American Airlines unaccompanied minor: ages, fee and rules
American Airlines requires its unaccompanied minor service for children aged 5 to 14 and offers it for ages 15 to 17. The fee is $150 each way, plus applicable taxes, and covers additional siblings on the same flight. Children aged 4 or younger cannot fly alone. Unaccompanied minors must be booked by phone.
- Ages 5 to 14: the service is required. Ages 15 to 17: optional, and the fee still applies.
- $150 each way plus applicable taxes. It covers additional siblings on the same flight.
- Ages 5 to 7: nonstop flights only. Ages 8 to 17: nonstop, or connecting through ten listed airports in nine cities.
- Not allowed: another airline (codeshare and oneworld included), overnight connections, and the last flight of the day from the final connection city.
- Booked by phone. No online or kiosk check-in; arrive at least 2 hours before departure.
Published 27 Oct 2026 · Updated 27 Oct 2026 · Rules checked 27 Oct 2026 on aa.com. Airlines change rules, so confirm with the airline before you book.
What age can a child fly alone on American Airlines?
American Airlines requires children aged 5 to 14 who travel alone to use its unaccompanied minor service. The service is optional for ages 15 to 17, and if a family asks for it, the fee applies. Children aged 4 or younger cannot fly alone.
American also lets children aged 2 to 14 travel as an “accompanied minor” with someone aged 16 or older. American does not say whether the unaccompanied minor fee applies to that, so ask American before you book.
| Age | Unaccompanied minor service | Flights allowed |
|---|---|---|
| 4 or younger | Cannot fly alone | Not applicable |
| 5 to 7 | Required. Gate escort and guardian contact required. | Nonstop flights only |
| 8 to 14 | Required. Gate escort and guardian contact required. | Nonstop, or connecting through CLT, DCA, DFW, JFK, LGA, LAX, MIA, ORD, PHL or PHX |
| 15 to 17 | Optional. If requested, the fee still applies. | Nonstop, or connecting through the same ten airports |
How much does an American Airlines unaccompanied minor cost?
The fee is $150 each way, plus applicable taxes, in addition to the ticket price. It covers additional siblings on the same flight. American notes that flights within the US are subject to a 7% tax, and it links a separate table of fees for flights departing Canada, shown in CAD.
Which flights can an unaccompanied minor take on American Airlines?
American does not allow a child to fly alone on these trips:
- Flights on another airline, including codeshare and oneworld partners.
- Connections that need a ground transfer between two airports in the same city.
- The last flight of the day from the final connection city, unless it is the only flight.
- Overnight connecting flights.
- Ages 5 to 7: nonstop only. Ages 8 to 17: nonstop, or a connection through Charlotte (CLT), Washington Reagan (DCA), Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), New York (JFK and LGA), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), Chicago (ORD), Philadelphia (PHL) or Phoenix (PHX).
How do you book an American Airlines unaccompanied minor?
Unaccompanied minors need to be booked by phone, through American Airlines Reservations. Children flying alone cannot check in online or at a kiosk.
What happens at the airport on departure and arrival?
Arrive at least 2 hours before departure and go to a ticket counter agent. You fill out an unaccompanied minor form that stays with the child, and you show a birth certificate or passport as proof of the child's age, a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or another acceptable ID such as a passport or US military ID, your phone number, and the name, address and phone number of the adult meeting the child. An adult takes the child to the departure gate and stays until the flight is airborne.
At arrival a team member brings the child to the adult, who shows ID and signs the paperwork before the child is released. American advises arriving at least 2 hours before the scheduled arrival to get a gate pass.
The service includes early boarding, kids-only lounges at ten airports in nine cities, an airport escort for connections and an escort to the authorized adult. American also says its flight attendants “can’t continuously monitor your child during their flight”.
Is a personal flight companion the better choice if the American Airlines rules do not fit?
A Flight Companion is an adult who passes a background check, flies on the same flight as your child and stays with them from check-in to the handover. A companion fits when:
- Your child is 4 or younger. American does not let a child that age fly alone. It also lets children aged 2 to 14 fly as an accompanied minor with someone aged 16 or older; ask American how your booking would be treated.
