The following information will provide the answers to many common questions regarding
children and infants traveling on American. Click on the links below to jump to
the topic for which you need information.
| Please note that Unaccompanied Minors cannot be
booked on AA.com. Please call Reservations for assistance. |
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Aviation Child Safety Device (ACSD)
Learn more about this lightweight, convenient option to enhance your child's safety while flying.
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Age Ranges For Travel
| The following information applies to infants and
children traveling within the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the
U.S. Virgin Islands. For further information, please contact Reservations.
|
Passengers under the age of 15 who are traveling on American have special requirements
that vary according to age. Please see the chart below to determine how your child
may travel:
| Age of Child |
Special Requirements |
| Under
5 years |
Infants
are accepted two days after delivery, however, at least seven days
is recommended.
Children under 5 years of age may not travel alone under any circumstances.
Another passenger at least 15 years of age must accompany them. AA
reserves the right to request documented proof of age for the adolescent
accompanying a child under the age of 15.
Infants under 2 years of age who travel within the United States,
Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands may be held in an
adult's lap at no charge. Please contact Reservations for applicable charges for other countries. AA reserves the right to request documented
proof of age for any traveler 2 years of age or younger. Please be
prepared to provide documentation (birth certificate, passport, etc.)
upon request.
For the safety of your child, American recommends purchasing a seat
and using an approved child safety seat.
Children two years of age and older must travel in a purchased seat.
See Seating Restrictions below
for additional information. |
| 5 through
7 years |
Children
5 through 7 years of age must travel with another passenger at least
15 years of age or they will be considered Unaccompanied Minors. See
Children Traveling Alone for
more details.
Unaccompanied Minors in this age range may only travel on flights
not requiring a change of aircraft. They also cannot travel alone
on certain American Connection flights operated with aircraft not
requiring a flight attendant.
Specific information may be obtained through AA Reservations representatives,
or at any American Airlines ticket location. |
| 8 through
14 years |
Children
8 through 14 years of age must travel with another passenger at least
15 years of age or they will be considered Unaccompanied Minors. See
Children Traveling Alone for
more details.
American Airlines, American Eagle, and AmericanConnection do not accept unaccompanied children when their itinerary includes a connection to/from another airline, including codeshare and oneworld partners.
However, Unaccompanied Minors in this age range will not be accepted
for co-terminal connecting itineraries (such as changing from New
York LaGuardia to New York Kennedy) because an unaccompanied child
under 15 years may not use ground transportation unescorted. See Children
Traveling Alone for more details. |
| 15 through 17 |
Passengers
15 through 17 years of age are considered Young Adults.
Use of the Unaccompanied Minor service (see Children
Traveling Alone below) is not required for Young Adults, but is
available upon request (subject to the same fees and provisions). |
|
†When your travel involves the U.S. Virgin Islands, a ticket and payment
of applicable taxes may still apply. Check with Reservations
prior to travel for more information.
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Fares
International (outside the United States/Canada and Hawaii/Puerto Rico/U.S.
Virgin Islands)
For fare purposes...
- an infant is defined as a passenger under 2 years of age
- a child is defined as a passenger 2-11 years of age.
Availability of fares for infants and children varies depending on your travel
plans. Additionally, AA.com is currently unable to book a reservation for an infant traveling internationally as a lap child. Please contact Reservations for further information assistance.
See Seating Restrictions below for additional
information.
Domestic (United States/Canada and Hawaii/Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands)
Children two years of age and older must travel in a purchased seat, at an adult
fare. See Seating Restrictions below for additional
information.
Infants under two years of age may be held in an adult's lap at no charge.†
However, for the safety of your child, American recommends purchasing a seat and
using an FAA Approved
Infant Seat or Child Restraint Device.
†Children under two years of age who do not pay a fare may still be required to have a ticket and may be assessed certain taxes when traveling to points not wholly within the U.S. Check with Reservations prior to travel for
more information.
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Children Traveling Alone
The guidelines for children traveling alone vary depending on the age of the child.
For the specific guidelines, please refer to Age
Ranges For Travel above.
Please note that Unaccompanied Minors cannot be booked on AA.com. Please call
Reservations
for assistance.
