I would let my kids, but they don’t want to.

Beginning age 10 in the 1980s I flew across country by myself every summer to spend it with my grandparents - from Arizona to Massachusetts. I somehow survived despite having no gadgets to rely on. I was a reasonably level headed kid but at that age - and still today - most airlines require you to pay the extra fee for unaccompanied minors which means an air steward keeps an eye on your kid during the flight and a parent or guardian is allowed to accompany child to gate and to pick up child at gate rather than them wandering around an airport terminal alone.

I would say unless your kids are neuro atypical or have other issues that would make this a challenge, definitely do it. They have each other for company and they will love the adventure.

Anonymous wrote:Only if there is no change of planes or layovers. Airlines used to, and may still, require that your children be escorted by a stewardess.

Airlines used to, and definitely do not still, refer to flight attendants as stewardesses.

Thanks everyone! They would be flying nonstop, and have done that exact flight many times with us to visit their grandparents. If the kids feel good about it, I'll let them. If they're hesitant, I won't push it.

Anonymous wrote:At 10 and 13 for a nonstop flight and if i had no concerns about grandparents I would do it.

+1. I let DD fly 4 hour flight at age 8 to see grandparents without even thinking. it was totally fine.

My son has flown unaccompanied to see his grandparents and also aunt since he was maybe 7 years old or so? (I can't remember exact age it started, but young). We've always flown Southwest, and I think there was an extra fee for unaccompanied minors and also rules (like, you had to send them with a paper with the name and contact info of who was picking them up, etc.) He flies unaccompanied at lease once per year. They were all direct flights though, so no experience with layovers, I wouldn't be comfortable with a layover.

Have and would. Started when my (very independent) kid was five years old.

Yes. Non stop flights and fully charged phone.

Assuming the kids have flown before with you, and that it's a non-stop flight, then I wouldn't have any hesitation.
We almost did it with our kids at 9 and 11 last year, but didn't just because the schedule didn't end up working.

Absolutely, have and would. With a 10 year old, you'll probably have to pay the unaccompanied minor fee. You accompany them to the gate and whoever is picking them up meets them at the gate. Just get to the airport very early.

Absolutely. My kids have flown back from their grandparents the last 2 summers. They aren’t really alone, and the room where they go during layovers is awesome…games, food, etc.

My kids have flown alone several times. The first time was when I had a medical emergency and had to be hospitalized and my husband was extremely busy at work, so we sent the kids to my MIL's house. They were six and nine, I believe. They loved it. They got a lot of attention from the flight attendants, and they enjoy plane rides generally. Since then we have sent them off by themselves several times. The older one is pretty independent and she has flown alone quite a bit. She is 13 now.

I flew alone a lot as a child because my parents were divorced and lived far away from each other, and I loved flying alone too.

At 10 and 13 for a nonstop flight and if i had no concerns about grandparents I would do it.

Only if there is no change of planes or layovers. Airlines used to, and may still, require that your children be escorted by a stewardess.

Thinking of letting our kids, ages 10 and 13, fly down to Florida to stay with their grandparents for a week. Considering letting them do it without us, but still deciding how I feel about this. My husband said he did it all the time as a kid and flew from CA to NY repeatedly. I'm having mixed feelings. Would love to hear others' perspectives. TIA.