<p>If your son checks in online before the flight, he won't have to show his ID to anyone besides Security, so it shouldn't be an issue. I always check in online before my flight, and though I always have my ID ready and on the counter (if I'm checking a bag), no one has ever looked. Strikes me as strange, but there you have it.</p>
<p>P3T,</p>
<p>We found the fares for DS1 (age 16) for a solo trip to Colorado on kayak.com, but had to actually book them through the airline -- not because of his age, but the reservations weren't processing on Expedia, Kayak, or anywhere else. I don't recall that the online sites or the ticket agent asked for his age when making the reservation. He checked a bag and they asked for ID. No biggie. He went straight to security and never looked back. (talk about deja vu -- his father did the same thing the weekend we met!)</p>
<p>I would think that if Orbitz actually issues him a ticket, the airlines aren't going to care when he's got the ticket in hand and a valid gov't-issued photo ID (it must be a gov't ID once they turn 16).</p>
<p>"As Rotary exchangers fly all over the world to and from exchanges age 16 to 18, I can't imagine age would be an issue."</p>
<p>My older one flew all over the world by herself, not part of any exchange, at age 17, and made her own reservations to fly down from Hartford to Washington, DC at 16. She flew by herself to Ohio (from Seattle) at 14 and 15. My younger one, 16, flew by herself to DC on her way to Cairo last month. (That flight was done with frequent flyer miles on Northwest.)</p>
<p>I have no clue what the actual policies are - I honestly never bothered to look.</p>
<p>I know Priceline posts a warning saying an airline may deny boarding to a person under 18 who buys a ticket through their site and does not fly with an adult. I think that is unlikely.
Some of the airline sites also don't make it clear or easy to buy tickets for minors on-line, even if they are old enough to fly alone under the airlines policy. I called Northwest about it last summer and the agent said to go ahead and make the reservation on-line. If you want, you can call after you have the reservation number and have them put a note in the record that the traveler is under 18. I didn't want to make the reservation on the phone because Northwest charges extra for that. Everything worked fine. The agent that checked her in at the airport did want proof that she was 15 (shouldn't be an issue for a 17-year-old). Actually, in most places you check in electronically anyway and nobody is going to ask about age.<br>
A nice flight attendant asked my then-15-year-old if she needed any help changing planes.
OP should feel very comfortable booking through USAirways web site-- its advanced ticket search indicates that an adult is 15- 64.</p>
<p>I always find cheaper flights on the airline sites than through the discount buying services. </p>
<p>I wouldn't fly a 3-stop itinerary if you gave me the ticket for free. You've multiplied your chance of something going wrong by about eight times. With a teenager who is not an experienced road warrior something mildly scary is going to happen (quick, you're sitting waiting for your flight and they just told you that they are holding for two hours to wait for traffic to clear at your destination airport -- what do you do? I know what I would do, but a kid is going to be lost. Make sure he is traveling with a really good credit card in any event).</p>
<p>Find a non-stop to Buffalo (not much chance of that) or a single-stop that routes through a no-snow airport. For example, Southwest has a trip that stops only in Las Vegas -- what's wrong with that? No changing airlines, less chance of baggage loss, a city that never has bad weather, and a non-stop from Nevada to Buffalo. Anyway, FWIW, a four-city trip is asking for trouble. I'd even route through DIA or ORD than do that.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone - you really got me through this evening!</p>
<p>I followed <em>most</em> everyone's advice above and actually changed my approach very much because of you:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I booked through the airline's website, after shamelessly benefiting from the discount sites (Kayak, Expedia, Orbitz) and Farecast to identify the better flights. Ended up with USAirways and "JohnWayne Airport"/Las Vegas/Charlotte/Buffalo. </p></li>
<li><p>I'll have him check in online from his dorm room, within 24 hours before the flight, so no question of age. It was true that USAir and probably others wouldn't have minded a l7 year old or called him a "minor" for the industry purposes(I phoned that airline). Many thanks. </p></li>
