How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

My step-daughter goes every year to visit her grandparents in Florida...and usually DH flies down with her (stays overnight-comes back the next day). Then...her grandmother flies her back up north (again, stays overnight and then flies home the following day). All of this so she is not flying alone.

When a kid under 14 flies alone, they are with a flight attendant the whole time and watched like a hawk....but DH does not want to send her by herself. Your thoughts/opionins?

When I was a kid....I know my sister and I went to visit my grandma in Florida and we were on the plane by ourselves....I was 10.

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

I was 15 when I first flew by myself, I think it's a perfect age and they will be supervised by the flight attendants so it's completely safe.

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

Probably about 16.

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

My sister and I were probably 9 - 10 years old when my parents started letting us fly to Florida on our own (to visit grandparents). They put us on the plane and my grandparents were at the gate to meet us and the flight crew gave us extra attention while we were on the plane -- we never had any problems.

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

I think I was 8.

My godson is going to FL by himself next week and he is 9.

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

I was 13 and I was nervous and HAD no clue, but someone waited for me the entire time till we took off and when we landed...

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

i was 13 on my first flight alone. it also included a stopover in chicago from macarthur to los angeles. i was scared but i did it. the next time was 16 and 18. have not flown alone since then.

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

In this day and age at least 15 yrs old

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

I was 11. Dad took me to the plane and my grandparents met me at the gate.

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

My Bf's kids were 7&11 at the time!
They were always very well taken care of.

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

OMG, I was like 18 when I flew my first time by myself. I remember my dad standing at the gate waving good bye to me, I cried for half the flight!! Let's see, I am now 27 and last year when I flew down south on my own, DH dropped me off and I cried then too. I hate saying goodbye!!

But to answer your question, I would say 10 and up is a good age. They are watched very closely and as long as they are ok with it and some one is waiting at the gate to get them, they'll be ok!!

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

I was pretty young. My best friend moved to Ohio and I went to visit her. I wore a sticker and they were so great to me. I remember I had to wait till everyone got off the plane and I waited with a flight attendent. Its not bad at all.

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

It depends - do they let anyone meet them at the gate? I wouldn't feel comfortable with my child getting off the plane and wandering around or not knowing where to go - I sometimes don't know where to go! I was 17 when I first flew alone. So I'd say somewhere around there.

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

Re: How old would your child have to be to let them fly on an airplane alone?

I flew alone for the first time the weekend of my 10th birthday. All of my uncle's godchildren flew alone to visit him on their 10th birthdays (there are 3 of us), so I think that's a good age. My mom brought me to the airport, I sat with the flight attendant the whole time and my uncle picked me up at the gate. I was a little nervous going, but I had a new Cabbage Patch doll to keep me company on the flight back so that was easier.