BargainAirTicket is an independent travel agency, we are not United Airlines and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by United Airlines. Rules for children flying alone are set by the airline, carry real safety consequences, and change; you can book the unaccompanied-minor service yourself at united.com at no extra cost beyond the airline's own fee. If you'd rather we confirm eligibility and book it correctly, our agents assist by phone for a service fee, quoted before you're charged.

Sending a child alone on United

United's unaccompanied-minor service is required from age 5, and it runs on one rule that's stricter than American or Delta: zero connections, at every age. A nonstop from Chicago O'Hare to Los Angeles works; a one-stop trip doesn't, no matter how old the child is. It's also the only one of the three major carriers we cover that lets you book the service online, but booking online doesn't mean checking in online. Here's exactly how it works, what it costs, and where families get caught out.

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    First question: is there a nonstop United flight on the route?

    Yes, nonstop exists

    Book the unaccompanied-minor traveler type directly at united.com. This is the routine case, and it applies whether the child is 5 or 17. United doesn't loosen the connection rule as kids get older.

    No nonstop on this route

    United's unaccompanied-minor service can't be booked at all. There's no age exception and no connection allowance, you'd need a nonstop from a nearby airport, another carrier's routing, or an accompanying adult.

    Under 5: can't fly alone at all NONSTOP only, no connections, at any age Money + Miles / pooled-miles bookings: the fee must still be paid in cash Booked online at united.com One $150 fee covers 1-2 kids Child checks in at the airport counter, not online Fee rises for larger groups, confirm at united.com

    Zero connections, at every age, that's United's unaccompanied-minor rule.

    American allows 8-to-17-year-olds to connect through 10 named hubs. Delta allows 8-to-14-year-olds to connect within its own network. United allows neither, the unaccompanied-minor service is nonstop, on United or United Express only, whether the child is 5 or 17. No nonstop on your route means no unaccompanied-minor booking on that route, full stop.
    The unaccompanied-minor day, step by step
    When you book

    Book directly at united.com and choose the correct unaccompanied-minor traveler type when you search, this is the one major carrier we cover where that's an online step, not a phone call. United assigns the child's seat within 72 hours of booking.

    At the airport

    Online booking doesn't mean online check-in. The child has to be checked in at the airport ticket counter, not the app, not a kiosk, so arrive about 30 minutes earlier than the standard check-in cutoff. The child gets a wristband and a document envelope to carry.

    On arrival

    The adult picking up the child shows ID and signs a release form. Plan to be at the gate about 30 minutes before landing, for a domestic arrival that means a gate security pass; for an international arrival, plan to meet in the arrivals area at the same 30-minute mark.

    Who needs the service, and what it costs

    United's own age bands. Confirm current details at united.com.

    Under 5, cannot fly alone:

    There's no unaccompanied-minor option below age 5 on United. A child this young has to travel with a qualifying adult on the same reservation.

    5 to 14, the service is required:

    Every child in this range flying without an adult must go through United's unaccompanied-minor program. Book a child this age on their own reservation and United automatically applies the service and its fee.

    15 to 17, optional, but the fee still applies:

    A teenager in this range can fly as a regular passenger. You can still request the unaccompanied-minor service for peace of mind, and if you do, United charges the same fee it would for a younger child.

    The fee, $150 each way, covering 1 to 2 children:

    That figure covers up to two children traveling together on the same reservation, such as siblings. It rises for larger groups of kids traveling together. United's pricing scales with group size rather than capping at one flat number the way Delta's does, so ask us to confirm the exact tier for your family before you book. Confirm the current amount at united.com or we'll quote it exactly on the call.

    Booked online, but checked in in person, read the fine print

    The gap between "book online" and "show up online" is where families get tripped up.

    Online booking is the United advantage:

    Unlike American and Delta, which require a live phone call to book an unaccompanied minor, United lets you do it yourself at united.com by selecting the right traveler age group when you search flights. United assigns the child's seat automatically within 72 hours of booking.

    Check-in is not online:

    The child must be checked in at the airport ticket counter, not through the United app, not at a kiosk. Build in roughly 30 extra minutes versus a normal check-in, because the counter agent has to process the unaccompanied-minor paperwork, issue the wristband, and hand over the document envelope the child carries through the airport.