<li><p>I changed my approach to be sure to use only ONE airline. I compared fares for Southwest but US Airways had a better fare for the time he needed (exam timing situations). I'll certainly be looking at Southwest (with the one-stop into Las Vegas) when time-of-day isn't so important. His last exam is before their last flight that day, so that was the specific problem. </p></li>
<li><p>Having had 3 bad local flights in 2007 with JFK/JetBlue to Buffalo, staying up all night twice (and the couple we sat up with joking to everyone in town she "spent the night with my husband"), I need a rest from JFK/JetBlue. They told us there were weather closings in summer for rain (thunderstorms) and misplaced "crews not yet landed" due to "rain in other cities." This postponed, then cancelled their late evening flights twice until the following morning. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Once it's back to June or September, I'll likely use JetBlue/LongBeach/JFK/Buf again since that's the best deal usually. Or try some of the other routes through Boston or Cincinatti. There are many ways to do it. We even got a great fare out there ($89 one-way) via San Diego for Freshman Orientation!</p>
<p>So, I'm probably overly aware of flight weather problems since our perch is Buffalo. He's flown but never alone; and it will be December. So my Mama instincts said, "Hug the South" until he's home in the three-foot-high blizzards of Buffalo. Even though it will mean 2 layovers, not one. I could be calling it wrong and Wash Dad makes a strong point, in general to avoid 2-layover situations. </p>
<ol>
<li>Doing it this early, he got all window seats. I got so involved, I even thought about which way the sun would rise as he flew, imagined him seeing the lights of Las Vegas, the whole thing. We had some fun tonight, too.</li>
</ol>
<p>Curious -- with crosscountry flights, I feel no apologies for "helicoptering" and making these reservations. Ideally, though, I'd like to gradually turn this responsibility over to him, perhaps by sophomore year when we've gotten the hang of it. Do you think that is possible? Just curious...in your families, who makes these &$^@(* plane reservations?</p>
<p>By the way, I'm embarassed to say this, but our kids always want to fly at night so they don't oversleep plane departures. I've learned this year for myself to only fly in the mornings. It's true that the most reliable plane is the one that leaves first each day, and it goes downhill after that. Wish I could turn my kids into red-eyes, just for the flight days...we'll see. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, he has the excuse he's "just" a freshman, so I'm the reservation bookie for now. Could this change?</p>
<p>I really have to agree with WashDad - the changing planes more than once for a cross country flight really seems extreme and I can't imagine the cost savings is significant enough to put a kid through that. Sounds like a done deal though. (Was it not possible to wait until the next morning if it was a matter of timing of finals? Funny how it seems so important to rush home for that first break when planning before school has started, but when the time comes the kids tend to be a little more apt to not mind hanging around campus an extra bit if their fellow students are also still around.)</p>
<p>I coordinated S#1's first flight home from college for winter break through Expedia and posted the best looking itinerary there for his review before final booking. That was it for me. All flights were his responsibility from that point on; only requirement was to run the price by me (or the itineray if he has questions but he never has) if it was going on my credit card, but we've got a pretty decent understanding on expectations in that area, so no problems to date. He goes coast to coast, NW to SE and has never changed planes more than once. He's done Thanksgiving, winter break, spring break, summer break to and from and his own for fun stuff too (to New York this summer). Since Mom and Dad don't pay for all of these, he's become quite the savvy shopper. He quickly, with the help of his fellow college students, I'm sure, figured out the best sites to shop for on line airfares.</p>
<p>He's an aisle seat flyer whenever possible (and will go for the exit row if it's offered). More room. He's a comfort flyer. He truly appreciates the Bose headphones his dad got him at the beginning of his college career.</p>
