Q: Can a child travel alone on an itinerary that involves a changes of planes?

No , we don’t allow Unaccompanied Minors to travel on connecting flights . Make sure the child's reservation is on a nonstop flight or a flight that makes a stop but does not require a change of planes.

Q: What time should I arrive to pick up a child?

Check S outhwest.com for the suggested airport arrival times at the child's arrival city. Arriving at this time will give you time to get your gate pass at the ticket counter and proceed through the security checkpoint to greet the child in their flight's gate area. Arrive at the gate no less than 45 minutes prior to the flight's scheduled arrival time. Check in with an Employee at the gate and let them know you’re picking up an Unaccompanied Minor. If the UM's flight is scheduled to arrive after the ticket counter and/or security checkpoint is closed, proceed to the Baggage Service Office to let the Agent know you're picking up a UM.

Question 1

How do I book a reservation for an Unaccompanied Minor (UM)?

Accepted Answer

You may book a flight for children ages five through 11 who will be traveling unaccompanied in one of the following ways:

Online at Southwest.com®: After you enter the child’s passenger information and proceed to check out, you will be asked whether they’ll be traveling with someone over the age of 12. If not, they’re considered an Unaccompanied Minor.
At our airport ticket counter or by phone: If you book a child's travel over the phone or at the airport, tell the Employee that the child on the reservation is an Unaccompanied Minor and provide the child's age.

When you make a reservation for an Unaccompanied Minor, you will be required to provide the information described below and pay an Unaccompanied Minor service charge.

Once the UM reservation is booked, you will need to provide the confirmation number to the person designated to pick up or drop off the child.

Question 2

Is the Unaccompanied Minor service charge refundable?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the Unaccompanied Minor charge is refundable in any of the following scenarios:

You cancel the reservation, and the Unaccompanied Minor does not travel
The UM's flight is canceled, and you choose not to rebook
The child is joined by an accompanying Passenger age 12 or older and is no longer traveling as an Unaccompanied Minor

Question 3

May more than one Unaccompanied Minor travel together on the same reservation?

Accepted Answer

Multiple UMs may travel together on the same reservation. You will have to pay the Unaccompanied Minor service charge each way for each UM to travel. Please visit our Optional Travel Charges page for pricing

Question 4

What information is required when booking a reservation for an Unaccompanied Minor?

Accepted Answer

You will be required to provide the child’s name, gender, and date of birth. You will also be required to provide the following information about the person dropping off the child, the person picking up the child at their destination, and an alternate person available at the destination:

Name
Relationship to the child
Address
Phone numbers (including area code)

The paperwork must be fully complete for the child for travel. You may also need to provide proof of the child's age.

Question 5

What information should I provide to the receiving party?

Accepted Answer

Advise them that they will need to greet the child at the flight's assigned arrival gate.
Have them follow the Suggested Airport Arrival Times to allow sufficient time to park, obtain a gate pass from the ticket counter, pass through the security checkpoint, and reach the arrival gate before the flight arrives.
They must have a valid photo ID and a copy of the child's itinerary to get a gate pass to get through the security checkpoint and meet the child at the gate.

Question 6

Can a child older than 11 years of age be treated as an Unaccompanied Minor?

Accepted Answer

No. Our Unaccompanied Minor program is only for children ages five through 11 years old.

Children 12 and older are allowed to travel independently as Young Travelers. However, you should decide whether a Young Traveler is capable of and comfortable with doing all of the following independently:

Navigating all airports
Going through the check-in and boarding processes
Following Crew Members' instructions
Dealing with possible flight disruptions

If not, we strongly discourage the child to fly alone.

Question 7

Can a child travel unaccompanied on a Rapid Rewards® points reservation?

Accepted Answer

Yes, a child can travel unaccompanied on a reservation made using Rapid Rewards points. You still have to pay the Unaccompanied Minor service charge each way for each UM to travel. Please visit our Optional Travel Charges page for pricing.

Question 8

Can a child travel alone on an itinerary that involves a changes of planes?

Accepted Answer

No, we don’t allow Unaccompanied Minors to travel on connecting flights. Make sure the child's reservation is on a nonstop flight or a flight that makes a stop but does not require a change of planes.

Question 9

Are Unaccompanied Minors eligible to travel on a reservation with an overnight connection?

Accepted Answer

No. Unaccompanied Minors may not travel on itineraries with overnight connections.

Question 10

What should I do to prepare before bringing an Unaccompanied Minor to the airport?

Accepted Answer

Make copies of the child’s itinerary for both the child and whoever’s picking them up in the destination city.
If the flight is during mealtimes, send food or snacks with the child in case they get hungry.
Download the Southwest app so you can monitor the child’s flight status.
Charge the child’s electronic device(s) before leaving for the airport—we don’t currently have in-seat power onboard most of our aircraft.
Provide the child with the contact information for whoever’s picking them up.
For additional information about what to expect when a child travels alone, please review "When Kids Fly Alone," published by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Question 11

What time should we arrive at the airport for departure?

