use it if you want to.

There is a fee for our unaccompanied minor service. The fee is different depending on how many kids are flying and if it’s a roundtrip.

Number of kids traveling	One-way fee	Roundtrip fee
1-2	$150	$300
3-4	$300	$600
5-6	$450	$900

During booking you’ll tell us who’s dropping your kids off and picking them up from the airport. 

Traveler pro tips

Even if your kids have flown alone before, we have a few tips to make sure they’re prepared:

• Write down any phone numbers they may need, including yours and the adult meeting them on the other end of their flight.
• Make sure they know to wait on the plane for a United team member to walk with them.
• If your kids have a tablet or phone, make sure it’s fully charged in case they aren’t sitting next to an outlet.
• If your kids are flying internationally, they might have to fill out a US Customs & Border Protection Form before going through customs. This form will be handed out during their flight, so write down the information they may need ahead of time.

At the airport

There are a few steps you’ll need to take at the airport to make sure your kids get on the plane safely. For starters, make sure you arrive 30 minutes earlier than the minimum required check-in time.

On the plane

We’ll check on your kids throughout their flight. Flight attendants are just a call button away if they need anything.

Upon arrival

Once your kids get to the arrival airport, they should wait on the plane for an agent to come get them. We’ll then bring your kids to the person picking them up, whether it’s you or someone else. How that works depends on if they’re flying domestically or internationally.

Domestic flights

If they don’t have to go through customs, you must get a gate pass at the ticket counter to go through security and pick up your kids at their arrival gate. You’ll need to be at the gate 30 minutes before their arrival time.

International flights

If they have to go through customs, you can meet your kids in the arrivals area of the airport once they’ve finished that process. You’ll need to be at the airport 30 minutes before their arrival time.