<p>Of course we've gotten that dreaded call-my flight's been cancelled! He was on his way back to school and was cutting it short (against my advice I might add). Gotta love O'Hare. He learned a lot on that trip. Fly early in the day if possible and don't expect that flight to get you there hours before classes start. He had to figure it out so he did, with some cell phone counseling from the parents on being proactive with the airline. He'll go for the southern transfer in winter if possible, and has found late day flights can get dicey in spring and summer due to afternoon storms. D is about to start this process, but she's heading to a cold weather school.</p>
<p>My two oldest had reason to fly solo several times as "pre" 18 year olds without any problems. Never even crossed my mind that they would have a problem!</p>
<p>^^dogwood23, much appreciated here. It's not so much cost as timing. </p>
<p>You're very astute - what happened in this very specific situation is the exam week is Mon-Fri and one of his courses has its exam on Friday afternoon 1-3 p.m. This college is good enough to publish its final exam schedule now for the entire college, relative to when the courses are held during the week, so since he's preregistered to specific courses, he knows he's got a Friday afternoon exam. That's also why Southwest didn't work, since their last flight for the day to Las Vegas is 3:30 p.m. </p>
<p>I did ask him several times if he'd wait until Saturday morning to fly (similar costs, and better schedule through Southwest and several other airlines the next morning). But he was equally insistent that, having to wait until the very last exam Friday afternoon, he wanted OUT by Friday night. The dorm will be fairly empty by then. 70% of the college is California resident, as well. </p>
<p>However, dogwood and the rest, you've given me the best possible leverage now.
If he dislikes anything about the trip I planned, I'll tell him next time he can do it and surely much better ;) </p>
<p>Even though the 2-stop planned trip is lengthy as scheduled, and if there are even more delays, I am confident he'll get home <em>eventually</em> being on a single airline. Since it's only his second cross-country trip even, he has no big expectation set. He says "I'll bring a book (War and Peace, probably...or something with 800 pages).</p>
<p>Doesn't anyone recall those snow flights from last CHristmas season, with people sleeping for days in Denver and Chicago airports? At least here he'll have an advantage that it's Dec. 14 not 21. Again, being in Buffalo my concern was much more that a northern snow route would delay him for a full day. So I used this 11 hour flight, rather than an 8 hour flight, adding in the additional city to "stay Southern" this time. </p>
<p>I hope it works well, but thanks Dogwood...now I know if it doesn't he'll take over the process a bit sooner. </p>
<p>My kids call me "the spin doctor" - no matter what happens I'm always telling them and myself, "it's the best possible thing that could happen."</p>
<p>So thanks, all; I got what I need from this thread. In answer to my OP, I now know not worry about "unaccompanied minor" fine-print rules, unless you have a child prodigy for a freshman.</p>
<p>Generalities you've taught me:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>If from afar, try to use one airline rather than multiples, all other factors being equal, to help with rerouting after unexpected airline delays. </p></li>
<li><p>Ask your kid to stay a bit longer in the dorm, if possible, after finals, to give you more ease and flexibility with scheduling.</p></li>
<li><p>Use discounting websites to learn about flight routes but schedule through the airlines' websites to save on fees.</p></li>
<li><p>Call the airlines for specifics.</p></li>
<li><p>Look for airlines that use 1 stop, not 2 (all things being equal).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>And what I want to emphasize from here that might be new learning for some:
In December, if you have a choice of layover cities, try to stay in the South,
all things being equal, to avoid the seasonal blizzard problems.</p>
<p>THANKS TO ALL!</p>
<p>paying 3
is this your first college age kid? You have to read those exam schedules with a big grain of salt. Half the time, profs give the final in class,sometimes theres no final (or the kid tests out of needing to take it based on other grades)the schedule times get changed,etc.
Sometimes the kids wind up wanting extra time to pack up, finish a paper,etc.My procastinator S would never have been ready to finish an exam and dash out to an airport! My D always wanted time to "get all her ducks in a row" for the semester before leaving Phoenix for NY.
We always found it was best to base the return flights on the closing day of the dorm,not the final schedule.
