BargainAirTicket is an independent travel agency, we are not LATAM Airlines and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by LATAM Airlines. Rules for children flying alone are set by the airline, carry real safety consequences, and change; always confirm current requirements at latam.com. Because the service is set up by phone, our agents arrange it with you for a service fee, quoted before you're charged.

Sending a child alone on LATAM Airlines

LATAM does run an unaccompanied minor service, so a child can fly alone, but there's a catch families miss until the counter: it only works on flights LATAM itself operates, never on a connection with another airline. Here's how the service works, the four age bands that decide who can fly and how, the notarized authorization a teenager needs, and what to have ready before the day of travel.

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    First question: is the child 8 to 17 and flying without an adult who is 18 or older?

    Yes, flying alone

    An 8 to under 12 can fly solo only on the unaccompanied minor service; a 12 to 17 flies as an independent adolescent with a notarized authorization. Booked by phone, up to 48 hours ahead, on LATAM-operated flights only.

    With an adult 18+

    A child under 8 must always have one. With a qualifying adult the child travels as a normal passenger, though border consent documents can still apply.

    Service covers LATAM-operated flights only, not codeshare or other-airline connections Set up by phone, up to 48 hours ahead, not online or at the gate A child alone CAN fly: unaccompanied minor from 8, independent adolescent from 12 Under 8 can never fly alone, an adult 18 or older is required 12 to 17 alone needs a notarized authorization, one parent domestic, both international Peru: the authorization is shown in person to migration and kept for the return

    LATAM carries an unaccompanied minor on flights it operates itself, and nowhere else.

    This is the trap nobody flags. Buy an itinerary where one leg is flown by a partner or codeshare, and the child can't board that connection alone. The whole trip has to sit on LATAM metal, which is exactly what we check before you pay.
    How the day works
    When you book

    Request the service by phone, up to 48 hours before departure, on a route flown end to end by LATAM. It can't be added online or improvised at the airport.

    At departure

    The service starts at check-in: LATAM staff take the child through security to the gate and seat them on the plane. The adult dropping off stays in the airport until told they can leave.

    Connecting through a hub

    On a connection through Santiago (SCL), Sao Paulo (GRU) or Lima (LIM), the child is looked after between LATAM flights rather than left to find the next gate alone.

    On arrival

    The child is walked off the plane and handed only to the adult named on the form, who has to show ID that matches. Bring the wrong person and the handover stops.

    The four age bands, and who counts as an adult

    This is the part that decides everything. Ages can change, so confirm at latam.com.

    Under 8, never alone:

    A child younger than 8 has to travel with an adult who is at least 18. There is no version of this where they fly by themselves, so if the plan was to send a 7-year-old solo, it won't happen on LATAM.

    8 to under 12, the unaccompanied minor service:

    A child in this band has three ways to travel: with an adult, accompanied by an independent adolescent who is themselves flying with a parent, or alone only through the unaccompanied minor service. Flying solo any other way isn't allowed at this age.

    12 to 17, the independent adolescent:

    From 12 a young traveller can fly alone as an independent adolescent, provided a notarized parental authorization is in place (see below). You can still ask us to add the unaccompanied minor accompaniment for a nervous teen, but the authorization is the piece that makes solo travel legal.

    What "an adult" means:

    To count as accompanying a child, the companion has to be at least 18. A 16-year-old sibling does not qualify as the adult, though a 16-year-old can travel as an independent adolescent in their own right.

    The unaccompanied minor fee depends on the route, and we tell you the exact amount before anything is booked.

    The rule that catches families: LATAM-operated flights only

    The single fact that quietly breaks an itinerary a parent already paid for.

    LATAM will only carry a child alone on flights it operates itself. The unaccompanied minor service is explicitly not available on codeshare flights, or on any connection handled by another airline, even a close partner. That matters because a cheap fare from a search engine often stitches two carriers together without making it obvious, and a mixed itinerary that looks fine for an adult simply won't accept a child flying alone on the non-LATAM leg.

    So the routing choice comes first, before price. On a US to South America trip, that usually means keeping the whole journey on LATAM through Santiago, Sao Paulo or Lima rather than saving a little by connecting onto a different airline. When you call, we build the trip on LATAM end to end from the start, so the service actually holds all the way to the destination.

    Which flights LATAM operates on a given route can change with the schedule; we confirm the operating carrier of every leg before you book.

    The notarized authorization, one parent or both

    The document that gets a teenager waved through, or turned back.

    Domestic, usually one parent:

    For a 12 to 17 year old flying alone within a country, a notarized authorization from one parent or legal guardian is generally accepted. It still has to be notarized, a signed note isn't enough.

