Quick answer: Delta requires its Unaccompanied Minor Program for children aged 5 to 14 flying alone and offers it as an option for ages 15 to 17. The fee is $150 each way per booking and covers up to four children traveling together, on top of the adult fare. Ages 5 to 7 may only fly nonstop; ages 8 to 17 may take connecting flights through Delta hubs. No unaccompanied minor may fly on a red-eye departing between 9 pm and 5 am or on the last connecting flight of the day, with narrow exceptions. Bookings must be made by phone; the service cannot be added on delta.com.
📞 Booking a child's solo flight on Delta? Call Fond Travels at +1 (323) 800 6001, 24/7. We confirm the age band, route the child through a hub with a Delta Sky Zone, add the service and collect every contact Delta requires, or start on our unaccompanied minor flights page.
Last verified: September 2026 against Delta's Unaccompanied Minor Program page.
What is Delta's unaccompanied minor policy?
Delta's program hands a child from the named drop-off adult to a Delta employee at the departure gate and back to the named pickup adult at arrival. Along the way the child wears a trackable wristband, is escorted on and off every flight, and during connections waits in a supervised Delta Sky Zone at Atlanta, Detroit, New York JFK and LaGuardia, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, and Seattle, with staff, snacks, and activities. Flight attendants check on the child during the flight, and international travel is permitted with country-specific restrictions.
Delta unaccompanied minor age rules
| Age on the day of travel | Program | Flights allowed |
|---|
| 4 and under | Cannot fly alone | Must travel with a passenger aged 18 or older |
| 5 to 7 | Required | Nonstop Delta flights only |
| 8 to 14 | Required | Nonstop and connecting Delta flights |
| 15 to 17 | Optional at the parent's request | Nonstop and connecting flights |
Two timing rules apply to every enrolled child: no red-eye flights departing between 9 pm and 5 am (limited exceptions for international travel and cities with only one flight a day), and no booking on the last connecting flight of the day except in markets with a single daily flight. Delta may also decline partner-operated segments.
How much is the Delta unaccompanied minor fee?
$150 each way, charged per booking rather than per child, and it covers up to four children traveling together, such as siblings. The fee is $150 USD, CAD, or EUR depending on the departure region, and it is converted to local currency elsewhere. It applies to domestic and international travel and to nonstop and connecting flights alike, in addition to the ticketed fare. A round trip for one child or for four siblings is therefore $300. Checked bags are charged separately by fare; see our baggage fees guide.
How to book a Delta unaccompanied minor flight
Delta does not sell the unaccompanied minor service on delta.com. You must book by phone so an agent can confirm the itinerary meets the age, timing, and connection rules and add the service correctly.
- Call Fond Travels at +1 (323) 800 6001 (or Delta Reservations) with the child's full name and date of birth, the route and dates, and the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the drop-off adult, the pickup adult, and an alternate contact.
- The agent confirms the age band, chooses a nonstop or an approved hub connection, and checks that the flight has space in Delta's per-flight unaccompanied minor limit.
- The $150 each-way fee is added to the ticket and paid at booking.
- You receive the confirmation and a checklist of what to bring on the day.
Summer and holiday flights reach the unaccompanied minor limit early, so book as soon as you know the dates.
Documents and drop-off on the day
- Arrive early and check in at the counter, not a kiosk. Allow extra time; Delta asks the pickup adult at the destination to arrive two hours before the scheduled arrival.
- The drop-off adult shows a valid government-issued photo ID and confirms the address on the ID, a phone number, and the name, address, and phone number of the adult meeting the child, plus an alternate contact.
- Delta issues a gate pass, the child's wristband, and a packet of boarding documents.
- Walk the child to the gate and stay there until the aircraft has departed.
At the destination, the pickup adult presents matching photo ID and signs for the child. Delta will not release the child to anyone not listed on the reservation. If the pickup person changes while the child is in the air, call Delta immediately.
Nonstop versus connecting on Delta
Delta's routing rules are more flexible than JetBlue's nonstop-only policy but still restrictive: the youngest band is nonstop only, older children connect only through Delta hubs, and red-eyes and last flights of the day are out. If your route needs a connection, the choice of hub matters. Route the child through an airport with a Delta Sky Zone and a comfortable layover, and search nonstops first on our flights page. For nonstop-only alternatives, compare our JetBlue and Alaska Airlines unaccompanied minor guides.
Tips for parents
- Prefer morning departures so there are same-day rebooking options if something goes wrong.
- Write everything down for the child's pocket: names, numbers, and the confirmation code.
- Talk your child through the connection: a Delta employee will walk them to the Sky Zone and the next gate, and they should not go anywhere alone.
- Pack snacks, a charged tablet, and a charger. Crew supervise while working the cabin.
- Keep your phone on until the pickup adult confirms they have the child.
How Fond Travels can help
A Fond Travels phone expert books Delta unaccompanied minor flights the way the airline requires. We verify the child's age against the current policy, choose a nonstop or an approved hub connection, add the service, collect drop-off, pickup, and alternate contact details, and review seats and bag fees. If Delta cannot work for your route or dates, we compare Alaska, JetBlue, and other carriers on the spot. Read how booking flights by phone works, or start on our unaccompanied minor flights page.
Fond Travels, LLC is an independent US travel agency in Woodbridge, Virginia, rated 4.8 of 5 with 2,200+ Google reviews. Call +1 (323) 800 6001 any time.
You might also be interested in: Southwest Unaccompanied Minor Policy · United Unaccompanied Minor Policy · American Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Policy · Delta unaccompanied minor and infant rules
Fond Travels, LLC is an independent travel agency. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by any airline; airline names are used only to identify the flights we book.
FAQ’s
How much is Delta's unaccompanied minor fee?
$150 each way per booking, covering up to four children traveling together, in addition to the fare. A round trip is $300.
How old do you have to be to fly alone on Delta?
5. Children aged 5 to 7 may fly nonstop only; ages 8 to 14 may also connect; ages 15 to 17 may fly alone with or without the program. Children 4 and under must travel with an adult.
Can I book Delta unaccompanied minor service online?
No. Delta requires unaccompanied minor bookings to be made by phone. Fond Travels can book it for you at +1 (323) 800 6001.
Can a 14-year-old fly alone on Delta?
Yes, but the Unaccompanied Minor Program is still required at 14, on nonstop or connecting Delta flights. From 15 the program is optional.
Can a 16-year-old fly alone on Delta?
Yes. Ages 15 to 17 may fly as regular passengers, or parents can enroll them in the program for the $150 each-way fee.
Does Delta allow unaccompanied minors on connecting flights?
Ages 8 to 17 may connect through Delta hubs, where the child waits in a supervised Delta Sky Zone. Ages 5 to 7 are nonstop only. Red-eyes and the last connecting flight of the day are not permitted.
What does the Delta unaccompanied minor wristband do?
It identifies the child to Delta staff and is trackable, so the airline can locate the child throughout the journey and confirm the handoff at each point.
How is an unaccompanied minor picked up at the airport on Delta?
The named adult arrives two hours before the scheduled arrival, obtains a gate pass at the counter, shows valid photo ID at the gate, and signs for the child. Delta releases the child only to the person listed on the reservation.
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