Teenager Flying Alone?

I sent my then-15 year old on a solo trip with a change of planes in Minneapolis last summer. She had no independent travel experience. She did just fine, but we basically had an open text line - she texted me about every ten steps asking really dumb questions like "should I get something to eat now"? Anyway, she survived without an airline chaperone and now has lots more confidence and just got back from her second trip alone. My parents sent me from the U.S. to Germany alone when I was 8, so I may have warped expectations, but I think the U.S. and Canada is about the best place to try this out. Winnipeg is a very small airport, easy to get around. Which U.S. city does she change planes in? You could get some specific advice about that airport if you let us know.

I wish him the best of luck! Did your son have an airline helper to get him through the airport and such? My daughter is 17, so I think she is too old for this help, but did you run across anything about airline helpers in your research for your son's trip?

Here's how you do it;

Get her a packsafe purse, seven ipod apps, a moneybelt, a video of pickpocket avoidance techniques, some clothes so she will not look like a tourist, a chase capitol no-fee atm card, an international driving permit, and a couple of guidebooks with plain brown covers. If she texts, titters, and updates her facebook page every ten minutes she just might make it.

Seriously, assuming that the kid can speak and read, let her off at the front door of the airport and tell her to call you when she gets there. Kids can do anything.

When my son was 15 and our daughter 12 they flew to London and back home from Glasgow on their own. My sister met tehm and saw them off. THey had previously flown to Victoria together, don't remember how old they were, >9, <15. Admitedly, they did not have to change planes, but I would have thought a 17 year old who has flown several times would not have a problem.

My daughter flew from Frankfurt to Ohio a few years ago when she was 17. Had a layover in Charlotte. She did just fine. If your daughter has flown before, she has a pretty good clue about what to expect. 17 is almost an adult, and 18 year olds are traveling the entire world by themselves.

I wouldn't worry.

The best thing to do is for you and your daughter to check the websites of the airports where your daugther will be flying to, including the layover airport. They often have great information about how to connect flights if you have to transfer terminals or not etc. If she has a good idea of how the day will go, then it will be easier. When in doubt look up, signs of where to go are everywhere, and something I find comforting about airports is that they are like McDonald's, the same just about everywhere.

When I was 18, I was travelling with a friend to visit his family in California, he missed his flight and hadn't given me directions because we were supposed to be going together. I made it across the country with connecting flights and a 2 hour shuttle to end up in the right spot with only a minimal text message to do it. She will make it :)

I think it depends on the PERSON more than the AGE. I had no problem letting my 15 year old fly from Portland, Oregon to Madrid. She's brilliant,mature, responsible and completely level headed. However, my dear mother couldn't or wouldn't fly anywhere on her own if there was a connecting flight because she was sure she'd get lost. The confidence and maturity levels are the main consideration. My younger daughter has always been the one to take charge and figure out directions, train tables, etc. and I think now, at age 17, she could go about anywhere and do just fine.

As long as your daughter knows what to do when things go right, as well a when things go wrong, she will be fine. For example, does she know what to do if she misses a flight?

One of my students - a Canadian living in Texas - flew to Canada without incident but missed his bus to the town of his destination. He got a few rides, spent the night in a Wal Mart parking lot, and hitched a ride with a lady to his final destination. Oh yes, I remember. He had forgotten his money! He was 16. If he survived that, I'm sure your daughter will be fine. :) He's a physician now, BTW.

My teenage nieces and nephews have traveled internationally alone with no issues (in non-english speaking countries, too--Canada should be a breeze). In fact my then 18 y.o. niece brought her elderly grandmother (with health issues) from Iowa to Germany where we met them for a trip, with no issues.

Kids can and will figure it out. My oldest two kids figured things out without problem on multiple unaccompanied flights to visit granparents with younger siblings in tow.

I was flown from Vancouver BC to Amsterdam alone and not with any paid assistance at the age of 13... my grandmother who was supoosed to be picking me up at airport but was late and not there when I arrived, , found me at the payphone, phoning the Canadian Embassy ( which is what my parents had told me to do in event of any problem). I was actually a tad dissappointed she showed up,, I was looking forward to adventure!

At 17 your dd is practically an adult,, and all she has to do is ask staff for help if she gets confused.

In the airport she will just remain in a secure area,, so I would consider that safe as anything.

She speaks english I assume, so she will likely be able to figure everything out.

HOpe she has a nice visit.

Marie I hope your daughter isn't flying Canadian Airlines they have been out of business for about nine or ten years. Could she be flying Air Canada? Or one of the other Canadian airlines?
Yuck Yuck. Give her her wings kids have more sense than we give them credit for. Peter

My mistake, I meant Air Canada! I hadn't even realized that I had written it that way! Thanks for the correction!