Originally Posted by
Often1
The IRROPS issue for a <21 is that she can't rent a hotel room or a car. Hence the need for a backup plan at the connection point. Not sure I'd want to spend the night at MDW or ATL and even less sure I'd want my 16 YOA doing so or having the cops having Child Services handle it.
Often, the best course of action is to just book the first flight of the day. Unless there is a nationwide air travel shutdown on the level of the Iceland volcano, there's basically zero chance of getting stuck overnight when leaving on the first flight of the day. Most agents will also prioritize an underage traveler in IRROPS.
I guess it depends on the traveler's maturity level, but I definitely traveled at this age to visit family without a parent (and
with my younger sibling)... of course I already had a FF# etc.