United Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Form: Booking, Fees, and Changes

The United Airlines unaccompanied minor form is completed in two stages: you enter the child’s information, the drop-off and pickup adults, and emergency contacts when you book on united.com, then an agent verifies everything and finalizes the paperwork at the airport ticket counter on the day of departure.¹

When the Form Is Required

The unaccompanied minor service, and the form that goes with it, is mandatory for children aged 5 through 14 traveling alone or with someone under 18. Children 15 to 17 may fly without it, but you can request the service for them if you want the added supervision.¹

One boundary matters before you start filling anything out: the child must be booked on a nonstop United or United Express flight. Connecting itineraries, layovers, and codeshare flights operated by partner carriers are not eligible for the service.¹ Confirm a nonstop is available on your route before booking.

Information to Have Ready

Most of the form is completed during the online booking flow. Select the correct traveler age when you book, and the system applies the unaccompanied minor service and prompts you for the additional contact details.¹ Have the following ready:

Child’s full legal name and date of birth, matching whatever ID or document the child is carrying.
Flight details: confirmation number, flight number, and departure time.
Drop-off adult’s full name and a reliable phone number.
Pickup adult’s full name and phone number. This name must match the government-issued photo ID that person will present at arrival.
Emergency contacts United can reach if the primary adults are unavailable during a delay or schedule change.

The pickup name is the single most important entry on the form. Any mismatch between the name you enter and the ID presented at the destination will stop the handover, so double-check spelling before you finalize the reservation.

Finalizing the Form at the Airport

Unaccompanied minors cannot check in online or at a self-service kiosk. You have to go to the ticket counter, where an agent verifies your contact information, confirms the pickup adult’s details, and completes the paperwork.¹ Arrive earlier than you would for a standard flight; the counter can carry its own line and the check-in itself takes longer than a normal boarding pass transaction.

Once the agent processes the form, your child receives a wristband identifying them as an unaccompanied minor and a plastic envelope containing their travel documents.¹ The envelope stays with the child the entire trip and signals their status to every crew member and ground agent they meet. Tell your child not to lose it and not to open it.

At U.S. airports you receive a security pass during check-in that lets you accompany your child through TSA and to the departure gate. At some international departure airports, local rules keep non-passengers out of the gate area, and an agent will escort your child from the ticket counter instead. Either way, stay at the airport until the flight actually takes off. If a mechanical issue or weather forces the plane back to the gate, the airline needs a responsible adult on-site to collect the child.¹

Changing Form Details After Booking

If the pickup adult changes or a phone number needs updating after the reservation is made, call United Reservations. There is no online option to edit unaccompanied minor contact information once the booking is complete.¹ Make the call as early as you can. A pickup person whose name doesn’t match the reservation creates a problem counter agents may not be able to resolve on the spot.

How the Form Is Used on Arrival

The pickup half of the form comes into play at the destination. On domestic flights, the adult meeting the child needs to get a security pass from the destination airport’s ticket counter, clear security, and be waiting at the arrival gate at least 30 minutes before the scheduled landing time. The adult presents a valid photo ID, the agent checks it against the name recorded on the form, and after confirming the match, the adult signs a release form and the child is handed over.¹ If the ID doesn’t match, the agent will not release the child.

On international arrivals requiring customs clearance, an agent escorts the child through customs and immigration, and the pickup adult meets the child in the arrivals area rather than at the gate. The 30-minute advance rule, the ID check, and the release signature still apply.¹

International Flights

The nonstop-only rule applies to international unaccompanied minor bookings too, which narrows route options. United does not allow unaccompanied minors on flights to or from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.¹

Your child may need to complete a U.S. Customs and Border Protection declaration form (CBP Form 6059B) onboard when returning to the United States or entering another country with customs requirements. Write down anything they’ll need to answer, such as your home address, the purpose of the trip, and items to declare, on a card they can carry.¹

Some countries require additional travel permits or notarized consent letters for minors crossing borders without both parents. United advises checking its International Requirements page for destination-specific rules before booking.¹

Fee

United charges a flat service fee on top of the ticket price. The fee covers one or two children traveling together on the same flight.¹

One-way (1–2 children): $150
Roundtrip (1–2 children): $300

The fee is collected during booking. United’s website does not publish a refund policy specific to the unaccompanied minor charge, so if your plans change, call United Reservations to ask about cancellation before assuming the fee is refundable.

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United Airlines. Unaccompanied Minors