Lumpy

You're 17 and already encountering some of the maddening trash TSA has to offer their "Customers," eh? Just wait.

Hope you don't have to wait until you're my age to figure out not to get in line for their totally outrageous and illegal affrontery to you.

Watch what they are able to do to ANYONE THEY PLEASE, WHENEVER THEY WANT. Try not to let your jaw hit the floor too hard when you remember what you were taught in civics class about your rights in America.

SDF_Traveler

You raise a good point - I wasn't thinking of that when I added the bit about a credit card.

Since you mentioned age and hotels, that reminds me of the hassle I dealt with in Vegas before I turned 21 (age for a room in a hotel/casino property) when I had to deal with trade shows.

OTOH, not all hotels ask for ID - but if the OP appears to look younger than his age, the hotel may be more included to ask for identification or the OP's age.

I do recall one time I needed a hotel at 17 when I got caught overnight at Denver Stapleton. In that case, from what I recall the airline provided a voucher and when I used an Amex (additional cardholder) for incidentals I didn't have any problem.

However, if I would have been asked for ID, I'd probably be SOL. Looking back, I got lucky that night.

At any rate, it's always good to have a card for emergencies.

Boggie Dog

I think spotnik left out a key information here:

As a hedge against TSA problems/TSA stupidity, I recommend the following:

etch5895

This does bring up a potential catch 22. What is the greater evil, a minor checking into a hotel room alone or a minor being refused a room and being left out in the cold having to bed down in an airport waiting area?

I would like to think that a hotel manager would consider all of the circumstances before denying a teenager a room for the night, but if they have had bad experiences with teens in the past, they might not be so inclined to. And, isn't 15 the cutoff for unaccompanied minor for the airlines? Yet if some teen who is denied a room ends up getting sexually assaulted (or worse) in some dark corner of the airport, I've little doubt that parents would be rightfully screaming for justice. In reality, I would assume that the airline would be able to step in and assist, if there is a smart airline rep. at the airport.

Flaflyer

Another angle: Are you going to tell the airline when you buy your ticket? Don't know what they do if they find you are an UM. Best to check the site of the airline you will be using. At random I looked up Delta's Minors Policy. Most items appear to only apply if you pay for the UM Service.

"General Guidelines
Unaccompanied service is required for all children 5–14 ($100 fee)
Children 15–17 are not required to have unaccompanied service but we will provide it when requested.
An unaccompanied child can not be booked on the last connecting flight of the evening. This is to prevent the need for an overnight stay in a hotel. Contact Reservation Sales before you book here at delta.com if you have questions about connecting flights.
Effective November 1, 2008, unaccompanied minors will not be permitted on red eye flights greater than 2 hours in duration departing 9pm-5am. Exceptions:
Flights departing from Alaska or Hawaii


Preparing for Travel
Plan for any necessary medical needs. We cannot administer medicine to children flying alone. If your child is unable to give herself medication, other travel arrangements must be made.
After purchasing the ticket at delta.com, contact Reservation Sales to notify us you have purchased a ticket for a child that will be traveling alone.
Provide the flight number, date of travel, and name of the traveling child.
Provide the name, address, and telephone number of the person bringing your child to the airport as well as the person who will meet your child at the final destination.
Contact the person who will pick up your child at the destination airport to let them know they will have to show identification and sign an Acceptance of Responsibility form.

At the Airport
Bring your child to the airport ticket counter for check-in. A ticketing representative will:
Verify contact information.
Collect appropriate fees.
Issue a red and white striped identification button that must be worn at all times.
Rebook an alternate flight if it appears bad weather may divert the flight from its final destination.

During Travel
A Delta flight attendant will keep tickets and other travel documents throughout the flight.
Your child will not be released to anyone other than the person previously designated by the parent or guardian to pick them up. The adult picking them up must:
Show identification.
Sign an Acceptance of Responsibility form."

