Southwest Airlines

Complete Guide to Southwest Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Policy

Southwest Airlines is the leading airline among all major carriers in terms of ensuring safe and affordable journeys for unaccompanied minors or kids traveling alone without their parents or legal guardian. Southwest’s Unaccompanied Minor Policy ensures that your child get proper attention and safe travel.

Does Southwest allow unaccompanied minors to travel?

Southwest age to fly alone as an unaccompanied minor is 5 to 11 without a companion flying along of 12 years or older.

Southwest only permits minors to travel on non-stop flights. Also, minors can only travel alone on domestic flights.

The airline calls them junior jet setters. Southwest Airlines will charge $50 each way ($100 round trip) and the airfare per child alone for minors to travel. Unaccompanied Minor charges are refundable, and a child below five years of age is not eligible to travel independently in any situation. 

Thus, the jet setters service is available while boarding in-flight and connecting flights.  

Ways to book a southwest flight for an unaccompanied minor policy?

There are three ways to book a ticket for children aged 5 to 11 and travel alone. 

Online- After entering the information of the child passenger and proceeding to check out, the airline will ask if the minor will travel alone or not. Then, there you have to select, traveling alone.

Through Phone- Similar to regular booking, just contact the airline at the reservation phone number. Then, request for a minor for a minor. After that, provide the personal details of the minor and proceed with the reservation process.

When a reservation is made for an Unaccompanied Minor, you have to fill out the basic and necessary travel documents. And pay for an Unaccompanied Minor service as per southwest airlines.

Once the UM reservation is complete, you are required to provide the confirmation number and information to the person appointed to pick up or drop off the unaccompanied minor. 

Terms & Conditions for Travel for Unaccompanied Minors

Passengers ages 5 through 11 traveling alone without an accompanying Passenger age 12 or older must travel as Unaccompanied Minors and junior jet setters on Southwest Airlines.

Southwest doesn’t continuously monitor minors throughout the way to the destination. Passengers with sufficient maturity can travel with limited adult supervision and may travel as Unaccompanied Minor on Southwest Airlines.

Southwest Airlines will charge $50 each way ($100 round trip) in addition to the airfare per child for Unaccompanied Minors to travel.

According to southwest airline’s policy for minors, the paid charges for an UM are refundable, if

• The passengers cancel the flight within the permissible period.
• Southwest cancels the flight, and the passengers does not wish to rebook their flight.
• if the unaccompanied passenger accompanied by a passenger age 12 or older is no longer accompanied, visit the airport ticket counter to process your refund.

Customer purchasing ticket for unaccompanied minor has to be their parent or a guardian. Or else the person has to have the authority to book on behalf of a parent or guardian.

All the information of the minor should be genuine & accurate while booking. In case the information is found to be incorrect or doesn’t match the government IDs. Then, the airline will decline the minor from boarding the flight.

Southwest airlines have the right not to transport unaccompanied minors on the flight due to bad weather or technical issues.

Following documents must be shown at the check in counter:

• Documentation for the proof of age in the form of a birth certificate
• Any other valid document issued by the government

Also, the parent or guardian should be present at the drop-off & pick-up point with a valid government ID, and proof of reservation.

Related Post – United Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Does southwest airlines allow unaccompanied minors to fly alone?

As noted above, Southwest welcomes child guests between the age of 5 to 11 cannot travel alone. However, children above the age of 12 can travel alone as an unaccompanied minor

Q. How to pick up an unaccompanied minor at the airport southwest?

The parents or guardians should reach the airport at least 45 minutes before arrival. And, they must also carry a valid government identification with them.

Q. What are the expenses of an unaccompanied minor in southwest airlines?

Only children with sufficient maturity to travel with limited adult supervision may travel as Unaccompanied Minor on Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines will charge $50 each way in addition to the airfare per child for Unaccompanied Minors to travel. Unaccompanied Minor charges are refundable.