Children Flying

I would call the airline that you are flying with and ask them what their policy is for little ones. When I flew US Air they told me I needed to bring my daughters birth certificate and then I didn't end up showing it to any one. Better safe than sorry!

Hi L.,

Only if you're flying out of the country. The children need to have passports to re-enter the US. L.

I was told to bring my childs birth certificate the last time I flew but they never asked me for it.

Hi L.
You probably won't need the SSN, but you should definitely bring the birth certificate, especially if your child is close to and looks close to the age of 2. Better to be safe than sorry :)

P.

I've had people tell me that you had to but I've flown with my son, now 19 months, 4 times and never had to produce anything of the sort. They do require they have a boarding pass but that is given at the check in for a lap baby. Obviously if you've paid for their tickets they'll have one as well.

Not unless you are leaving the country....and I think now that has to be a passport. When I traveled with my children last year I didn't. Unless rules have changed recently. Have fun and hope it's a short trip! Packing a backpack full of snacks is a really good idea...I do it all the time with my kids and get compliments on their behavior from other passengers.

Depends on how old they are, assuming it is a domestic flight.

If your child is an infant, you need to prove he/she is over 4 or 6 weeks old. If you have purchased a child fair (usually 4 and under) You need it to prove your child is eligible.

Other than that, you as the parent can vouch for your child.

The best thing to do is call your airline & ask, as policies change frequently & the rules vary from airline to airline.

I have flown with infants & small children without problems except when I could not prove my 6 month old was over 6 weeks. I had a long conversation with the ticket gal & eventually she let me go. This was 3 years ago.

Call.
You will feel better.

Have a safe flight!

P

I never had to, but I still brought a photocopy with me in my purse just in case.

I've always brought Nicole's birth certificate with us when we fly and she has been flying since she was 3 months old. They have never asked for it but the website does say to bring it. I feel it's better to have it just in case, not only to prove age but to prove identity and that it is your child. I would also check about car seats/booster seats. Some airlines charge extra if you are checking a car seat or stroller. Remember that your child has to go through security also, so have them wear shoes that are easy to take off and on and prepare them that their special toy has to go thru the x-ray machine. Nicole is only 4 but she has flown enough that she knows to take off her shoes and jacket and put them in the plastic bucket with her dolly, then go thru the metal detector and wait for them on the other side.

I have never needed it, but I have always taken a copy of their birth certificate with me.

No, minor children are able to fly with parents without ID.

Shockingly, you don't need anything. I fly often with my 3 kids and they've never required a thing.

Once you get past the ticket counter you won't need anything. At the ticket counter I have had to show a birth certificate and a proof od immunizations. I believe these were mostly for age verification. (To prove that my child was under two and I didn't need to purchase an extra seat, or that they were old enough to fly)

Most airlines do not require ID until child turns 18. If under age of 2 and flying on your lap you need to show proof of age. Otherwise they only want the parent's ID.
If flying out of country you need passports for all.

Have fun.

I've never had to, but it's been years since I flew with a 2 year old, so I don't know if it's changed. I think it's usually pretty obvious if a child is under 2 by the way he walks, talks, etc. But not everyone is aware of child development as us moms :-)

no. minor children under 15 do not need anything when they fly , just a parent!!

Usually yes. Call your airline for their rules, I think they are all different. I just flew last week and I had to show birth certificate or some kind of document showing his date of birth in order for him to fly free on my lap. But when I flew last time and bought him a ticket, I still had to show some proof of his identity. I was able to use a photocopy of the birth certificate, but I would still double check what your airline's policy is. And if they are newborns, there are rules on how old they have to be to be allowed to fly.

Also, ask your airline what their policies are if you plan to bring strollers and carseats up to the gate- you can usually gate-check stuff to make it easier on you, and some things may not count towards your baggage allowance.

We just flew last month on Northwest with our 5 and 3 year olds and it wasn't necessary. But when our kids were under 2, we did need to show their birth certificate, especially with my youngest because he is very tall for his age. You can always check with the airline just to be sure.

I never have and we snuck our daughter in as an "under 2" when she was 3 1/2 (she's tiny) :)

Some airlines require a shot record or birth certificate if you have a child close to two who you are going to have on your lap. Children that are obviously under two have never been a problem for us, but around 2 years of age the airlines want proof if you're not buying them a seat. I have 4 kids and have flown a lot with all of our family not being close to us. The older kids just need their ticket and your ID for your ticket.

you can go to www.tsa.gov and get all the information you need for flying (rules) what you can bring on a plane and what you need to fly

If you are not traveling with them, they have to have a photo ID. My kids spend weeks with their grandfather in the summer after our family reunion and then fly home. They must have photo ID, he walks them onto the plane with the flight attendant and the flight attendant walks them off the plane to me where I show my photo ID and sign before they are allowed to go with me.

We just flew to Honolulu over Christmas with our 1 year old son. We flew on Delta airlines. The only thing that they asked us for was his birth certificate. They don't need the social security card. My friend just flew to SC from Kansas and it was the same for her. You only need their birth certificates. I didn't leave the country, so I did not need to show an immunization record. You don't need this if you don't leave the country. You should call the airline if you still have questions. I checked the airline website to get the info that I needed for my flight and they had a big section about flying with children that answered all my questions. Also, we gate checked his stroller and he sat in his car seat on the plane.

I fly all the time with my kids and have never needed anything...I've never even taken the birth certificate or social security card with me. All you need is your ID.

I know that on Jetblue children under 2 fly for free. We bring our son's birth certificate as proof of his age. I am not sure of the policies of other airlines. Hope this helps!

No. I fly at least four times a year with my two kids (9 and 14) IF you are leaving the country you MUST have a passport. Have fun on your trip!

You only need the birth certificate and they may not ask for it.
However, if you are flying internationally, you will need the birth certificate (preferrably a Passport depending on the child's age) and if your husband is not flying with you, you will also need a notarized letter with his permission to leave the States and with a stated return date.
Have a safe trip! C.

When I flew Delta with my 3 mo. old dd in Dec. I had both her birth certificate & SS card with me and no one ever asked me to present either document. All I did was present her boarding pass (we bought her a seat).

It would be best to check with the airline or the airport if you have not yet booked a flight. I recall having a birth certificate available, but I was never required to show it. I wouldn't count on that though because if it is "required" then it could be requested at any time and you could have problems boarding if it is not available.