BargainAirTicket is an independent travel agency — we are not Delta Air Lines and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by Delta Air Lines. Rules for children flying alone change and vary by route; always confirm current requirements at delta.com. If you'd rather we confirm eligibility and book it correctly, our agents assist for a service fee, quoted before you're charged.

Sending a child alone on Delta

Delta's unaccompanied-minor service is genuinely good — but it runs on strict rules, and the two that catch families out are age and connections. A 6-year-old can only fly nonstop, and no unaccompanied child can hop onto just any second airline. Here's exactly how it works, what it costs, and how we set it up so your child isn't turned away at the counter.

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    First question: how old is the child?

    8 to 14

    Can fly nonstop or connect on Delta with the required unaccompanied-minor service — but not onto most other airlines.

    5 to 7

    Nonstop flights only. A connecting itinerary isn't allowed at this age, no matter how simple it looks.

    Under 5 can't fly unaccompanied at all Service required ages 5–14; optional 15–17 One fee each way covers up to 4 children together Ages 5–7: nonstop flights only No connection onto other airlines except Delta Connection, KLM, Air France, Aeroméxico Book by phone & set a 4-digit PIN

    One unaccompanied-minor fee covers up to 4 children traveling together.

    Delta's service is a fee each way — recently $150 — on top of each child's ticket, but a single fee covers up to four kids flying together, such as siblings. Amounts change, so we confirm the current figure on the call. It must be booked by phone, not online.
    The unaccompanied-minor day, step by step
    When you book

    Call Delta Reservations (it can't be done online). You'll confirm the routing is allowed for the child's age, set a 4-digit PIN needed for any change, and name who drops off and picks up.

    At the airport

    The dropping-off adult checks the child in at the counter, shows photo ID, and gets a gate pass to wait until the flight departs. Arrive early — this isn't a kiosk or online check-in.

    On arrival

    Only the named adult, with matching photo ID, can collect the child at the gate. Delta staff hand the child over in person — no ID, no handover.

    Who needs the service — and what it costs

    Delta's own age bands. Confirm current details at delta.com.

    Under 5 — cannot fly alone:

    A child under 5 must travel with someone at least 18 (or otherwise as Delta's accompanied-travel rules allow). There's no unaccompanied option below age 5.

    5 to 14 — the service is required:

    Every child in this band traveling without an adult must be booked into Delta's unaccompanied-minor program. It's not optional, and it's not something you can skip to save the fee.

    15 to 17 — optional:

    Teens 15–17 may fly as adults. You can still request the unaccompanied-minor service for peace of mind, and the fee then applies.

    The fee — recently $150 each way, covering up to 4:

    The service is a per-direction fee on top of each ticket, recently $150, and a single fee covers up to four children traveling together. Confirm the current amount at delta.com — fees change, and we'll quote it exactly on the call.

    The rules that get a child refused at the gate

    These are the specifics families miss — and any one of them stops the trip.

    Ages 5–7: nonstop only:

    A child from 5 to 7 may fly unaccompanied on nonstop flights only. Even a single easy connection through Atlanta isn't permitted at this age — the itinerary simply won't be accepted. If the route has no nonstop, the child can't fly alone on it.

    Ages 8–14: Delta connections OK:

    From 8, a child can fly a connecting Delta itinerary — for example a domestic connection through a Delta hub — with the service in place. The connection has to stay within Delta's own network for this to work.

    No hopping onto just any other airline:

    An unaccompanied child cannot connect onto another carrier — except Delta Connection, KLM, Air France and Aeroméxico. A routing that switches to a non-partner airline for the second leg won't be allowed, so the whole trip needs to be planned around it.

    Wrong pickup ID = no handover:

    Delta releases the child only to the exact adult named at booking, with matching photo ID. A last-minute swap to a different relative can stall the handover — so name the right person up front, and use the PIN to change it if plans move.

    How we set it up so it actually works

    Unaccompanied minors are one of the most detail-sensitive bookings there is. This is where an agent earns their keep.

    Because it has to be booked by phone and confirmed as age-eligible, an unaccompanied minor is easy to get subtly wrong online-adjacent — a connecting flight a 6-year-old can't take, a second leg on the wrong airline, a pickup name that doesn't match. We book the whole thing on one call: we check the routing against the child's age, keep it on Delta or an allowed partner, set the PIN, and get the drop-off and pickup adults documented correctly.

    Tell us the child's age, the cities and your dates, and we'll tell you straight away whether the trip is possible as an unaccompanied minor — and if it isn't, the nearest routing that is.

    Check the age against the connection before anything else. The single most common unaccompanied-minor failure is booking a 5–7-year-old on a connecting flight — it's not allowed, full stop. Give us the age and the route first and we'll confirm a nonstop or a legal Delta connection before you pay for a ticket that can't be used.

    Frequently asked

    What age can a child fly alone on Delta?+
    Children under 5 cannot fly alone at all. From 5 to 14, Delta's unaccompanied-minor service is required. From 15 to 17, a young person can travel as an adult, but you can request the service if you'd like it. Call us and we'll confirm eligibility and book it correctly.
    How much is Delta's unaccompanied-minor fee?+
    Delta's unaccompanied-minor service is a fee each way — recently $150 — in addition to the child's ticket, and one fee covers up to 4 children traveling together, such as siblings. Amounts can change, so confirm the current fee at delta.com or on the call. This must be arranged by phone, not online.
    Can my child take a connecting flight on Delta alone?+
    It depends on age. Children 5 to 7 may travel unaccompanied on nonstop flights only. Children 8 to 14 may fly nonstop or connect on Delta, but they cannot connect onto another airline — with the exception of Delta Connection, KLM, Air France and Aeroméxico. Tell us the routing and we'll make sure it's allowed before you book.
    How do I book an unaccompanied minor on Delta?+
    It has to be done by phone with Delta Reservations, not online, so the trip is confirmed as eligible and documented. You'll set a 4-digit PIN that's needed for any change, and you'll name who drops off and picks up. We can handle the whole call for you and make sure the escort details are right.

    Contact options

    Reach Delta directly, or let us book the unaccompanied minor for you.

    Contact Delta Air Lines directly

    The airline's own official channels — free.

    Websitedelta.com
    Reservations1-800-325-8847 (UM booking)
    AppFly Delta app

    Or let a BargainAirTicket agent do it

    Independent · 24/7 · English & Español · service fee applies.

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    BargainAirTicket is an independent travel marketplace operated by Bookmecheapest LLC — not an airline and not a representative of Delta Air Lines or any airline. "Delta", "Delta Air Lines" and related marks are trademarks of their respective owners, used here only to describe the ticketing support we offer. Unaccompanied-minor ages, fees and routing rules are set by the airline, vary by route, and change frequently — always confirm current requirements at delta.com. We assist with bookings on any airline for a service fee, quoted before you're charged.

    Sourced from Delta Air Lines' published policy, last checked July 13, 2026. Airlines change these rules often, and we confirm current terms on every call.

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