Identification for an 11 Year old

[cheerforchelsea]

I haven't flown with a child in years.....what kind of identification is required at the airport for an 11 year old? I can only find where the TSA addresses adult passengers age 18 and over....

 

[Traveliz]

I haven't flown with a child in years.....what kind of identification is required at the airport for an 11 year old? I can only find where the TSA addresses adult passengers age 18 and over....

Under 18 does not require any type of ID at all.

Under 2 and riding as a lap baby does for the airline but not TSA.

Liz

 

[rwdavis2]

PP was correct. Under 18 requires no ID except for lap babies.

 

[Jestocost]

PP was correct. Under 18 requires no ID except for lap babies.

One minor caveat being that the airline may require ID to verify eligibility IF the passenger under 18 is traveling on some kind of age-restricted youth or child fare. Bookings under those fares are rare, however, so it's not a likely situation to encounter.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I haven't flown with a child in years.....what kind of identification is required at the airport for an 11 year old? I can only find where the TSA addresses adult passengers age 18 and over....

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/acceptable_documents.shtm

Adult passengers (18 and over) are required to show a U.S. federal or state-issued photo ID in order to be allowed to go through the checkpoint and onto their flight.

also:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/acceptable_documents.shtm

Adult passengers (18 and over) are required to show a U.S. federal or state-issued photo ID in order to be allowed to go through the checkpoint and onto their flight.

Seems really clear under age 18 do not require id.

 

[sam_gordon]

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/acceptable_documents.shtm

Adult passengers (18 and over) are required to show a U.S. federal or state-issued photo ID in order to be allowed to go through the checkpoint and onto their flight.

also:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/acceptable_documents.shtm

Adult passengers (18 and over) are required to show a U.S. federal or state-issued photo ID in order to be allowed to go through the checkpoint and onto their flight.

Seems really clear under age 18 do not require id.

I'm curious why you posted the same link twice.

 

[backyardponder]

I assume you are asking about domestic travel. If it is international, then a passport would be required.

 

[MisWal]

I was just researching this same question. When we flew in March, the airline asked for ID for the children. I didn't have any as we have never been asked for it before. She said that the TSA may ask for it, so be aware and to be sure we have it next time we flew.

I can find one child's birth certificate, but not the other and we leave in 2 days (yes, should have done this earlier). I have printed out the TSA rules, so hopefully it won't be a problem. I can't figure out why we were told to bring it next time when the TSA website clearly states that ID is required for adult passengers only.

 

[rwdavis2]

I was just researching this same question. When we flew in March, the airline asked for ID for the children. I didn't have any as we have never been asked for it before. She said that the TSA may ask for it, so be aware and to be sure we have it next time we flew.

I can find one child's birth certificate, but not the other and we leave in 2 days (yes, should have done this earlier). I have printed out the TSA rules, so hopefully it won't be a problem. I can't figure out why we were told to bring it next time when the TSA website clearly states that ID is required for adult passengers only.

The airline employee was simply wrong. The information you got from TSA is correct. My kids have been flying since before 9/11 and they have never been asked for ID. They have offered up driver's licenses (they are both tall) but they were not necessary.

 

[firecracker725]

Both my girls (DD4, DD10mos) have been flying regularly since they were 7/8 weeks old, and we've never had to produce any type of identification document.

 

[akclayton]

I was told when I made my reservations with SW that I needed to have a copy of the birth certificate for each kid. They said this is the case for all kids that are 11 and under.

 

[Lewisc]

I was told when I made my reservations with SW that I needed to have a copy of the birth certificate for each kid. They said this is the case for all kids that are 11 and under.

Only true if you purchased an age qualified fare. The wanna getaway fares most of us are able to purchase are generally lower then child fares.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I was told when I made my reservations with SW that I needed to have a copy of the birth certificate for each kid. They said this is the case for all kids that are 11 and under.

Once again, I wonder if many airline employees have ever flown themselves! Absolutely untrue, unless you have purchased a special children's fare, as noted above (and who does that; I've never seen them cheaper than the lowest discounted fare).

 

[jjan]

You just might want to prep your child that the TSA person might ask them how old they are. My DD is very shy/quiet and every time they did this, she had a minor panicky moment because it surprised her and she would stumble over her answer. They may also ask your child if "this is your Mom" etc. just to make sure that everything is on the up and up.

 

[mom2brooke76]

I was told when I made my reservations with SW that I needed to have a copy of the birth certificate for each kid. They said this is the case for all kids that are 11 and under.

Absolutely not true. I fly at least once a month on Southwest with my dd who is 7 and the only time I have had to produce a birth certificate is when she flew as a lap child, which is to be expected. Like others have already said, the only time that they will require such ID on a domestic flight is for lap children and those that were booked on a child's fare to verify age. FWIW, most people just book the Wanna Get Away fares online for their kids since they're generally cheaper than any fare that you'll receive by calling Southwest directly.

 

[Lewisc]

Southwest offers child fares to kids 11 and under. Either the poster was booking such a fare or the SW representative thought the rule applied to all kids.

The rep wasn't 100% wrong. Children 12-18 (at least on SW) aren't eligible for a child fare and never need ID. The fact that the rep only said kids 11 and under suggests they were talking about child fare requirements.

 

[gert]

You just might want to prep your child that the TSA person might ask them how old they are. My DD is very shy/quiet and every time they did this, she had a minor panicky moment because it surprised her and she would stumble over her answer. They may also ask your child if "this is your Mom" etc. just to make sure that everything is on the up and up.

This. My daughter (8 at the time) & I were traveling back from Mother-Daughter Disney trip. The TSA person looked at her ticket & asked her for her name.... and she gave the wrong one. She gave her nickname & not her legal name which was on the ticket. I prompted her to give her full name, and the TSA person asked her a few more questions before letting us through.

For a moment there I thought I was going to have a heart attack in the middle of MCO.

 

[Hannathy]

You just might want to prep your child that the TSA person might ask them how old they are. My DD is very shy/quiet and every time they did this, she had a minor panicky moment because it surprised her and she would stumble over her answer. They may also ask your child if "this is your Mom" etc. just to make sure that everything is on the up and up.

They really don't care unless there was an alert out or something. It really isn't any of their business who they are other than making sure the boarding passes line up and they know who the adult is.