AA reserves the right to request documented proof of age for children traveling
alone. Please be prepared to provide documentation (birth certificate, driver's
license, passport, etc.) upon request.
Fees For Unaccompanied Minors
Children who will be traveling alone will be required to use the Unaccompanied Minor service subject to the following fees:
| Reservation/Ticket Issuance Date |
Region of Travel |
Fees |
| On/after March 1, 2007 |
TO/FROM ALL LOCATIONS |
$75 USD each way |
Please also note the following:
- The fees listed below are in addition to the applicable airfare.
- When two or more children are booked and/or ticketed and traveling together, only one fee applies each way.
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Procedures - Reservations
And Travel Planning
Children traveling as Unaccompanied Minors must be booked through our Reservations
representatives. Children traveling under the Unaccompanied Minor program may
use electronic ticketing.
Please note that no reservation will be accepted for an unaccompanied minor traveling
on an itinerary that includes the last on-line connection to any American Airlines,
American Eagle or AmericanConnection destination.
American Airlines, American Eagle, and AmericanConnection do not accept unaccompanied children when their itinerary includes a connection to/from another airline, including codeshare and oneworld partners.
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Procedures - Checking
In (Domestic and International)
For domestic flights, please arrive at the airport two hours before departure
in order to complete all necessary forms and check-in procedures. Please review the sample form to make sure that you have all the needed information. (Due to numerous signatures required, the actual form can only be completed in person at the airport).
For international flights, please plan to arrive three hours before departure.
Please see additional information below.
A parent or responsible adult must do the following when a child who will be traveling
as an Unaccompanied Minor is brought to the airport:
- Complete an Unaccompanied Minor form at the ticket
counter. This includes providing the name, address and phone number of designating
the parent or responsible adult who will meet the child at his or her destination.
A child may not travel unaccompanied until this form is completed.
- Obtain a boarding pass from the airport ticket
counter (for clearance through the security checkpoint).
- Remain with unaccompanied minors until the child
is boarded on the flight and the flight has departed the gate. This may not be possible at airports outside the United States. See below for additional information.
An agent will ensure that the flight on which your child is confirmed is operating
as scheduled. If the flight is delayed and expected to misconnect or divert to
another airport, please make alternate arrangements for your child's travel.
Upon completion of check-in, your child and the parent or responsible adult delivering
your child to the airport should be at the gate 30 minutes prior to departure
for pre-boarding.
Please Note:
Requests for someone other than American Airlines to escort your child at the
connection city will not be honored. American Airlines remains responsible for
the unaccompanied minor from the origin city to the final destination.
At airports outside the United States, you may be required to release your child upon check in at the ticket counter. In these instances, an American Airlines representative will escort your child to the departure gate and your child will remain under the supervision of an American Airlines representative until the flight departs.
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Procedures - Checking In
(International)
In addition to the information listed above, the following will help you know
what to expect if your child is traveling across country borders.
Please plan to arrive three hours before departure. A check-in agent will ensure
all documents are in order and assist in completing all forms prior to boarding.
The agent will ensure that the parent or responsible adult delivering your child
to the airport completes all necessary Customs and Immigration forms before American
Airlines or American Eagle takes custody of your child.
Upon completion of check-in, your child and the parent or responsible adult delivering
your child to the airport should be at the gate 30 minutes prior to departure
for pre-boarding.
At the airport you may be required to release your child upon check in at the ticket counter. In these instances, an American Airlines representative will escort your child to the departure gate and your child will remain under the supervision of an American Airlines representative until the flight departs.
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Procedures - Picking
Children Up From The Airport
The adult designated to pick up the unaccompanied minor at the destination airport should plan to arrive at the arrival gate 20 minutes before the flight's scheduled arrival time. Because airport concourses are secured to ticketed passengers only, the designated person should allow additional time to obtain the required boarding pass from the airport ticket counter to clear and proceed through the security checkpoint. After verifying identification and forms at the gate, the American Airlines employee will release your child to the designated individual.
Schedule Irregularities
If schedule irregularities occur at any city, American may refuse to provide air
transportation services at any originating city to an Unaccompanied Minor holding
reservations if there is a reasonable likelihood that the child will not make
a flight connection.
