My mom was always nervous about flying. As a kid, I never set foot on an airplane. In fact, I didn’t take my first flight until I was 30 years old. Even when that happened, she panicked and had me call her the moment I touched down. 

In not flying till I was much older, I figured I was an outlier. But I was curious. So I asked my friends the clincher question: “How young is too young for a kid to fly solo?” I canvassed a fairly varied pool of respondents and got responses from parents, pilots, and even a few kids.

As you might expect, there are a lot of different opinions and concerns. It’s a loaded question that deserves to be looked at from many different angles. So here we go:

What the Airlines Say

According to Southwest Airlines, about 300,000 “unaccompanied minors” flew on their planes in 2014. Some of them were as young as 5 years old. (My friend Tanya C. flew by herself when she was 6 years old.) 

Every major airline has its own protocol when it comes to children flying alone, so requirements may vary. But here’s a general overview of how airlines deal with the various age groups. 

Kids younger than 5: Usually can’t fly without an adult. (That is, unless you have your own private jet. Then you can make your own rules.) 
Ages 5–7: Can fly solo in most cases, as long as it’s a nonstop flight. 
Ages 8–11: Kids can transfer to a connecting flight on most airlines with the help of airline staff. This “escort fee” ranges from $39 to $100, according to IndependentTraveler.com. 
Ages 12–17: Most airlines don’t treat these passengers as unaccompanied minors if it’s a domestic flight. Check with your airline regarding international flights.

Is My Kid Ready to Fly Solo?

Before you let your little birdies fly on a giant metal bird, this question is fundamental. Are they mature enough? How do they do with travel in general? Here are some more pieces to consider: 

Ask the kid(s) how they feel about it. 

Perhaps an obvious step, but an important one. Talk to them about what they should expect. Some kids may be afraid, but some kids may be excited. Or there’s the case of my friend’s 13-year-old son, Dustin, who is about to embark on his first flight without his mom. His biggest worry? That “it will be boring” because no one is with him. 

When you’ve traveled in the past with your kids, how did they fare? Some parents suggest taking kids on road trips or on shorter flights with you to chaperone. That will help the babes adjust before they’re sent up in the air on their own. 

Will the kids be a nuisance to other passengers? 

Kasandra T., a mother of two, is still traumatized from the time someone else’s child cried nonstop on a six-hour flight to Germany seven years ago. She adamantly believes kids shouldn’t fly at all “until [they] are old enough to entertain themselves for the duration of the flight.” 

Pilot Adam G., who works for a major airline, makes sure his kids know all about in-flight etiquette before they get on a plane. He emphasizes that this is the parent’s responsibility. “I’ve actually turned around in my seat and asked a parent of a 9-year-old sitting behind me why my 3-year-old knows not to kick the seat in front of her and her 9-year-old does not.”

Am I Ready for My Kid to Fly Solo?

It can be scary for parents imagine their children flying alone at 35,000 feet. My mother was an example of this. Mom and social worker Lisa G. says her daughter is fine on planes. “She likes to fly and thinks nothing of it, whereas I am the worrier for us both.” Planning ahead can help reduce worry for you and prevent boredom for your young ones.

How to Plan Ahead for a Kid Flying Solo

• Try to book an earlier flight to avoid unforeseen delays and cancellations. 
  
• Charge up cell phones (and program important numbers) and prepaid credit cards for your child to use in-flight. 
  
• Pack their favorite video games and activity books to help combat boredom. 
  
• Pack snacks, especially if it’s a longer flight. Those complimentary pretzels only go so far. 
  
• Discuss in-flight etiquette with them, so other passengers don’t have to deal with any unforeseen outbursts.
  

So—What’s the Right Age for a Kid to Fly Solo?

Airlines and passengers tend to agree that 8 or 9 is a reasonable age for youngsters to start flying solo. Most of the people I polled didn’t fly by themselves until they were 8 years old or older. 

Of course, for some people, that “perfect” age will vary. As mom and grandmother Tanya C. suggests, “That's entirely a child-to-child decision. Children mature at very different rates, so there is no set age that is right for all children.” 

So, at age 30, I was probably a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to solo flying. My friend Carolyn B. made me feel a little better about being so late to the game. Her son first flew solo at 16, in a Cessna 150. The circumstances were a little different, though: “He was the pilot.”

Photos: Boys on a Plane by Juhan Sonin under CC BY 2.0

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