WalkinBackToTexas

good advice ^

Ari

Good advice.

vtmike

+1. Especially if the OP isn't planning to get a driver's license once he or she turns 18.

onlyairfare

When my daughter was 17 and traveling alone, she did misconnect and got stranded at night at IAD. Other passengers on the delayed flight who misconnected had to fend for themselves, but when she pointed out to the US staff that she was a minor, they provided her with a hotel, transportation and meal vouchers. She called us from the Hilton Concierge level to report she was fine, and watching a free movie courtesy of US Air and the hotel!

This was shortly post-9/11 and we had not paid extra for the formal UM assistance, as she was already an experienced traveler. Even stingy US apparently was mindful of the potential legal problems, and opted to accommodate her quite generously. She was savvy enough to recognize that loophole and take advantage of it too.

Safe travels monie-17, and the credit card is a good idea just in case.

MikeMpls

A responsible 17 should be able to fly on his/her own.

I'd suggest you get a state ID. Even if your state doesn't issue the permanent cards w/ photos immediately (e.g. MN ) you'll have a paper receipt. Just tell TSA you're < 18 & show them your school ID if they press the issue.

The credit card is a good idea in case you get stranded overnight.

A prepaid long distance card (~$20 at places like Costco) will let you use almost any pay phone. Avoid using real credit cards in pay phones. After several calls, it might look like fraud & get the card shut off temporarily (has happen to me in Norway ).

If you do get stranded overnight -- even in a situation where passengers are required to pay for their own accommodations -- approach the airline and ask for a hotel referral at the airline's rate. It will almost always be a lot cheaper than just walking up to a random hotel's front desk.

YCTTSFM

Yeah, I was tired and wrote the part about Cooper poorly—had a feeling I passed through that queue awhile before you did!

The point I wanted to make is that our current societal climate of overprotection can fall harder on travelling minors—such as the Delta policy slapping a "red-and-white-striped button that must be worn at all times" on a person who would be safer, and more comfortable, blending into the crowd.

As with many issues discussed here more specific to TSA alone, attempts to "fix" a given problem can make it worse. While I certainly hope the OP will have good experiences like yours, there are more legal hedges to jump now than in the 90s, many not of TSA's making.

AirlineBrat53

The brat child has flown LAX-MDW-LAX several times under the age of 18 all by herself. She had her school ID and had no problems with TSA. She did get a state ID when she turned 17 since she has no desire to learn how to drive. That has been sufficient for her travel cross country on AA.

I hope you have a great trip.


airline brat53

SDF_Traveler

I'd say you're spot on when it comes to the current societal climate, it has changed and over-protection can make things much harder on minors. Just look at that long list of items from the Delta website that FlaFlyer posted.

I never recall being regulated to what flights I could take (i.e. no last flight of night) and I traveled just like any other passenger back then. I don't think the airline even knew I was a UM or cared. During IRROPs, I went with the flow, even if it meant a change to another carrier.

FWIW, I started driving at 15 1/2 on a learners permit and got my drivers license at 16. I don't think you can get a learners permit (in this state, at least) - until one is 16 - and then it is a graduated licensing process. I believe that has even changed in most states. Not quite sure this entirely falls into "overprotection", but it has hints of it.

jkhuggins

Obviously, your mileage may vary. Michigan's law is protective, but also generous. You can get a learner's permit at 14.75 years of age, a "pumpkin" license at 16, and an unrestricted license at 17.

ESpen36

I absolutely agree with the first point. In this day and age, it is a very smart idea for a frequent-traveling teenager (or even a child) to have a non-driver identification card. Most state DMV offices will issue such a card for an extremely minimal fee (in my state, $10) and without an eye test or appointment.


Passports are another story. They are quite costly to obtain for many families, and the first one has additional costs and requirements for minors that can be cumbersome, especially if both parents do not live with the child. That's why such a small percentage of the U.S. population holds a passport. I don't see an immediate need for a minor to obtain one unless he/she plans international travel. (Granted, I myself got one at 4 months because I was leaving the country immediately. But I realize that most babies do not travel so much.)