Southwest unaccompanied minor: ages, fee and rules
Southwest allows children aged 5 through 11 to fly as unaccompanied minors. The fee is $100 each way for each child on the US mainland, and $35 each way between the Hawaiian Islands. Flights must be nonstop or have a stop without a change of planes. Connecting and international flights are not allowed.
- Ages 5 through 11 can travel as an unaccompanied minor.
- $100 each way per child on the US mainland. $35 each way between the Hawaiian Islands.
- Nonstop flights, or flights with a stop that needs no change of planes. No connecting itineraries.
- No international flights, and no Getaways by Southwest vacation packages.
- Book online, at the ticket counter or by phone. The drop-off adult stays at the gate until the flight is airborne.
Published 27 Oct 2026 · Updated 27 Oct 2026 · Rules checked 27 Oct 2026 on support.southwest.com, southwest.com and support.southwest.com. Airlines change rules, so confirm with the airline before you book.
What age can a child fly alone on Southwest?
Southwest allows children aged 5 through 11 to travel as an unaccompanied minor. Southwest says only children with enough maturity to travel with limited adult supervision should do so.
Southwest treats children aged 12 through 17 who fly alone as Young Travelers, and says its unaccompanied minor procedures do not apply to them. Southwest's pages say nothing about flying alone for children under 5, so ask Southwest before you book.
| Case | Allowed? | Detail from Southwest |
|---|---|---|
| Ages 5 through 11 | Yes | Children with enough maturity to travel with limited adult supervision |
| Ages 12 through 17 | Not as an unaccompanied minor | Southwest calls them Young Travelers; its unaccompanied minor procedures do not apply |
| Nonstop flight | Yes | The reservation must be on a nonstop flight |
| Flight with a stop | Yes, if no change of planes | A stop that does not require a change of planes |
| Connecting itinerary | No | Not permitted |
| International flight | No | Not permitted to or from international destinations |
| Getaways by Southwest package | No | Not permitted |
How much does a Southwest unaccompanied minor cost?
Southwest charges a fee in each direction, per child: each child on a reservation needs their own fee for each direction. The amounts are on Southwest's Optional Travel Charges page: $100 one-way per child (ages 5 to 11) on the US mainland, and $35 one-way between the Hawaiian Islands.
Which Southwest flights can an unaccompanied minor take?
Southwest sets three limits on the child's reservation:
- It must be a nonstop flight, or a flight with a stop that does not require a change of planes.
- No international flights: Southwest does not permit unaccompanied minors to fly to or from international destinations.
- No connecting itineraries and no Getaways by Southwest vacation packages.
How do you book a Southwest unaccompanied minor?
Book online at Southwest.com, at the ticket counter with a Southwest employee, or by phone. Several children can travel on the same reservation. Have ready the name, relationship, address and phone numbers (with area code) of the drop-off person, the pickup person and an alternate person at the destination.
On a Basic fare Southwest assigns the child a seat at check-in, which opens 24 hours before the original scheduled departure. On Choice, Choice Preferred or Choice Extra fares you can pick a seat for the child, or buy one if available.
What happens at the airport when a child flies alone on Southwest?
At drop-off, the adult gets a gate pass at the ticket counter with a valid photo ID and a copy of the child's itinerary, and arrives at the gate at least 45 minutes before the original scheduled departure. The completed unaccompanied minor form goes into a lanyard the child wears for the whole flight. A Southwest employee escorts the child onto the aircraft before general boarding, and the drop-off adult must stay in the gate area until the flight is airborne.
At pickup, the adult gets a gate pass with a valid photo ID and a copy of the itinerary, and is at the gate at least 45 minutes before the scheduled arrival. The child waits to be escorted off by a Southwest employee and stays with them until custody passes to the pickup person.
Flight attendants check on the child periodically but do not monitor them continuously. The drop-off and pickup persons must be available by phone during the flight in case of a flight irregularity.
Is a personal flight companion the better choice if the Southwest 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. Unlike Southwest's service, a companion can:
- Cross what Southwest rules out. Southwest does not allow connecting itineraries or international flights for unaccompanied minors. A companion can travel with your child through a connection and on an international flight.
- Travel with someone outside ages 5 through 11. Southwest's service covers those ages only; a Flight Companion also travels with older children, parents and grandparents.
- Cover both airports. The drop-off adult has to stay at the gate until the flight is airborne, and a named adult has to be at the gate 45 minutes before arrival.
- Be on the flight with your child. Southwest says its flight attendants check on the child periodically but do not monitor continuously.
The companion is based in the country you choose. One from another country can fly in, and you then cover their travel costs. Airport Escort is $450 per airport; Flight Companion is $2,450 plus the companion's ticket at cost; Door to door starts at $4,950. For a child aged 5 to 11 on a nonstop flight inside the US, Southwest's $100 fee 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, American Airlines 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 Southwest?
Southwest allows children aged 5 through 11 to travel as an unaccompanied minor, and says only children with enough maturity to travel with limited adult supervision should do so. Southwest treats children aged 12 through 17 who fly alone as Young Travelers, not unaccompanied minors. For a child under 5, Southwest's pages say nothing about flying alone, so ask Southwest.
How much is the Southwest unaccompanied minor fee?
$100 one-way per child (ages 5 to 11) on the US mainland, and $35 one-way between the Hawaiian Islands, as listed on Southwest's Optional Travel Charges page. Each child on a reservation needs their own charge for each direction.
Can an unaccompanied minor take a connecting flight on Southwest?
No. The reservation must be on a nonstop flight or on a flight with a stop that does not require a change of planes. Connecting itineraries and Getaways by Southwest vacation packages are not permitted.
Can a child fly alone on an international Southwest flight?
No. Southwest does not permit unaccompanied minors to fly to or from international destinations.
How do I book a Southwest unaccompanied minor?
Online at Southwest.com, at the ticket counter with a Southwest employee, or by phone. Several children can travel on the same reservation. Have the name, relationship, address and phone numbers of the drop-off person, the pickup person and an alternate person ready.
What does the adult do at the airport when a child flies alone on Southwest?
Get a gate pass at the ticket counter with a valid photo ID and a copy of the itinerary, be at the gate at least 45 minutes before the original scheduled departure, and give the gate agent the completed unaccompanied minor form. The form goes into a lanyard the child wears for the whole flight. The adult must stay in the gate area until the flight is airborne.
Who picks up a child at the end of a Southwest flight?
The pickup person gets a gate pass at the ticket counter with a valid photo ID and a copy of the itinerary, and is at the gate at least 45 minutes before the scheduled arrival. A Southwest employee escorts the child off the aircraft and stays with them until custody passes to the pickup person.
Can a personal companion fly with my child instead of the Southwest service?
Yes, and on Southwest that is the way around its limits: unaccompanied minors cannot take connecting itineraries or international flights, while a Flight Companion travels with your child on both. The companion flies on the same flight and stays with your child from check-in to the handover; in the US every companion passes a background check. 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. Ask Southwest how it treats a child who flies with an adult who is not a parent.
Sources
- Southwest: Unaccompanied minors, flying alone: support.southwest.com, checked 27 October 2026
- Southwest: Optional travel charges (the fee): southwest.com, checked 27 October 2026
- Southwest: Young Travelers, ages 12 through 17: support.southwest.com, checked 27 October 2026
Published 27 Oct 2026, updated 27 Oct 2026. Back to unaccompanied minor flights or the Flight Companion home page.