    International, usually both parents:

    For an international flight the authorization typically has to come from both parents. This is where trips fall apart at the airport, one parent is travelling, the other didn't sign, and the counter can't let the minor board.

    Exceptions:

    An emancipated minor does not need the authorization. And from age 16, a Brazilian domestic flight needs none. Outside those cases, assume it's required and get it notarized in advance.

    Peru is stricter:

    In Peru the notarized authorization must be presented in person to migration, and it has to be kept for the return trip, not surrendered on the way out. Show up without the physical document and the child doesn't clear migration.

    Authorization and exit rules for minors are set by each government and change; confirm with the destination's consulate and at latam.com before you travel.

    Crossing borders, the documents beyond the authorization

    The part that trips up US, South America trips.

    The notarized authorization is about permission to travel; entry and identity documents are separate and just as capable of stopping a child at the gate. The adult collecting the child must show ID that matches the form attached to the child's booking, so the name has to be exact, not a nickname. When a minor crosses a border without both parents, many countries in the region enforce their own consent and documentation rules, on top of anything LATAM asks for, and those are enforced by the government, not the airline.

    Because the exact requirement depends on the destination, the child's nationality and whether the trip is domestic or international, this is not something to guess. Check the destination's consulate, and call us as you book so we can flag whether your specific route is one where an extra consent letter, a physical document at migration, or a both-parents signature is going to be the thing that matters.

    Before you book, the checklist

    Two minutes now prevents a child being turned away at the gate.

    • The child's exact age on the travel date, it sets which of the four bands applies
    • Every leg on LATAM, no codeshare or other-airline connection for a child alone
    • Request it by phone, up to 48 hours ahead, never at the gate
    • Notarized authorization ready, one parent domestic or both international, physical copy for Peru

    Pick the routing before the price. With a child flying alone on LATAM, the cheapest fare is often the one that quietly hands a leg to another airline, and that's the leg the child can't board. A slightly pricier all-LATAM nonstop or single-hub connection through Santiago, Sao Paulo or Lima is usually the safer buy. We check the operating carrier of every segment for you.

    Frequently asked

    What age can a child fly alone on LATAM Airlines?+
    It depends on the age band. A child under 8 must always travel with an adult who is at least 18. From 8 to under 12, a child can fly alone only on LATAM's unaccompanied minor service. From 12 to 17, a child may fly alone as an independent adolescent, but needs a notarized parental authorization. Ages and rules can change, so confirm at latam.com, or call us and we'll set it up for your child's exact trip.
    Does LATAM's unaccompanied minor service work on connecting flights with other airlines?+
    No. LATAM will only carry an unaccompanied minor on flights LATAM itself operates. The service is not available on codeshare flights or on connections with any other airline, even a partner. If any leg of the trip is flown by a different carrier, that itinerary won't work for a child flying alone. Call us before you book and we'll build a route that stays entirely on LATAM.
    What authorization does a 12 to 17 year old need to fly alone on LATAM?+
    A notarized parental authorization. For a domestic flight one parent's authorization is generally accepted; for an international flight both parents typically must authorize. It isn't required for an emancipated minor, and from age 16 a Brazilian domestic flight needs no authorization. In Peru the notarized authorization must be shown in person to migration and kept for the return trip. Rules vary by country, so call us and we'll tell you what your route needs.
    Can I book LATAM's unaccompanied minor service online?+
    No. The service is arranged by phone, and it must be requested up to 48 hours before departure, not at the gate. That's why we handle it with you on a call, we confirm the age band, set up the service on a fully LATAM-operated route, tell you the fee before anything is charged, and list the documents you'll need at the airport.

    Contact options

    Reach LATAM directly, or let us set up the service and check the routing.

    Contact LATAM Airlines directly

    The airline's own official channels, free.

    Websitelatam.com
    Reservations+1 866 435 9526
    Minors infolatam.com › Children travelling alone
    AppLATAM Airlines app (iOS / Android)

    These are LATAM's own channels; confirm current unaccompanied-minor rules at latam.com.

    Or let a BargainAirTicket agent do it

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    BargainAirTicket is an independent travel marketplace operated by Bookmecheapest LLC, not an airline and not a representative of LATAM Airlines or any airline. "LATAM" and related marks are trademarks of their respective owners, used here only to describe the ticketing support we offer. Rules for children travelling alone, ages, restrictions, forms and fees, are set by the airline, carry safety consequences, and change; entry and authorization requirements for minors are set by governments. Always confirm current requirements at latam.com and with the destination's consulate. We assist with bookings on any airline for a service fee, quoted before you're charged.

    Policies last verified July 22, 2026 against LATAM Airlines' own website. Airlines change these rules often, and we confirm current terms on every call.

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