What is Unaccompanied Minor Service?
Young children traveling without a parent or legal guardian are considered to be Unaccompanied Minors. For the safety of minors traveling alone, unaccompanied minor service is available to ensure that your child is boarded onto the aircraft, introduced to the flight attendant, and turned over to the appropriate person upon arrival at their final destination.
What age does my child have to be to qualify as an Unaccompanied Minor?
The service is mandatory for children ages 5-15 traveling without an adult. Children age 16 and older are not required to travel as unaccompanied minors.
Children under 5 years of age are not allowed to travel unless accompanied by an adult.
What are the fees associated with this service?
Fee for an unaccompanied minor: $150 each way
NOTE: Two or more children who are traveling together will be assessed a single fee in each direction.
Are there any flight restrictions?
Children ages 5-15
- May travel only on United flights that are nonstop or direct. (A direct flight makes a stop without a plane change.)
- May not travel on connecting flights, but may travel on the last nonstop flight of the day.
Children age 16+ flying without unaccompanied minor service
- It is strongly recommended that teens who are not using unaccompanied minor service be confirmed on flights early in the day.
- Unanticipated delays or cancellations may disrupt flight schedules and result in missed connections. If delays result in travel being completed the following day, United may not be able to offer overnight accommodations, since many hotels will not accept minors ages 17 or younger.
How do I book this service?
If your child will be traveling with unaccompanied minor service, please book his or her travel either through United Reservations or through a travel agency.
If your unaccompanied child's reservation was booked via united.com, please contact United Reservations at 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) to ensure that essential information is entered into the computer system. Such information includes the names of individuals bringing your children to the airport and picking them up at their destination. Please have names, addresses and phone numbers handy to help expedite the call.
For more information, please visit United's policy on minors.