I would also, based on all the above advice, route a kid with the fewest stopovers as possible.
But it sounds like all is said and done and your S is booked. Hopefully, the schedule and the flights work out. Perhaps next time you can relax a bit and wait awhile to book.</p>
<p>p3T: We always use JetBlue from Long Beach and have not had any problems to and from Boston. We use their online booking and get double points. We use the Jet Blue Amex card (in D's name) and she gets points (don't expire) We have secondary Jet Blue Amex cards (under D's name) and use it for big purchases and she gets points. During her first year, she has earned 2 free round trip fares. So rather than nickel and diming every flight, we figure the free flights make up for paying a little more for convenience. </p>
<p>We try to get direct flights east whenever possible. Seems that connections are a problem in the east and at JFK. Logan in Boston is a great hub and we have had few problems. Can you use Logan as a hub to get to Buffalo.? I would definitly look at using Logan rather than JFK if possible for fewer delays or cancellations and it is a hub. </p>
<p>D has taken the red-eye from LB to Boston almost every time and sits in exit row for comfort. She loves the individual TV :) She gets into either JFK at 6am then to Boston by 9, or direct to Boston by 6am. East to west is less convenient but usually she leaves mid afternoon and gets home by 8:30pm.<br>
Long Beach airport is hassle-free. You can show up an hour before and easily make it on the plane. check in and tsa are a breeze. The weather on this end is not a problem. Of course, on your end it usually is. </p>
<p>While John Wayne/OC airport is closer to Chapman, I find the fares higher and the times less convenient than LB. Of course, your S will need to get to the airport and that can be a hassle. Jet Blue doesn't go in/out of OC. OC restricts flights because they go directly over Irvine and Newport and the neighbors don't want noise before 7 am or after 10 at night. </p>
<p>I definitely agree that making flights this early seems like a good idea, but the finals schedules really do change. Also, D says she never even thinks about packing until her finals are over and papers turned in. She wants a little down time to decompress. First semester, she was done well before finals ended. Second semester, her a capella group sang at graduation and she came home well after..............hard to predict so far in advance!!!</p>
<p>by the way, I still make the reservations for D. She gives me her schedule and I do the flight research. I give her a few choices, but find that I am better at getting the best deal, but with practicality and caution in mind. For example, her flight to Boston in August connects (couldn't find a non stop) thru Oakland, rather than JFK to avoid anything to do with JFK. I don't feel any guilt about helicoptering when it comes to airlines. D is getting to be a savvy traveller, so I am gradually letting her do more of the research and planning. Trouble is, she is a procrastinator and with airlines, that leads to more expensive flights!</p>
<p>Keep in mind that when northern airports are snowed in it is not only flights at those airports that are affected. Oftentimes, flights from southern airports become delayed because planes have not arrived from the snowed in airports. There literally are no planes to board. A southern route helps but by no means eliminates the chance of delays.</p>
<p>I agree with Washdad and Cathymee. From the experiences of flying 2 kids home (one from 6000 miles away,from 1500 miles away), there is no rush to book winter break tix as schedules do change, and definitely the fewer flight segments the better. If at all possible, fly with just carryon luggage. I also really think kids that fly should have a credit card with them and I always use that card to book the ticket.</p>
<p>We all had these questions and concerns when our kids started. By this time next year you and your S will be old pros at this.:)</p>
<p>Also gotta agree that posted final exam schedules don't necessarily mean a lot. Profs will do their own thing anyway. S#1 won't book anything until he's been to his classes and gotten his professors' course outlines and expected finals timeline. He's had the experience of no finals as scheduled and could leave school days ahead of what the posted schedule indicated.</p>
<p>Travel with a charged cell phone and make sure the traveler has the charger with him (another lesson learned the hard way).</p>
<p>D's best buddy is heading to Chapman this fall. Now that's an easy flight (from here anyway)!</p>
<p>blucroo, yes re: JetBlue, once it's not winter, it's the same for us, starting in So.Cal, to change through Boston's Logan as to change in NYC's JFK airport. Both plane routes just double back and come to Buffalo, although there are many more JFK flights than Logan flights to Buffalo in the course of a single day.</p>
<p>I think from here on, I'll first check at Southwest's one-stop at LasVegas and compare that with JetBlue's onestop at Logan.</p>
<p>Paying3 tuitions- My son flew US Air this summer at age 17, no problem getting on the plane. He flew out with his stop in Phoenix but his return this weekend is through Vegas. His layover on the way out was only 30 minutes and in Phoenix that was no problem. His layover in Vegas on Sat is only 45 minutes so I'll let you know how it goes. He did print out his boarding pass at home and the first leg of the journey was on America West. He just needed his drivers license to get through security.
