Tips for Sending Your Kid on an Airline Flight by Themselves

There are multiple reasons your child might need to travel alone on an airplane. Maybe they are visiting family in another state, taking a trip with their school club, or perhaps they are even going on visitation with a non-custodial parent. Traveling on airline flights without parents is a fairly common occurrence. It can be stressful for everyone, though, especially the first time. There are steps you can take to combat the fear and make the situation easier for both you and your child.

Make Arrangements with the Airline

Before sending your child on an airline flight alone, contact the airlines and ask them what their policies are in regards to unaccompanied children. Most airlines have seats reserved right up front. I know as frequent travelers, we have often seen children with lanyards and special airline agents assigned to them marking them as unaccompanied minors. Some airlines may have better customer service than others, so choose one that puts your mind at ease. Most airlines allow for children to travel alone, and even have staff to act as buddies and helpers to them, on the ground and in the air. Find out what their specific policies are, and who will be assisting your child as they travel.

Before you book, think of the ease of the flight in terms of connecting flights. The less connections, the simpler for your child. It’s worth it to spend a few dollars more for peace of mind and ease of flight for sending your child alone on a flight.

Go Through the Situation in Detail with Your Child

Your child will feel more comfortable with the situation if you have gone over it in detail with them. Talk to your child about what exactly will happen, who to ask for help, and how to contact you if necessary. It can be a little nerve-wracking for everyone the first time, but it eventually becomes easier as time goes on.

Pack Lots of Snacks

Your child will likely become hungry while flying, and will need healthy snacks while traveling. Choose foods that store well in room temperature and that provide him (or her) with energy to sustain him through the flight. Things like sandwiches, granola bars, nuts, dried fruit and string cheese are good options.

Always send more than you think is needed, in case of an unforeseen event that causes him to be on board longer than expected. Beverages will often be confiscated when your child goes through security, so send some cash so he can buy himself a bottle of water for the flight, or even better, send them with a stainless refillable bottle. Most airports have refilling stations, and coffee shops will fill the bottles, too.

Send Plenty of Entertainment

An airplane trip can become boring for a child, especially if it is long. Send lots of age-appropriate activities for your child. You will want to send a variety of things to do, such as coloring sheets, crayons, journals, game consoles, a device to listen to music on, and earphones. Also, download the in flight entertainment app of the airlines ahead of time so they can access the kid appropriate movies and games on board.

Ask Them to Contact You upon Arrival

Arrange for your child to contact you immediately when he arrives at his destination. If he has a smartphone or any device to text from, it can generally be powered on as soon as the airplane lands and an announcement has been made. Also, ask the adult who picks up your child to contact you as soon as he is safe with them.

One of the most important things to remember when sending your child on an airplane alone is to be calm. A child traveling alone is a stressful situation for mom and dad, but many children do it often and without incident. Prepare your child, prepare yourself, and enjoy witnessing your child set out on their new adventure.

After all, our goal is to raise God-loving adults, and traveling solo can be one of the best experiences toward a healthy level of trust and independence.

Buen Viaje! ~Jen