- Your route does not fit. Ages 5 to 7 are limited to nonstop flights, connections run only through ten airports in nine cities, another airline is not allowed, and overnight connections are out.
- Nobody can be at both airports. American needs an adult at the ticket counter and the gate at departure, and an adult with ID at the other end.
- Your child would be among strangers for hours. American says its flight attendants cannot continuously monitor a child; a companion is on the flight with them.
Our companions are based in the country you choose. If you prefer one from another country, they fly in and you cover their travel costs. Prices: Airport Escort $450 per airport, Flight Companion $2,450 plus the companion's ticket at cost, Door to door from $4,950. That is far more than American's $150 fee, so if your child's flights are nonstop or connect through one of its ten airports, American's service is usually all you need. See the packages and prices and our US and Europe companion service.
Request your companionRules of other airlines
Every airline sets its own ages, fees and flights. For the other big US airlines: Delta unaccompanied minor rules, Southwest unaccompanied minor rules. For six airlines side by side, with KLM, Lufthansa and British Airways, see unaccompanied minor flights: the rules.
Questions
What age can a child fly alone on American Airlines?
Children aged 4 or younger cannot fly alone. Ages 5 to 14 must use the unaccompanied minor service, and it is optional for ages 15 to 17 (the fee still applies if requested). American also lets children aged 2 to 14 travel as an accompanied minor with someone aged 16 or older; it does not say whether the fee applies to that.
How much is the American Airlines unaccompanied minor fee?
$150 each way, plus applicable taxes, on top of the ticket price. It covers additional siblings on the same flight. Flights within the US are subject to a 7% tax; for flights departing Canada the page shows the fee in CAD.
Can an unaccompanied minor take a connecting flight on American Airlines?
Ages 5 to 7: no, nonstop flights only. Ages 8 to 17 can connect through ten airports in nine cities: Charlotte, Washington Reagan, Dallas Fort Worth, New York (JFK and LGA), Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago O'Hare, Philadelphia and Phoenix. Not allowed: flights on another airline (codeshare and oneworld included), a ground transfer between two airports in the same city, the last flight of the day from the final connection city, and overnight connections.
How do I book an American Airlines unaccompanied minor?
By phone: American says unaccompanied minors need to be booked by phone. The child cannot check in online or at the kiosk; at the airport, arrive at least 2 hours before departure and speak with a ticket counter agent.
What ID and documents are needed for an American Airlines unaccompanied minor?
A birth certificate or passport as proof of the child's age, the adult's REAL ID-compliant driver's license or another acceptable ID (such as a passport or US military ID), the adult's phone number, and the name, address and phone number of the adult meeting the child. Children under 18 may need a letter of consent to travel internationally without both parents.
What does the American Airlines unaccompanied minor service include?
Early boarding, kids-only lounges at ten airports in nine cities for connections, an airport escort to the gate for connecting flights, and an escort to the authorized adult on arrival. American adds that its flight attendants cannot continuously monitor the child during the flight.
What happens if an unaccompanied minor misses a connection on American Airlines?
American says it contacts the people listed on the form and arranges a different American flight. If the child has to stay overnight, it arranges accommodation, meals and supervision. It may also decline unaccompanied minors when weather or other factors are expected to disrupt flights.
Can a personal companion fly with my child instead of the American Airlines service?
Yes. A Flight Companion boards the same flight as your child and stays with them from check-in to the handover; in the US every companion passes a background check. American lists children aged 2 to 14 as accompanied minors when they fly with someone aged 16 or older, so ask American how it treats a child who flies with an adult who is not a parent. Our companions are based in the country you choose; one from another country can fly in, and you then cover their travel costs. Prices: Airport Escort $450 per airport, Flight Companion $2,450 plus the companion's ticket at cost, Door to door from $4,950.
Sources
- American Airlines: Unaccompanied minors: aa.com, checked 27 October 2026
Published 27 Oct 2026, updated 27 Oct 2026. Back to unaccompanied minor flights or the Flight Companion home page.