Children Traveling Alone

Traveling alone can be an exciting, adventurous experience for a young person. When the need for a child to travel alone arises, Delta will be there to offer guidance and assistance.

It is our goal to provide safe, reliable and comfortable travel for children traveling alone. The Unaccompanied Minor Program offers your child added safety and provides a reliable and comfortable process.

Unaccompanied Minor Program Rules

The Unaccompanied Minor Program is required for all children 5-14 years old when not traveling in the same compartment with an adult at least 18 years old or the child's parent/legal guardian. The program is optional for children age 15 – 17.

The following Unaccompanied Minor Rules apply to everyone in the program:

• Travel permitted on Delta and Delta Connection
  • Excluding American Eagle flights operating as Delta Connection
• Travel is permitted on Domestic and International itineraries
• Unaccompanied Minors can only connect to other Delta, Delta Connection (excluding American Eagle), Air France and KLM flights
• Travel is not permitted on the last connecting flight of the day
  • Travel is not permitted on Red Eye flights. (Red Eye flights are between 9pm – 5am)
  • The following are exempt from the Red Eye flight restriction:
    • International flights
    • Domestic short haul flights ( 2 hours or less, non stop)
    • Flights to/from Alaska and Hawaii
    • Markets with only one connection and it is the last flight of the day

Return to top

Unaccompanied Minor Program Fee

Return to top

Suggested Travel Tips for Parents/Designated Adults

Making a Reservation:

• Booking online: An Unaccompanied Minor reservation can only be booked by contacting Delta Air Lines Reservations to ensure that the travel is documented appropriately and to offer the opportunity to ask questions or seek clarification on policies surrounding your child’s travel. If you have made a reservation using an online site, please contact Delta Air Lines Reservations to speak with an agent at 1-800-221-1212.
• Booking with a Travel agency – Contact Delta Air Lines to speak with a Reservations agent to enroll your child into the unaccompanied minor program at 1-800-221-1212.
• Booking with a Delta Reservations agent – Advise the agent prior to booking that your child is traveling alone. This will ensure the unaccompanied minor is booked on the correct itinerary and all information is collected.

Baggage:

• Keep carry-on baggage to a minimum.
• Attach identification and contact information on or inside carry-on and checked baggage.

Entertainment and food:

• Provide your child with entertainment materials.
• Provide a small amount of money for food you can purchase right at the airport as most flights do not offer meal service.

Special needs:

• Inform the agent at time of booking and at the airport of any special needs your child may have during travel.

Inform your child on what to expect

• Do not leave the airport, gate area or aircraft unless accompanied by badged Delta Air Lines personnel.
• If at any time they need assistance during their travel, instruct them to speak only to the Delta Air Lines representatives.
• If there has been a change in your child’s itinerary en route, an agent will contact you to advise you of the change.

Return to top

Airport: Check–in Requirements

• It is recommended to arrive at the airport 90 minutes prior to departure time for domestic flights and 2 hours prior to international flights. Please keep in mind, some airports have specific cut off times. This applies to Domestic and International cities. Airport Check-in requirements.
• Upon arrival at the airport, proceed to the Delta Air Lines counter and look for the Special Services line to see an agent for assistance.

Please note: Check-in can not be completed using self service options such as online or a kiosk. Unaccompanied Minors are required to see an agent to check-in.

Unaccompanied Minor Check-in Requirements

• An adult (18 years of age or older) must accompany the unaccompanied minor at check in.
• Please be mindful that it may not be possible to walk your unaccompanied minor to the boarding gate at some airports outside the United States. Upon check in, please verify with the Delta agent where parent/guardian can wait and for flight status, as it is required that parent/guardian remains at the airport until the flight is airborne.

Please note: if the Unaccompanied Minor arrives alone at the counter the Delta agent will not be permitted to check-in. A parent/guardian will be contacted to return to the airport before the check-in process may begin.

• The following is required at time of check-in:
  • Information specific to the adult checking-in the unaccompanied minor to include:
    • Identification (e.g.: drivers license)
    • Address as shown on identification
    • Phone number – number provided to agent will be used for contact in case of any changes and as an emergency contact
  • Information specific to the adult picking up the unaccompanied minor at their destination to include:
    • Name of adult picking up at destination
    • Address as shown on identification
    • Phone number to contact
      
      
  • Once the information is collected by the agent the next steps are the following:
    • Payment of the unaccompanied minor fee (one way or round trip) and any additional fees such as checked baggage
    • Program rules will be reviewed such as:
      • Verifying the information is correct
      • Advising that, if the pickup person at the destination changes, you must call reservations (1-800-221-1212) to provide the new information
      • If upon arrival someone other than the person named is at the destination to pick up the child, a Delta representative will contact the person in the origin who dropped off the child before release will be permitted to the new person
      • At the point of departure, acknowledge that the adult must remain at the gate until the flight is off the ground
      • Advise the adult picking up the child to obtain a gate pass
    • Once the program rules are reviewed the adult will be required to sign a document stating all the information provided is understood and is correct
      
      
  • Agent will complete the check-in process by the following:
    • Affix a wristband around the wrist of the child for identification purposes
    • Fill out the envelope that will be used during the trip to include:
      • All travel documents (boarding cards, unaccompanied minor forms, etc)
      • Any additional documents (Passports, receipts, baggage claims, etc)

Return to top

Gate Procedures

Unaccompanied Minor – Departure gate procedures

• Upon arrival at the gate, check-in with the gate agent for verification purposes.
• Unaccompanied minor will board at the beginning of the boarding process.

Please note: The child will not be permitted to board the aircraft if the adult escorting them is not present at time of boarding.

• Once the plane is off the ground the adult who has escorted the unaccompanied minor will be permitted to depart the gate area – this ensures that, if an irregular operation occurs, the child is escorted at all times.

Unaccompanied Minor – Arrival gate procedures

• Upon arrival at the airport, the adult picking up the unaccompanied minor will be required to check-in at the ticket counter to obtain a gate pass.
  • Gate pass can only be issued by seeing an agent (Special Services line).
• Arrive at the gate prior to aircraft arrival.
• A Delta representative will bring the child from the aircraft to the gate.
• Provide identification for verification purposes to the Delta representative.
• Once the ID has been verified the adult will be required to sign a release form.
• The child will be released and the adult will be given any documents such as passport, boarding cards, receipts, baggage claim, etc.

Return to top

Delta Sky Zone

Delta Sky Zone is located in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, New York – JFK, Los Angeles, Memphis, Minneapolis and Salt Lake City which provide a secure area where unaccompanied children can wait for a connecting flight. Delta Sky Zone provides various activities such as books, TV’s, games or toys. Complimentary phones to contact parent/guardians are also provided.

Delta Sky Zone is staffed by Delta Air Lines employees who provide for your child’s comfort and safety during layovers at connecting hubs and coordinate the transfer of your child from arrival to departure flights. They also provide comfort and reassurance regarding travel when needed.

Return to top