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Identification Requirements
Passengers 18 years of age or older are required to have government-issued photo
identification for travel within the United States. However, you may be required
to present proof of age (such as a birth certificate) at the airport for any children
under the age of 18 who are traveling with you.
Passengers under the age of 18 who are traveling outside the United States are
subject to the same travel document requirements as adults. Visit the U.S. State
Department's website for information on passports
as well as visa and
immunization requirements for international travel.
| Note: Please contact the nearest Consulate for the
latest updates. |
Consent For Minor Traveling Without Both Parents/Guardians
Minors under the age of 18 who are traveling with only one parent may be required
to have additional documentation if leaving their country of residence. Please
contact the nearest Consulate of the country to which you are traveling for additional
information.
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Seating Restrictions
Traveling With An Infant On American Eagle Flights
If you will be traveling with an infant on an American Eagle aircraft as shown below, you must be seated in one of the following seats which are designated life vest-equipped rows:
SAAB 340B - seats 10C, 11C or 12C
ERJ 135 - seats 11C, 12C or 13C
ERJ 140 - seats 13C, 14C or 15C
ERJ 145 - seats 15C, 16C or 17C
Bombardier CRJ-700 - seats 15D, 16D or 17D
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Child Held By An Adult ("Lap Child")
Infants under 2 years of age may be held in an adult's lap at no charge when traveling
within the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. However,
for the safety of your child, American recommends purchasing a seat and using
an approved child safety seat.
When one adult travels with two infants, the adult passenger may only hold one
infant. An additional seat must be purchased for the 2nd infant. Seats may also
be purchased for both infants (see Fares above). The maximum
number of infants per adult passenger is two.
Additionally, AA.com is currently unable to book a reservation for an infant traveling internationally as a lap child. Please contact Reservations for further information and assistance.
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Exit Seats
Children (or adults with children) under the age of 15 may not be seated in an
exit seat.
Aviation Child Safety Device (ACSD)
The FAA-approved Aviation Child Safety Device
(ACSD) provides all the protection of a traditional
child safety seat by combining the use of
the aircraft's lap belt and a four-point
shoulder harness. Unlike typical child safety
seats, the ACSD weighs less than 1 pound
and fits into a 6" carrying case, making
it much lighter and easier to transport.
The ACSD is approved for aircraft use only and should not be confused with other non-approved vest/harness-type devices.
For more information or to purchase the ACSD, please visit the
AmericanAirlines C.R. Smith Museum® Gift Shop site.* You may also email Info.crsmithmuseum@aa.com for information.
*By following this link, you will be taken to a partner or information site. Use the back button on your browser to return to AA.com.
FAA Approved Infant
Seat or Child Restraint Devices
Most restraints that are used in automobiles are acceptable for use in aircraft
by an infant or small child. Acceptable restraints manufactured in the United
States will bear one or both of the following labels:
- "This child restraint system conforms to all
applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards"
Additionally, the restraint may carry a second label with red lettering which
states the following:
- "This restraint is certified for use in motor
vehicles and aircraft."
Restraints manufactured outside the United States may be accepted provided that
they bear either a label showing approval of a non-U.S. government OR a label
showing that the seat was manufactured under the standards of the United Nations
(U.N.).
U.N. approval is designated by a label with a circle surrounding the letter "E"
followed by the distinguishing number of the country which has granted approval,
plus an indication of the category and mass group of the child restraint which
will be affixed.
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FAA
Approved Infant Seat or Child Restraint Device Seat Locations
If you are using an approved infant seat or child restraint device, please note
that it...
- May face toward the front or rear of the plane
in accordance with instructions on child seat label
-
May not occupy an exit seat or the row in front of
or behind an exit seat
- May not occupy the space between a customer and an aisle
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FAA Non-Approved
Infant Seat or Child Restraint Devices
The following may not be used when an infant seat or child restraint device is
required:
- Any device without an approval label
- Booster seats with no approval label or shoulder harness
- Vest and/or harness-type devices except Aviation Child Safety Devices (ACSD) bearing FAA aircraft approval labels
- Belt extensions that attach to the parent or the
parent's restraint
- Any device that positions a child on the lap or chest of an adult
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Carry-On and
Checked Item Allowances
Carry-on and checked item allowances for children vary depending on
whether or not a seat is purchased for the child.
