.
What are Unaccompanied Minor Service Policies for International Travel Between the U.S. and Europe? Airlines vary dramatically; some have eliminated the service entirely, at least during the pandemic, while others provide it for kids as young as five years old. Note that five is generally the minimum age for airlines that do provide Unaccompanied Minor service.
Why would a child need to fly alone internationally? In our case, it's summer camp: our son got into a U.S. summer camp that will start while I still have work travel in Europe. Sometimes kids have relatives or grandparents abroad that they're visiting, while their parents have to work. Whatever the reason, a number of kids travel as unaccompanied minors each year between the U.S. and Europe, so we thought we'd summarize the current policies as of 2022 for some of the main European airlines.
- Age: Mandatory for kids ages 5-14; optional for kids ages 15-17
- Requirements: Nonstop flights on American Airlines planes only for international travel (no codeshare or oneworld partners), no overnight flights or last flight of the day
- Cost: $150 + tax each way
- Booking: Must call AA to book
- At the airport: Be prepared to complete AA's unaccompanied minor form at the airport, and bring with you: 1) birth certificate or passport as proof of the child’s age; 2) The adult’s government-issued photo ID with current address; 3) Your phone number so AA can contact you; 4) The name, address and phone number of the adult meeting your child at their destination
.
- Age: British Airways only allows kids 14 and older to travel unaccompanied
- Cost: None, because this isn't an unaccompanied minor service; the child must be independent enough to travel alone, with no escort through the airport or through security
- British Airways Parental Consent Form
.
- Age: Mandatory for kids ages 5-14; optional for kids ages 15-17
- Requirements: Travel must be on Delta, Delta Connection, Air France, or KLM flights. Travel is not permitted on the last flight of the day or on flights between 9pm-5am unless a qualifying connecting flight is not available. Kids ages 5-7 must travel only on nonstop flights.
- Cost: $150 (or EUR 150 if flight is ex-Europe) each way, for up to 4 children traveling together
- Further info: Call Delta at 800-325-8847
- Age: Mandatory for ages 5-11; optional for ages 12-17
- Requirements: Must be a an Iberia nonstop flight unless connecting in Madrid to another Iberia flight; during the connecting kids are taken to the Unaccompanied Minors Lounge.
- Cost: The cost is charged in the same currency as the ticket (including award ticket taxes). If you paid for the ticket or award ticket taxes in USD, you'll pay $145 each way for a nonstop flight, and $180 if there's a connection in Madrid.
- Booking: Call Iberia at 800-772-4642
- Iberia Unaccompanied Minor Release form
- Age: Mandatory for ages 5-11; optional for ages 12-17
- Requirements: must be a direct nonstop flight. The service isn't available for connecting flights.
- Cost: Expect to pay USD 140 each way for flights between the East Coast of the U.S. and Europe, or USD 170 each way between Europe and the West Coast
- Booking: Book by calling the Lufthansa Service Center; we recommend calling Germany during German business hours at +49 69 86 799 799
- Lufthansa Unaccompanied Minor form
Swiss
- Age: Mandatory for ages 5-11; optional for ages 12-17
- Requirements: must be a direct nonstop flight. The service isn't available for connecting flights.
- Cost: Expect to pay USD 140 each way for flights between the East Coast of the U.S. and Europe, or USD 170 each way between Europe and the West Coast
- Booking: Book by calling the SWISS Service Center listed on the Contact page
- SWISS Unaccompanied Minor form
- Age: Mandatory for kids ages 5-14; optional for kids ages 15-17
- Requirements: Nonstop flights on United Airlines planes only for international travel (no codeshare or partner flights)
- Cost: $150 each way for up to two children traveling together
- Booking: United is a rare case of providing the ability to book Unaccompanied Minor service online. Simply select the age range of your child for the passenger and make sure to change the number of adults to “0” in order to book.
- Virgin Atlantic has temporarily suspended its unaccompanied minor service, such that kids ages 5-11 may not travel unaccompanied. Kids ages 12-16 are not classified as minors and may travel unaccompanied.
Recommended Posts