Airline UM Policies Compared: Best for Your Child (2026)

📋 Quick Comparison

Best value: Alaska Airlines ($50 nonstop, $75 connecting)
Most flexible connections: American Airlines (10 approved hubs)
Simplest policy: United & JetBlue (nonstop only, no confusion)
Budget carriers: Allegiant & Frontier offer NO UM service

The Complete Comparison Table

Feature	AA	DL	UA	WN	AS	B6
Fee (per segment)	$150	$150	$150	$100	$50-75	$150
Mandatory Ages	5-14	5-14	5-14	5-11	5-12	5-14
Optional Ages	15-17	15-17	15-17	—	13-17	15-17
Connections Allowed	Ages 8+	Ages 8+	❌ No	❌ No	Ages 8+	❌ No
Online Booking	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
Multi-Child Discount	Siblings	Up to 4	❌	❌	❌	❌

AA = American, DL = Delta, UA = United, WN = Southwest, AS = Alaska, B6 = JetBlue

American Airlines

$150/segment

Ages: 5-14 mandatory | 15-17 optional

Booking: Phone only (1-800-433-7300)

Connections: Ages 8+ at approved hubs only

Approved Connection Hubs: CLT, DCA, DFW, JFK, LAX, LGA, MIA, ORD, PHL, PHX

Restrictions:

Ages 5-7: Nonstop flights only
No connections on partner airlines (only AA metal)
No last flight of day at connecting city
No overnight connections

Best for: Families who need connection flexibility. With 10 approved hubs, American offers the most routing options for children 8+.

Delta Air Lines

$150/segment

Ages: 5-14 mandatory | 15-17 optional

Booking: Phone only (1-800-325-8847)

Connections: Ages 8+ at approved hubs only

Approved Connection Hubs: ATL, CVG, DTW, JFK, LGA, LAX, MSP, SLC, SEA

Restrictions:

Ages 5-7: Nonstop flights only
No red-eye flights (9 PM - 5 AM departures)
No last connecting flight of the day
Delta/Delta Connection/Air France/KLM/Aeromexico connections only
Cannot use kiosk or mobile check-in

Special Features:

Sky Zone lounges at major hubs
Barcoded wristbands for tracking
4-digit PIN for account security
One fee covers up to 4 children on same itinerary

Best for: Families traveling with multiple children. Delta's "up to 4 kids per fee" policy offers significant savings for larger families.

United Airlines

$150/segment

Ages: 5-14 mandatory | 15-17 optional

Booking: Online or phone (1-800-864-8331)

Connections: ❌ Not allowed (any age)

Restrictions:

Nonstop flights only — NO exceptions
No codeshare or interline flights

Special Features:

Wristband ID system
Special baggage tags
Priority boarding
Front-of-plane seating
Free snack

Best for: Simple, direct routes. United's nonstop-only policy means no confusion about connection rules — but limited route options.

Southwest Airlines

$100/segment

Ages: 5-11 mandatory | 12+ travel as "Young Travelers" (no UM service)

Booking: Online or phone (1-800-435-9792)

Connections: ❌ Not allowed

Restrictions:

Nonstop or same-plane through flights ONLY
Same-plane = may make stops but NO plane change
NO international flights
Ages 12+ cannot use UM service (travel independently)

Best for: Budget-conscious families with children 12+. Southwest's "Young Traveler" policy means no fees for older kids — they just fly like adults.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines ⭐ Best Value

$50-75/segment

Ages: 5-12 mandatory | 13-17 optional

Booking: Online or phone (1-800-252-7522)

Connections: Ages 8+ at approved hubs only

Fee structure: $50 nonstop | $75 connecting

Approved Connection Hubs: ANC, LAX, PDX, SEA, SFO

Restrictions:

Ages 5-7: Nonstop or direct only
No flights departing 9 PM - 5 AM
No last flight of day connections
Maximum 2-hour layover

Special Features:

Lanyard and wristband identification
Complimentary Main Cabin meal on flights over 2 hours
FREE for MVP Gold members!

Best for: Value-seekers, especially on the West Coast. At $50-75 vs. $150 on other airlines, Alaska saves you serious money. Perfect for SEA/PDX/LAX/SFO routes.