Children ages five through 11 traveling without an accompanying Passenger age 12 or older must travel as Unaccompanied Minors (UMs) on Southwest Airlines.
Unaccompanied Minors are not monitored continuously throughout the travel. Only children with sufficient maturity to travel with limited adult supervision may travel as an Unaccompanied Minor on Southwest Airlines.
Southwest Airlines will charge $50 each way ($100 roundtrip) in addition to the air fare per child for Unaccompanied Minors to travel.
Unaccompanied Minor charges are refundable. If you cancel your reservation and your Unaccompanied Minor does not travel, if your flight is canceled and you choose not to rebook, or if the child is joined by an accompanying passenger age 12 or older and is no longer an Unaccompanied Minor, contact Southwest at 1-800-I-FLY-SWA (1-800-435-9792) or visit the airport ticket counter to process your refund.
Purchaser represents that he/she is either the parent or guardian of the minor child or has authority to act on behalf of the parent or guardian.
All required information in this booking process must be completed and accurate in order to facilitate the transfer of the Unaccompanied Minor between designated parties.
Southwest Airlines reserves the right not to transport Unaccompanied Minors on flights that may be diverted or cancelled due to weather or other operational disruptions.
Proof of age in the form of a birth certificate or other form of valid identification for the child is required upon check-in at the ticket counter in order to travel as an Unaccompanied Minor.
A parent or guardian must be present and show a valid government-issued photo ID to a Southwest Representative when checking in or picking up an Unaccompanied Minor.
Unaccompanied Minors are allowed to travel on only nonstop or same-plane service (makes one or two stops but does not require a change of planes or flight number).
Southwest Airlines does not provide Unaccompanied Minor service to/from international destinations.
Additional Unaccompanied Minor Info for Travel to Hawaii: Flights between the U.S. Mainland and Hawaii are subject to specific procedures for transportation of animals and plants, inspection of checked and carryon baggage, and State of Hawaii documentation requirements. The parent/guardian of an Unaccompanied Minor (UM) or Young Traveler (YT) must complete the Plants and Animals Declaration Form at the departure gate prior to the UM or YT boarding the aircraft. Once completed, the form will be placed in the front pocket of the UM lanyard or retained by the YT until it is collected during the flight prior to landing, as applicable.

Only trained service dogs assisting Customers with disabilities are permitted to travel with Customers. No other animals are permitted on flights between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii. Southwest Airlines does not transport pets to or from Hawaii. For more information about travel to/from Hawaii, please visit our dedicated Hawaii travel page.
A parent or guardian must escort an Unaccompanied Minor to the departure gate 45 minutes before scheduled departure and must remain in the gate area until the flight is in the air.
Prior to departure, a designated Southwest Representative will announce preboarding for Unaccompanied Minors. It is the responsibility of the drop-off parent/guardian to present the Unaccompanied Minor as directed in order to board the flight.
Once seated, a Flight Attendant will visually observe and/or communicate with an Unaccompanied Minor periodically as other duties allow, but Unaccompanied Minors are not monitored continuously throughout the flight.
Southwest Airlines personnel will not take Unaccompanied Minors out of the airport before or after their designated flight departs/arrives.
Southwest Airlines does not assume responsibility for an Unaccompanied Minor's actions. THE PURCHASER AGREES TO INDEMNIFY, HOLD HARMLESS, AND FULLY RELEASE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES FOR ANY AND ALL INJURY OR DAMAGES TO PROPERTY OR PERSONS CAUSED BY OR INCURRED AS A RESULT OF AN UNACCOMPANIED MINOR'S ACTIONS, INCLUDING INJURIES TO THE UNACCOMPANIED MINOR CAUSED BY HIS OR HER OWN NEGLIGENCE.
Parents and guardians picking up an Unaccompanied Minor should be at the gate 45 minutes prior to scheduled arrival and present a valid government-issued photo ID to the designated Southwest Representative in order to facilitate the transfer of the Unaccompanied Minor between the designated parties.
Southwest will not release an Unaccompanied Minor to anyone other than the designated parent or guardian. It is the parent's/guardian's responsibility to ensure changes of the designated pick-up parent/guardian are arranged with a Southwest Representative at a Southwest Airlines ticket counter prior to the child's arrival.
Should the Unaccompanied Minor's travel be disrupted or should the person(s) designated fail to meet the Unaccompanied Minor upon arrival at the destination airport, Southwest Airlines is authorized to take whatever action is reasonable and necessary under the circumstances. The parent or guardian agrees to reimburse Southwest Airlines for its expenses incurred in taking such action.
If these Terms and Conditions are not met, Southwest Airlines reserves the right not to provide travel to the Unaccompanied Minor.

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