15 year old traveling to Europe alone?

I think some 15 year old will be able to handle it and some not.

Shouldn't the friend's parents make that determination?

Obviously, they have agreed to let her do this but I don't think they have ever done anything like it themselves. I have had trips across the pond that have been pleasant but also others that have been really rough so I do worry about it myself a bit.

Don't worry so much about which planes offer the best entertainment. Think about which is the easiest itinerary. In this case, I agree to stick with Chicago. Do you fly her as an adult, or do you fly her as an unaccompanied minor? At her age, she could fly either way. As an unaccompanied minor, she'll be with all the 8 and 9 year olds and have to wear a badge saying she's an unaccompanied minor. (Would a 15 year old girl really want that?) I'd also suggest she carry a letter signed by her parents saying that they are giving her permission to travel. There's a 99% chance she won't need it....but....should you come across the one immigration agent/security official who thinks she's running away, the note will take care of that. Whichever airline you choose, make sure you read their webpage on minors traveling alone and know the rules. Know smal things like AA doesn't accept cash for food on their domestic flights, only credit cards (Cash is accepted for international flights and on American Eagle) Tell the girl to go to the airline's websites. They all have sections that explain every aspect of travel from arriving at the airport, to what to expect in flight, changing terminals and going through immigration and customs. The more she knows, the better she'll be at it. I started traveling solo when I was about 14. I remember no one would meet me at the airport. I always figured out how to get out of the airport and either via public transit or shuttle, get to where I was going. And that was sometimes at night because in those days, the cheapest flights were after 9 PM. (Granted, they were domestic flights.)

In addition to the letter from her parents allowing her to travel, you would be wise to have a noterized letter from them giving you permission to "seek, obtain and authorize" medical treatment. Just a precaution, but one that might be important.

I can only speak about my own impressions. I have always had the "feel" that Chicago was more like a domestic airport - more "American" than any of New York's airports, even for international arrivals and departures. That goes from staff to fellow travelers. The more familiar feel of Chicago, might make the whole connecting airport experience less stressful for her first international flights.

James, were they a group of kids or did they pay to have them assisted on the trip? I am not planning to do that cause you can't just reserve a flight on the internet and it costs more. Diane, that is the kind of input I was looking for. I have a feeling that it would be easier for her to go through Chicago even though I have never done it myself. The trip takes shorter time total. I know O'Hare is smaller than John F. Kennedy. The first leg would be really short like a half an hour and she wouldn't be tired after that. I would still like some more input but I am leaning towards Chicago even though Finnair has brand new planes with personal TVs with tons of movies and other stuff to watch and I am sure the American plane won't be that nice. I just have a feeling going through Chicago will make it much easier for her.

I'm prejudiced but I too would favor O'Hare. If she's flying American Airlines, one nice thing about O'Hare is that all American's flights both domestic and international use terminal 3. On her return flight, even if she has to switch terminals, there is a very easy computer-operated shuttle train that runs between the terminals every 5 minutes or so. There are also travelers help desks in each terminal. Tell her not to be afraid to ask for help in Chicago if she needs it. People here are really pretty friendly.

Wow - this really does depend on the 15-year old! Also - is the question "can she FLY by herself?" Or is it "can she be turned loose in Helsinki by herself?" My parents let me fly solo (in the states) beginning when I was 6. On every trip I was picked up and dropped off by a family member at each end of the journey, and back then (the Dark Ages) a flight attendant made sure I was taken care of in-flight. (That may still hapen today, dunno.) In any event, it was perfectly safe - after all, even a little kid can't get lost - or get into too much trouble - on a plane. Thinking back to my 15-year-old self, I would have been fine with a 2 or 3-leg trip, and transfers.... but I would have appreciated very precise instructions. If you are asking "can she be in Helsinki alone?" Gosh. I think maybe not. At 15, I traveled to Europe - but with a group. We stayed with local families rather than in hotels. Some families took just one kid, some took 2 or 3. Every time there were 2 or 3 of us, my little girlfriends and I managed to sneak in side trips, which ALWAYS resulted in going to a bar to meet boys. Always. So... I would say NO to letting her ram around Helsinki alone at 15. Pretty sure that wasn't what you were asking, though....

Bouncing off of Kira's comment. If it were my daughter, I would suggest she let the stewardess in her section of the plane know she was travelling alone. i am sure they would keep an eye open for her. Also dont be afraid to ask for help from one of the travel desks or even at check-in for the flight

Looks like she is allowed at her age to make this trip alone so I don't have to worry about that any longer. It does sound to me that Chicago is the better choice. She is not going to be running wild in Helsinki. She is a nice girl and so is my daughter. Nothing crazy going to happen with them.

When I was 15 (....I'm 35, so that's 20 years ago...) I definitely would have been able to handle flying internationally on my own. While I certainly wasn't as mature as I hought that I was (:-) )......I could have made a more complex decision on my own. If I was the kid's parents', my main question would be whether the kid could make decisions that weren't always A then B then C. For example, "what are you going to do if your flight lands somewhere other than Helsinki?" I think that Chicago makes sense. How fun for both your daughter and her friend!!