Delta unaccompanied minor: ages, fee and rules
Delta requires its unaccompanied minor service for children aged 5 to 14, and offers it as an option for ages 15 to 17. The fee is $150 each way and covers up to 4 children traveling together. Children aged 4 or younger cannot fly alone. To book, Delta says to call Reservations.
- Ages 5 to 14: the service is mandatory. Ages 15 to 17: optional.
- $150 each way, on top of the adult fare. It covers up to 4 children traveling together.
- Ages 5 to 7 fly on some nonstop flights only. Ages 8 to 14 can also take some connecting flights.
- No red-eye flights (9 p.m. to 5 a.m.) and not on the last connecting flight of the day, with a few exceptions.
- An adult must stay at the gate until the flight has left the ground.
Published 27 Oct 2026 · Updated 27 Oct 2026 · Rules checked 27 Oct 2026 on delta.com. Airlines change rules, so confirm with the airline before you book.
What ages does the Delta unaccompanied minor service cover?
Delta's program is for children aged 5 to 17 who travel alone or are not in the same cabin as an adult. Enrollment is mandatory for ages 5 to 14. For ages 15 to 17 it is optional: parents or guardians can enroll the young person, or let them travel as an adult.
Children aged 4 or younger cannot fly alone. Delta says they must be accompanied by a passenger at least 18 years old.
| Age | Unaccompanied minor service | Flights allowed |
|---|---|---|
| 4 or younger | Cannot fly alone. Must be accompanied by a passenger at least 18 years old. | Not applicable |
| 5 to 7 | Mandatory | Some nonstop flights only |
| 8 to 14 | Mandatory | Some nonstop and connecting flights |
| 15 to 17 | Optional. The child can travel as an adult if the parents prefer; if they enroll the child, the fee applies. | Nonstop and connecting flights, if enrolled |
How much does Delta charge for an unaccompanied minor?
The fee is $150 each way (USD, CAD or EUR; CAD and EUR apply when departing Canada or Europe). It covers up to 4 children, such as siblings, traveling together, and it is added to the ticketed adult fare. It applies to domestic and international, nonstop and connecting flights. You can pay it one-way or round-trip at check-in, or in advance by calling.
When a partner airline is the first carrier on that one-way journey, Delta says the partner airline's fees apply.
Which Delta flights can an unaccompanied minor take?
Delta sets these limits:
- Delta and Delta Connection flights only, domestic and international. Connections are limited to other Delta, Delta Connection, Air France and KLM flights.
- Ages 5 to 7: some nonstop flights only. Ages 8 to 14: some nonstop and connecting flights.
- Not on the last connecting flight of the day, unless the market has only one flight a day.
- Not on red-eye flights, which Delta defines as flights between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Exceptions apply only when no qualifying connection exists for international flights, connections to or from them, or markets with one flight a day.
- The child must be ticketed on an adult fare.
- International travel is possible, but restrictions may apply by country and for travel on other airlines.
What happens at the airport when a child flies alone on Delta?
An adult aged 18 or over must go through check-in with the child and take the child to the departure gate. That adult stays until the flight has left the ground. At check-in the adult shows a physical photo ID (digital ID is not accepted) to get a gate pass, and gives an address, a phone number and the name, address and phone number of the adult who will meet the child.
Delta puts a wristband on the child and hands over a package of boarding documents. A Delta employee boards the child before general boarding, introduces them to the flight attendants, helps with seating and explains the safety features. Delta recommends seating the child at the rear of the aircraft, near a flight attendant.
At the destination Delta releases the child only to the person named at check-in, who shows valid photo ID and signs. Delta advises arriving two hours before the scheduled arrival to get a gate pass. To change the pickup person, the adult must call Delta.
How do you book a Delta unaccompanied minor?
Delta takes unaccompanied minor bookings by phone (Reservations), where you also confirm eligibility. No online option is listed. The adult who makes the reservation gives a 4-digit PIN, which is needed for any itinerary change.
Is a personal flight companion the better choice if the Delta 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. That helps most when:
- Your child is 4 or younger. Delta does not let a child that age fly alone, and a companion is the adult who travels with them.
- Your route is outside Delta's rules. Ages 5 to 7 are limited to some nonstop flights, connections run only on Delta, Delta Connection, Air France and KLM, and red-eye and last-connection flights are excluded.
- Nobody can be at both airports. Delta needs an adult at the departure gate until the plane leaves the ground and a named adult with ID at the other end.
- Your traveler is a parent or grandparent. Delta's service is for children; a Flight Companion also travels with older relatives.
We match you with a companion based in the country you choose. A companion can also fly in from another country; you then cover their travel costs. A companion costs more than Delta's $150 fee. Airport Escort is $450 per airport, Flight Companion is $2,450 plus the companion's ticket at cost, and Door to door starts at $4,950. If your child's trip fits Delta's rules, Delta'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: American Airlines 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 is the minimum age for a child to fly alone on Delta?
Children aged 4 or younger cannot fly alone on Delta: they must be accompanied by a passenger at least 18 years old. The unaccompanied minor service starts at age 5 (checked 27 October 2026).
When is the Delta unaccompanied minor service mandatory?
For children aged 5 to 14. For ages 15 to 17 it is optional: parents or guardians can enroll the young person, or let them travel as an adult.
How much is the Delta unaccompanied minor fee?
$150 each way, in addition to the adult fare. It covers up to 4 children traveling together. CAD and EUR amounts apply when departing Canada or Europe. You can pay at check-in, one-way or round-trip, or in advance by calling Delta.
Can an unaccompanied minor take a connecting flight on Delta?
Ages 8 to 14 can take some nonstop and connecting flights; ages 5 to 7 only some nonstop flights. Connections are limited to Delta, Delta Connection, Air France and KLM flights. Not allowed: the last connecting flight of the day (unless the market has one flight a day) and red-eye flights between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Can I book a Delta unaccompanied minor online?
Delta takes unaccompanied minor bookings by phone (Reservations). No online option is listed. The adult who reserves gives a 4-digit PIN, needed for any itinerary change.
Who can pick up a child at the end of a Delta flight?
Only the person named at check-in. That person shows valid photo ID and signs, and Delta will not release the child to anyone else. To change the pickup person, the adult who checked the child in must call Delta.
Can a child fly alone on an international Delta flight?
Delta says international unaccompanied minor travel is possible, but restrictions may apply based on country requirements or travel on other airlines. Contact Delta Reservations for details before you book.
Can a personal companion fly with my child instead of the Delta service?
Yes. A Flight Companion flies on 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. Delta decides whether your child then counts as accompanied, so confirm that with Delta before you book, along with any papers the route needs. We match you with a companion 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
- Delta: Unaccompanied Minor program: delta.com, checked 27 October 2026
Published 27 Oct 2026, updated 27 Oct 2026. Back to unaccompanied minor flights or the Flight Companion home page.