Southwest Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Policy

Southwest Airlines has a policy for unaccompanied minors. This means that if your child is traveling alone, the airline will make sure they receive good help and extra care from the staff on the ground and in the cabin.

This article will explain the rules and guidelines for arranging travel for minors. We will cover topics such as the minor travel fee, how the travel process works, and more.

Southwest Unaccompanied Minors Rules and Guidelines

According to Southwest Airlines’ policy for minors, children between the ages of 5 and 11 can fly alone if they are not accompanied by someone who is at least 12 years old. However, there is an additional fee for unaccompanied minors, in addition to the cost of the airfare. In addition to this, here are some other guidelines you need to know:

Before the Travel:

If you are traveling with unaccompanied minors on Southwest, there will be an extra charge of $50 for each one-way trip and $100 for a round trip, in addition to the airfare.
You can get a refund for the fees charged for unaccompanied minors. If your flight gets canceled and the unaccompanied minor doesn’t want to travel or doesn’t want to reschedule, or if the child is with an adult passenger who is 12 years or older and is no longer considered an unaccompanied minor, you can get a refund by contacting the customer service number or going to the airport ticket counter.
To book a flight ticket for a minor child, the person must declare that they are either the parent or guardian or have the authority to act on behalf of the parent or guardian. This is in accordance with the Southwest Airlines unaccompanied minor policy.
Airlines can choose not to let children travel alone on flights that are changed or canceled because of bad weather or other technical issues.
If your child is traveling alone, they will need to bring a birth certificate or another valid form of identification to prove their age at the ticket counter.
To check in or pick up an unaccompanied minor, a parent or guardian needs to show a valid government-issued photo ID to an airline representative.
Children traveling alone can only fly on flights that do not have any layovers or require changing planes. It is not recommended for parents or guardians to book connecting or red-eye flights for children aged 5 to 11 who are traveling alone.
The airline does not provide services for unaccompanied minors traveling outside the United States.

Dropping Off the Unaccompanied Minor:

Children traveling alone must be accompanied to the departure gate 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Parents or guardians who dropped off their child must remain in the boarding gate area until the flight departs.
The airline representative will announce that unaccompanied minors can board the plane before everyone else. The parent or guardian who is dropping off the child is responsible for following instructions to hand over the child and help them board the flight.

When Flight Boarded by the Unaccompanied Minor

After you board the plane, the flight attendant will regularly check on unaccompanied minors while also performing other tasks. The minors are not constantly supervised during the flight.
The flight representative will not accompany unaccompanied minors outside the airport before or after their scheduled trip.
The airline is not responsible for the actions and behavior of unaccompanied minors.

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

To make it easier for the unaccompanied minor to be handed over to the designated parties, the parents and guardians should arrive at the gate 45 minutes before the scheduled arrival time. They will need to show a valid government-issued photo ID to the airline representative.
The airlines will only transfer an unaccompanied minor to the parent or guardian who has been nominated. They will not transfer them to anyone else. Before the child arrives, the parent or guardian needs to talk to the airline staff at the ticket counter to change the approved person who will be there to greet the child.
If the person authorized to meet the unaccompanied minor doesn’t greet them at the destination airport, the airline can take appropriate action as needed. The parents or guardians will need to pay the airlines for the costs of travel and administration if they decide to take this action.

Southwest Airlines ID Requirements For Minors

According to Southwest Airlines’ policy for unaccompanied minors, it is generally recommended that parents or guardians checking in an unaccompanied minor arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure. When dropping off your child at the airport, avoid just quickly leaving them at the entrance or ticket counter without any prior planning.

Make sure to give yourself extra time in case there are traffic delays or long lines at the check-in counter. You might need extra time to fill out the Southwest Airlines unaccompanied minor form, wait in line at security, and make sure minors get to the gate before pre-boarding.

When you’re at the airport, you’ll need to follow these steps and give all the required information during check-in:

To greet an unaccompanied child, please provide the address and contact number of their parents or guardians.
Please make sure to provide contact numbers for parents or guardians at both the departure and destination points. Airlines need to update passengers in case of flight delays or schedule changes, so it’s necessary for passengers to provide their contact information.
Please provide the complete itinerary for the child, including dates, airline names, aircraft numbers, departure and arrival times, and the PNR number.

Prove your age, you must provide a copy of one of the following documents:

Federal ID card issued by the state.
I need a birth certificate. Please make sure to send a copy of your child’s birth certificate to the person who will be accompanying them on the return flight.

Receipts of a minor fee– When booking or purchasing flights through Southwest Airlines customer service, you will be charged the unaccompanied minor fee upfront. This fee is a minor fee. The parents or guardians need to have the receipts for the minor service fee.

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

Passengers can choose to book flights for unaccompanied minors online, through the airline’s customer service center, or at the airport. Before booking a UMNR (Unaccompanied Minor) ticket with Southwest Airlines, it is important to be aware of their minor policy. Please take note of the following methods:

Southwest Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Booking Online

You can easily book a flight for minors on southwest.com whenever it is convenient for you.

When you reach the checkout page, you will need to pay the Southwest minor fee along with the cost of the airfare.
Once you finish booking, the airline will send you a form for Southwest’s unaccompanied minors.
Please complete the form. You can find the contact number and address of the parents and guardian in the manage booking section when you check in or pick up.

Southwest Unaccompanied Minor Phone Number

To book a flight with Southwest Airlines and arrange for a minor to travel with them, you can easily do so by calling their customer service. Once you finish booking, the airline executive will complete the minor form for you. To meet the Southwest Airlines ID requirements for minors, you must provide the necessary information using your registered email address.

Booking for Unaccompanied Minor At the Airport

You can pay for Southwest Airlines minor travel at the airport up to 3 hours before the scheduled departure. When booking with the airport executive, make sure you have the following documents readily available:

Please print the booking confirmation and the boarding pass.
Please provide a copy of the minor’s birth certificate (Southwest minor identification).
I need a copy of the Southwest minor flying unaccompanied form.

Southwest Unaccompanied Minor Fee

To use the unaccompanied minor service program, you will need to pay the cost of an adult fare along with the additional Southwest Airlines unaccompanied minor fee. The fee for one passenger to travel one way is $50. You will need to pay double the price for the return flight. The fee overview, according to the policy, includes –

Unaccompanied minor’s age at the time of travel	Travel permitted on direct flights	Minor service fee (in USD)
4 years and younger	Not Permitted	Not applicable
Between 5 and 11 years of age	Permitted	50 each way, 100 for round trip
11 years to 17 years of age	Permitted	50 each way, 100 for round trip

We know that you might be worried about your children traveling by themselves. It is completely normal to have this concern. The Southwest Minor travel program offers peace of mind because it allows young children to travel independently and safely.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do minors need ID to fly on Southwest?

Southwest requires minors to have identification. They need to show a copy of one of the following documents when checking in:

A birth certificate is a document that proves someone’s birth.
Passport
Please provide your state or federal ID.

When can I pay the unaccompanied minor fee for Southwest Airlines?

You have three options for paying the Southwest minor travel service charge: online, over the phone, or in person at any Southwest ticket counter.

Is the unaccompanied minor service refundable?

You can get a refund for the fees charged for unaccompanied minors. If your flight is canceled and the unaccompanied minor doesn’t want to travel or doesn’t want to reschedule, or if the child is accompanied by an adult passenger who is 12 years or older and is no longer considered an unaccompanied minor, you can get a refund by contacting Southwest customer service or going to the airport ticket counter.

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