    Traveling together but on separate reservations?

    If a child aged 5 to 14 is on a different reservation from the adult they're actually traveling with, a common pattern with award bookings, group fares, or split payment. United's system still treats the child as flying alone and auto-applies the unaccompanied-minor fee. You need to call United ahead of travel to sort this out; it doesn't resolve itself online.

    Money and miles, the fee is cash only

    One of the few United charges that miles can't touch.

    You can buy the child's ticket with United's Money + Miles feature, or pool MileagePlus miles from multiple family accounts to cover it. But the unaccompanied-minor service fee itself is a separate, cash-only charge, it can't be paid with miles, and it can't be waived because the rest of the booking used miles. Budget for it as a card charge on top of however you're paying for the ticket.

    At the airport, drop-off, pickup, and what's included

    The handover details that keep the trip moving.

    For a domestic U.S. departure, the parent or guardian dropping the child off gets a gate security pass and can walk them all the way to the gate. On an international departure, a United agent meets you at the ticket counter and escorts the child from there instead. At arrival, the adult named at booking has to show ID and sign a release form before United will hand the child over, for a domestic arrival that means another gate pass, for an international arrival it means meeting in the arrivals area; either way, plan to be there about 30 minutes before landing. On board, the child gets one free snack, small, but worth mentioning if you're briefing them on what to expect. If the trip is international, the child is also handed a customs form during the flight; check United's international requirements page for any additional country-specific permits, since those aren't part of the unaccompanied-minor service itself.

    Before you book, the checklist

    A few minutes now prevents a booking that can't actually fly.

    • Confirm a nonstop exists between your two cities. United won't book the service on a connecting itinerary at any age
    • Select the correct traveler age group when you search at united.com, so the system applies the unaccompanied-minor flow
    • Plan for counter check-in, about 30 minutes earlier than usual, not the app, not a kiosk
    • Have cash or a card ready for the fee even if the ticket itself was bought with miles
    • If traveling together on separate reservations, call United ahead of time so the child isn't auto-charged as flying alone

    Check for a nonstop before you fall in love with a fare. A well-priced connecting itinerary is worthless for an unaccompanied minor on United, the service simply won't apply to it, at any age. Confirm the nonstop exists first, then book, or call us and we'll check the routing for you.

    Frequently asked

    What age can a child fly alone on United?+
    A child under 5 cannot fly alone at all. From age 5 to 14, United's unaccompanied minor service is required. From 15 to 17, it's optional, but if you request it, the fee still applies. Call us or book at united.com and we'll help confirm eligibility for the exact trip.
    Can my child connect on United, or does it have to be nonstop?+
    It has to be nonstop, at every age from 5 to 17. United's unaccompanied minor service does not allow any connections, which is stricter than American or Delta. If there's no nonstop United or United Express flight between your two cities, the service cannot be booked on that route at all.
    How much is United's unaccompanied minor fee?+
    It's a fee each way, recently $150, and that amount covers 1 to 2 children traveling together. It rises for larger groups of siblings; confirm the current amount at united.com or on the call before you book.
    Do I book United's unaccompanied minor service online or by phone?+
    Online, at united.com, select the correct unaccompanied-minor traveler type when you search. That's different from American and Delta, which require a phone call. But booking online doesn't mean online check-in: the child still has to be checked in at the airport ticket counter, not through the app or a kiosk.
    What if I'm paying with Money and miles?+
    The ticket itself can be bought with Money and miles or pooled MileagePlus miles, but the unaccompanied-minor service fee has to be paid in cash regardless, it can't be covered with miles.

    Contact options

    Reach United directly, or let us confirm the routing and book it with you.

    Contact United Airlines directly

    The airline's own official channels, free.

    Websiteunited.com
    Reservations1-800-864-8331
    Spanish1-800-426-5561
    AppUnited app (iOS / Android)

    These are United's own channels; confirm current unaccompanied-minor rules at united.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 United Airlines or any airline. "United Airlines" 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, carry real safety consequences, and change frequently, always confirm current requirements at united.com. We assist with bookings on any airline for a service fee, quoted before you're charged.

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