The Southwest Unaccompanied Minor program is designed for children ages 5–11 who are traveling without an accompanying passenger age 12 or older.
The service involves specific procedures at the departure and arrival airports. A parent or guardian dropping off the child must obtain a gate pass, complete the required paperwork, and remain at the gate until the child's flight is airborne. At the destination, the authorized pickup person must present identification and complete the required release process.
However, parents should not interpret the service as continuous one-on-one supervision. Southwest states that flight attendants check on an Unaccompanied Minor periodically as duties allow, rather than continuously monitoring the child throughout the flight.