I also check the route depending on the time of the year.
My D has flown out of John Wayne on her own and found it an easy airport to navigate.</p>
<p>My older daughter flew last summer at 13 as part of a Girl Scout destination. She had to change at O'Hare. As I recall, I booked via expedia on United which must have been similar price as direct booking. A couple issues not for the OP but for others with younger kids to keep in mind..</p>
<p>She obviously didn't have a driver's license yet, she brought her school picture id and her social security card. At the time we had checked to see what was acceptable and this must have made the cut. </p>
<p>She also obviously didn't book the flight with her own credit card. For this reason when she checked in at the home airport, we needed to accompany her with the credit card which booked the flight. This wasn't an issue on the return flight, I think because she was already checked in/registered/whatever.</p>
<p>For United, at 13, we had the option of using their unaccompanied minor escort service or not. We debated this, since this was her first solo flight and she did have the change in the busy airport, but decided against it. Of all the girls going to the program (about 12, ages 13-17) either 1 or 2 used the escort service.</p>
<p>This is a very weird thread!</p>
<p>P3T: This is child #3, no? How in the world did you get to this point without a thorough understanding of unaccompanied minor rules at airlines? The rules used to vary a lot among airlines, and post 9/11 they all tightened up. But it hasn't been an issue for us since our youngest turned 14.</p>
<p>My experience: Teenagers can handle airlines, including connections and the unexpected, just fine, especially if they have a cellphone (but even if they don't). </p>
<p>Also my experience: LOTS of flights through Logan have problems (although perhaps more in the summer than in the winter). I almost never use JFK, so it's hard to compare, but I try to avoid Logan.</p>
<p>I would think you might do better with Southwest through Las Vegas. No doubling back.</p>
<p>P3T,
Is the Ontario (California) airport feasible? We were looking online last night because DS is going out to visit/interview at a couple of schools in October, and the fares were REALLY cheap. So cheap and so easy to get where he's going that now it looks I may not need to accompany him... :( I was SO looking forward to three days in southern CA without spouse and all of life's worries!!</p>
<p>I just looked on Kayak for your parameters and out of Ontario, and there is a 1-stop on Delta in the $330 range. Don't know how much Super Shuttle would cost from there or if there is a school shuttle/friend with a car who can pick him up...</p>
<p>So, if DS has the plane flight from you-know-where and complains, you'll turn the reins over to him and let him navigate his own course. Occasionally I 've been asked to present the credit card used to purchase the tickets, and this will be a good reason for him to make the reservations on his own card. (DH travels frequently and says these days, the credit card is just used for automated check-in.) He should definitely sign up for frequent flyer programs.</p>
<p>I'm coming very late to this discussion (and as a brand new poster at that), but I just wanted to add a couple of comments. Our younger dd attends boarding school in PA so she's been flying cross-country on her own for the last few years. My suggestion is, sign your kid up for the frequent flier programs on airlines he'll be flying. It's possible that he'll earn enough miles over time to qualify for free flights, or at least upgrades. We've upgraded dd a few times to first class on her flight from Dulles to Oakland.</p>