Southwest Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Policy

With Southwest Airlines unaccompanied minor policy, the airline guarantees that your child when traveling alone receives quality assistance and extra care from the ground and cabin staff. 

In this article, we will understand the rules and guidelines that you need to know before arranging the travel for minors, the minor travel fee, how the travel works, and much more. 

Southwest Unaccompanied Minors Rules and Guidelines 

As per the Southwest Airline minor policy, children through 5-11 years who are not accompanied by passengers at least 12 years of age can fly alone and are subject to an unaccompanied minor travel fee in addition to the airfare. Similar to this, below mentioned are other guidelines that you need to know – 

Before the Travel

• Unaccompanied Minors will be charged 50 USD each way and 100 USD for the roundtrip in addition to the airfare per unaccompanied minor on Southwest.
• The fees for unaccompanied minors are refundable. If your flight is canceled and the unaccompanied minor refuse to travel or chooses not to rebook, or if the child is joined by an adult passenger age (12 or older) and is no longer an unaccompanied minor, contact the customer service number or go to the airport ticket counter to get a refund.
• The person who books the flight ticket must declare that he or she is either the minor child’s parent or guardian, or has the power to act on behalf of the parent or guardian, as per the Southwest Airlines unaccompanied minor policy.
•  The airlines maintain the right to refuse to transport unaccompanied minors on flights that are diverted or cancelled due to weather or other technical challenges.
• To travel as an Unaccompanied Minor, a birth certificate or other form of valid identification for the child is required as proof of age at the ticket counter.
• When checking in or picking up an unaccompanied minor, a parent or guardian must provide a valid government-issued photo ID to an airline executive. 
• Unaccompanied minors are only permitted to fly on nonstop or same-plane flights. Parents or guardians should not book connecting or red-eye flights for children aged between 5 and 11 travelling alone. 
• The airline does not offer unaccompanied minor services for travel outside the United States. 

Dropping Off the Unaccompanied Minor 

• Unaccompanied minors must be escorted to the departure gate 45 minutes before the planned departure. The parents or guardians who dropped off their child must stay in the boarding gate area until the flight takes off.
• An airline representative will announce preboarding for the unaccompanied minors ahead of the departure. The drop-off parent or guardian is responsible for handover the minor as instructed in order to board the flight.

When Flight Boarded by the Unaccompanied Minor

• Once boarded, the flight attendant will observe or communicate with unaccompanied minors periodically while other duties are conducted by them. The minors are not monitored constantly throughout the flight. 
• The flight representative will not escort unaccompanied minors out of the airport before or after their scheduled trip.
• The airline does not take responsibility for the unaccompanied minor’s actions and behavior. 

Picking Up the Unaccompanied Minor  – As per the Southwest Airlines unaccompanied minor policy

• In order to facilitate the handover of the unaccompanied minor between the designated parties, the greeting parents and guardians should arrive at the gate 45 minutes prior to scheduled arrival and show a valid government-issued photo ID to the airline’s representative,
• The airlines will not transfer an unaccompanied minor to anybody other than the parent or guardian who has been nominated. Prior to the child’s arrival, the parent or guardian must make arrangements with the airline’s staff at the ticket counter to alter the authorized greeting parent or guardian.
• The airline is permitted to take whatever action is reasonable and necessary under the circumstances if the authorized person specified fails to greet the unaccompanied minor upon arrival at the destination airport. The parents or guardians will be responsible to compensate airlines for the travel and administrative expenses in taking such action.

Southwest Airlines ID Requirements For Minors

As per the Southwest Airlines unaccompanied minor policy, the airlines generally recommend that the parents or guardians checking in the unaccompanied minor must get to the airport at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure. Don’t plan time to simply drop off your child at the airport entrance or the ticket counter. 

Allow extra time for traffic delays and long queues at the Southwest Airlines check-in counter.  You may also require additional time to complete the Southwest Airlines unaccompanied minor form, go through security (there may be a line), and escort minors to the gate in time for pre-boarding.

At the airport – You need to complete the following procedure and provide all the necessary information as mentioned below at the time of check-in  –

• The address and the contact number of the parents or guardians greet the unaccompanied child. 
• The contact number needs to be provided for the parents or guardians at the departure and destination points. This is required as the airlines need to update them in case of flight delays or schedule changes. 
• A copy of the entire itinerary for the child, including dates, airline names, aircraft numbers, departure and arrival timings, and the PNR number. 

Proof of age – The parents or guardian need to submit a copy of one of the following documents – 

• State federal ID card.
• Birth certificate. (Send a copy of your child’s birth certificate to the person who will escort him or her for the return flight.)

Receipts of a minor fee– Southwest unaccompanied minor fee would be charged upfront at the time of booking or purchasing the flights through the airlines customer service. The parents or guardians must have the receipts for the minor service fee. 

How to Book a Flight for a Minor on Southwest Airlines?

Passengers have the option to book the flight for unaccompanied minors online, through the airline’s customer service center, or at the airport. Take a note of Southwest Airlines minor policy, before making the UMNR booking through the following methods – 

Southwest Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Booking Online

As per your convenience, you can book a flight for minors through southwest.com. 

• At the checkout page, pay the Southwest minor fee and the cost of the airfare.
•  After you complete the booking, the airline will send you the Southwest unaccompanied minor form. 
• Fill out the form. The contact number and the address of the parents and guardian at the time of check-in and pick up would be reflected in the manage booking section.

Southwest Unaccompanied Minor Phone Number

You can simply make the Southwest Airlines booking over the phone, and acknowledge the accompanied minor travel with the airlines executive. After you complete the booking, the airline executive will fill out the minor form on your behalf. You need to fulfill the Southwest Airlines ID requirements for minors via your registered email address. 

Booking for Unaccompanied Minor At the Airport

You can also pay for the Southwest Airlines minor travel at the airport up to 3 hours before the scheduled departure. You need to keep the following documents handy at the time of booking with the airport executive – 

• Print out of the booking confirmation and the boarding pass.
• A copy of the birth certificate of the minor (Southwest minor identification.)
• A copy of the Southwest minor flying unaccompanied form. 

Southwest Unaccompanied Minor Fee

To use the unaccompanied minor service program you need to pay the price of an adult fare plus the Southwest Airlines unaccompanied minor fee. The one-way fee per passenger is 50 USD. For the return flight you need to pay twice the price. The overview of the fee, as per the policy, includes – 

We understand that you may feel anxious about your children travelling alone. This concern is perfectly normal. The Southwest minor travel program is your peace of mind as your young child will be given the opportunity to travel independently and safely. 

Southwest Airlines Minor Policy – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)