Flying with an unrelated teen

[ella6599]

We've invited our daughters best friend to come with us on our next trip. (we're still in the planning stages, so no flights booked, but we usually fly Southwest). They will be 17. Do we need to have documentation from her parents that we have permission to fly with her (domestic flight) and does she need to have ID, since we're not her parents?

 

[tjmw2727]

She will not need anything other than what she would need if she were flying with her parents or flying alone and no ID is necessary for passengers under 18. TSA isn't interested in who is flying with who or why.

I would make sure she has her insurance card and if she does have an ID of course she should bring this in case of emergency.

We have taken lots of flights with my nieces as well as my dd's friends over the years.

 

[Alesia]

She doesn't need ID and you don't need any documentation.

You should have her parents' phone numbers and a copy of her medical insurance card. People will recommend bringing a notorized letter authorizing medical treatment. Don't bother -- no one will look at it.

 

[scrapquitler]

We've invited our daughters best friend to come with us on our next trip. (we're still in the planning stages, so no flights booked, but we usually fly Southwest). They will be 17. Do we need to have documentation from her parents that we have permission to fly with her (domestic flight) and does she need to have ID, since we're not her parents?

She doesn't need ID because she is under 18, and she doesn't need any 'permission' because she can legally fly all by herself without any accompanying adult.

 

[ella6599]

She doesn't need ID because she is under 18, and she doesn't need any 'permission' because she can legally fly all by herself without any accompanying adult.

That was my thought, but when I looked at what was needed for an unaccompanied minor, I read that they needed name of parent picking up at both ends, so I wasn't sure...since we would also be driving her to the airport, and I started second guessing myself

 

[scrapquitler]

That was my thought, but when I looked at what was needed for an unaccompanied minor, I read that they needed name of parent picking up at both ends, so I wasn't sure...since we would also be driving her to the airport, and I started second guessing myself

unaccompanied minors is the term for children flying alone who are something like 12 and under.

 

[tjmw2727]

That was my thought, but when I looked at what was needed for an unaccompanied minor, I read that they needed name of parent picking up at both ends, so I wasn't sure...since we would also be driving her to the airport, and I started second guessing myself

On SWA "unaccompanied minor" they are referring to passengers 2-11 flying alone, other airlines have different restrictions but no airline requires the above for a 17 year old.