Unaccompanied Minors

Unaccompanied minors are restricted from traveling on some flights. Unaccompanied minors booked in violation of these restrictions will be denied boarding and/or be subject to additional fees for re-routing.  Please contact Northwest Airlines Reservations at 1-800-225-2525 or your travel agent for further information.

Unaccompanied minors must purchase an adult fare ticket. In addition, an unaccompanied minor fee will be assessed prior to departure. Certain exemptions to this fee apply. See chart below for details.

To ensure a safe, comfortable and fun trip for the unaccompanied child traveler, the following policies have been established: 

• Any child age 5-14 traveling without an adult 18 years of age or older must participate in the Unaccompanied Minor Program. All rules and fees apply.
• Children ages 15 through 17 may fly unaccompanied on nonstop, direct or connecting flights. Children ages 5 through 14 will not be accepted on the last connecting flight of the day, or red-eye flights.

  Red-eye flights are defined as departures between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. local time. The following are exempt from the red-eye restriction:

  • International Flights
  • Domestic short-haul flights (2 hours or less)
  • Flight to and from Alaska and Hawaii

• Unaccompanied minors will not be accepted for international travel if their itinerary includes a connection to an off-line carrier. Northwest code-share partners are not included in this restriction.
• Reservations must be confirmed to the child's final destination.
• The Northwest unaccompanied minor service is mandatory for children ages 5-14, and optional for children ages 15-17.
• Northwest will provide supervision for children accepted under the program from the time of boarding until the child is met at the final destination.
• Up to four children (related or not related) traveling together will be assessed only one service fee. Exception, more than four related children traveling together will be assessed only one service fee.
• Children under the age of 5 are not eligible for unaccompanied minor services and must be accompanied on the same flight and in the same compartment by a passenger at least 18 years of age.
• Unaccompanied minors must be checked in with an agent. They are not eligible to use the self-service check-in devices

Domestic (including United States / Canada / Mexico / Puerto Rico / Caribbean)
Age (years)	UMNR Program	Non-stop/Direct Allowed	Connections Allowed	Fee
5 -14	Mandatory	Yes	Yes	$50 USD/$68 CAD one-way non-stop, $75 USD/$116 CAD one-way connecting flights
15 - 17	Optional	Yes	Yes	$50 USD/$68 CAD one-way non-stop, $75 USD/$116CAD one-way connecting flights

International (Trans-Atlantic,Trans-Pacific)
Age (years)	UMNR Program	Non-stop/Direct Allowed	Connections Allowed	Fee
5 -14	Mandatory	Yes	Yes	$60 USD/$80 CAD one-way non-stop, $90 USD/$120 CAD one-way connecting flights
15 - 17	Optional	Yes	Yes	$60 USD/$80 CAD one-way non-stop, $90 USD/$120 CAD one-way connecting flights

For more complete details, please refer to our NW Unaccompanied Minor brochure available at our airport counters. You may also request a brochure by calling our Distribution Center at 1-800-358-3100.