If a seat is purchased for a child, the standard carry-on
baggage and free checked
baggage allowance apply.
If a seat was not purchased for an infant, that infant does not have
a carry-on or checked baggage allowance. However, the following items
are allowed over and above the carry-on allowance for the adult traveling
with an infant:
- Approved safety seat for lap or ticketed
child (may also be checked)
- Umbrella stroller for lap or ticketed
child (see details for stroller acceptance below)
- Diaper bag for lap or ticketed child
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IMPORTANT NOTE
All strollers, car seats and similar infant/child items should be labeled with a name and contact phone number.
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Infant Seat or Child Restraint
Devices
If you do not purchase a seat for your infant (under two years of age):
- An approved child safety seat can be carried
on board
- The device cannot be used in a seat unless there
is an unoccupied seat available next to the adult traveling
- Due to many events that occur during the last
several minutes before departure time, we cannot be certain that an unoccupied
seat that meets the above criteria will be available until the final boarding
process
- If an unoccupied, adjoining seat is not available,
the gate agent will check the infant seat/child restraint device to your final
destination. Please check with the gate agent for further details
You may want to consider checking the infant/car seat or
child restraint device at the ticket counter. However, American is not responsible
for damage to infant/child restraint devices and loss/damage of any items attached
to the device, whether these items are checked at the ticket counter or the gate.
Infant/child restraint devices include, but are not limited to, strollers and
car seats.
For taxi, takeoff, landing, during turbulence, or when the Fasten Seatbelt sign
is on, American accepts only FAA
approved infant seats/child restraint devices that are certified for use in
aircraft.
Stroller Acceptance For a Ticketed or Lap Child
Umbrella Stroller
|
- AA highly recommends using this type of stroller
- May be taken on-board the aircraft as long as it fits in the overhead bin
- Exempt from carry-on allowance and excess baggage fees
- May be checked at the gate
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Fully Collapsible Stroller Weighing Less Than 20 lbs.
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- May be checked at the ticket counter
- May be checked at the gate
- May not be carried on the aircraft
- Exempt from excess baggage fees
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Large Stroller
or
Non-Collapsible Stroller
or
Heavy Stroller Weighing Over 20 lbs.
|
- Strongly discouraged to avoid damage, facilities were not designed to accommodate these type of strollers
- May be checked at the ticket counter
- May not be carried on the aircraft
- Exempt from excess baggage fees
|
Please note: American is not responsible for damage to any stroller not properly packed in original packaging.
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Special Amenities
Diaper Changers
Changing tables are available in the lavatories of all widebody aircraft.
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Food
If you are traveling with an infant, please be sure to bring enough food and supplies
with you. American does not provide baby food, bottles and other related items.
However, baby bottles can be heated on all flights operated by American Airlines.
American Eagle and AmericanConnection flights are not equipped to heat baby bottles
Special children's meals are also not available. For more information on available
food and beverage choices, please see our Dining
page.
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Entertainment
Parents may wish to pack an audio headset for their children to use during flight. Headsets may also be purchased onboard for $2 and kept for future use.
Traveling While Pregnant
A medical certificate is required if travel is within 4 weeks of the delivery
date in a normal, uncomplicated pregnancy
Domestic Travel (Not Including Travel Over Water)
For domestic flights under 5 hours, travel is not permitted within 7 days before
and after your delivery date. If you should need to travel within 7 days before
or after delivery, a medical certificate is required as well as clearance from
our Special Assistance Coordinator.
International/Over Water Travel
For international travel or any flights over the water, travel is not advised
within 30 days of the due date, unless you are examined by an obstetrician within
48 hours of outbound departure and certified in writing as medically stable for
flight. Travel within 10 days of the due date for International travel must have
clearance from our Special Assistance Coordinators. Travel within 7 days after
delivery requires clearance as well.
For more information, please contact a Special Assistance Coordinator through
AA Reservations at 800-433-7300.
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Reservations