Accepted Answer

Arrive at the airport early. Review our suggested airport arrival times. Be sure to allow enough time to park the car, obtain a gate pass and the child's UM lanyard at the ticket counter, go through security, and check in at the gate. You must arrive to the gate no less than 45 minutes prior to the flight's scheduled departure time.

Question 12

What should we do when we arrive at the airport?

Accepted Answer

When you arrive at the airport, you must check in at the ticket counter in the main lobby of the airport to:

Check luggage (if applicable; standard rules and regulations for checking luggage apply)
Provide the required Unaccompanied Minor documentation
Pay the UM service charge if you haven't done so already (credit cards accepted only). Please visit our Optional Travel Charges page for pricing
Get the child's boarding pass and UM lanyard
Get your gate pass so you can accompany the child through the security checkpoint and to the gate

Question 13

How do I escort a child through security?

Accepted Answer

You need a gate pass to take the child through security. At the ticket counter, please provide a valid form of identification and a copy of the child's itinerary and request a gate pass.

Question 14

What happens when we arrive at the departure gate?

Accepted Answer

Arrive at the gate no less than 45 minutes prior to the flight's scheduled departure time. Check in with an Employee at the gate and advise them that you are dropping off a UM.
Give the Agent the completed UM paperwork you received at the ticket counter. Make sure that the information on the UM paperwork—including flight number and destination airport—matches that shown on the UM's itinerary.
The Unaccompanied Minor form will be inserted in the Unaccompanied Minor lanyard, which must be worn by the child for the duration of the flight. The lanyard allows Employees to easily identify UMs.
The child will be escorted onto the aircraft by an Employee before general boarding begins and will be introduced to the Flight Attendant as an Unaccompanied Minor.
You must stay in the gate area until the child’s flight is in the air—we’ll let you know when you can leave the boarding area.
Call the parent/guardian picking up the child to let them know that the flight has departed.

Question 15

What happens if an Unaccompanied Minor misses the opportunity to preboard?

Accepted Answer

Unaccompanied Minor children who arrive at the departure gate after boarding has begun will be escorted onto the aircraft after all other Customers have boarded or in between boarding groups. This allows our personnel to properly identify the UM to the Flight Attendant who will check on the child during the flight.

Question 16

Can Unaccompanied Minors travel with carryon luggage?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The UM may carry one bag plus one smaller, personal-type item onboard the airplane in accordance with our carryon baggage policy.

Question 17

What are expectations for Unaccompanied Minors once in the air?

Accepted Answer

A Flight Attendant will check on the child periodically, as duties allow, but will not continuously monitor the child throughout the flight.
The child is required to always wear the UM lanyard around their neck.
The child must follow instructions given by Employees, including those regarding wearing a seatbelt.
Make sure that you and the parent/guardian picking up the child are available to answer phone calls during the flight time in the event of a flight irregularity.
The child will be escorted off the plane and taken to meet the parent/guardian at the destination.

Question 18

What time should I arrive to pick up a child?

Accepted Answer

Check Southwest.com for the suggested airport arrival times at the child's arrival city. Arriving at this time will give you time to get your gate pass at the ticket counter and proceed through the security checkpoint to greet the child in their flight's gate area. Arrive at the gate no less than 45 minutes prior to the flight's scheduled arrival time. Check in with an Employee at the gate and let them know you’re picking up an Unaccompanied Minor. If the UM's flight is scheduled to arrive after the ticket counter and/or security checkpoint is closed, proceed to the Baggage Service Office to let the Agent know you're picking up a UM.

Question 19

How do I get a gate pass to meet a UM at their gate?

Accepted Answer

Stop at the ticket counter to obtain a gate pass that will allow you to go through the security checkpoint. A valid photo ID and a copy of the child's itinerary are required to obtain a gate pass.

Question 20

How will the child be released?

Accepted Answer

Unaccompanied Minors will be escorted from the aircraft by a uniformed Employee and released only to the person (or alternate contact) named on the Unaccompanied Minor form or another designated Employee. The person named on the Unaccompanied Minor form must show valid photo identification and sign a release.

In some cases, there may be a brief wait in receiving the child if personnel are engaged in the release of other Unaccompanied Minors or the departure of another aircraft.

Question 21

Unaccompanied Minor Terms and Conditions

Accepted Answer

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 a UM service fee in addition to the air fare per child for Unaccompanied Minors to travel. To check for current pricing, please visit our Optional Travel Charges page.
Unaccompanied Minor charges are refundable. If you cancel a reservation and the Unaccompanied Minor does not travel, if the 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 traveling as an Unaccompanied Minor, contact Southwest at 1-800-I-FLY-SWA (1-800-435-9792) or visit the airport ticket counter to request a refund.
Purchaser represents that they are 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 complete 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 only on nonstop or same-plane service (makes one or two stops but does not require a change of planes or flight number) itineraries.
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) must complete the Plants and Animals Declaration Form at the departure gate prior to the UM boarding the aircraft. Once completed, the form will be placed in the front pocket of the UM lanyard.
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. 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 to facilitate the transfer of the Unaccompanied Minor between the designated parties.
If the UM's flight is scheduled to arrive after the ticket counter and/or security checkpoint is closed, proceed to the Baggage Service Office to let the Agent know you're picking up a UM.
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.