This week, I contacted American Airlines through X (Twitter) to have them add my AAdvantage account number to my upcoming flight reservation. Since I booked the flight with Alaska Airlines miles, I couldn’t add my AA number myself online. If my AA number isn’t on my reservation, I won’t get my AA credit card benefits on this flight, including free baggage and earlier boarding group. I’ve done this process many times on X with no issues.
This time, however, the AA agent on X added this to the reply: “Please ensure that you have a notarized letter from the non-traveling parent.”
I am traveling by myself with my daughter on this trip. We’ve traveled together internationally before without my husband, and I’ve never been asked for a consent letter from the non-traveling parent. However, I did have one prepared when we went to Norway in 2024 because the cruise line suggested it. But, nobody ever asked me for it.
I’m not sure if American Airlines or any government official will ask me for the letter for this trip to Guatemala. But, I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Consent Letter
I could have typed one on my own, but instead I used a template from this passport services website. I typed in our info in the pdf file, printed it, and headed to the UPS store with my husband to get it notarized. Total cost: $10 for the notary stamp.
I’ll follow up next week if I had to show this letter at any point on our trip to Guatemala.
Have you ever been asked to show a parental consent letter on your travels?
Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
Germany is the only country where we have been asked for it every single time when I visited with my kid without my husband – my sis lives there and she was asked for it too when she was leaving the country with her kids for travel.
I’ve done it a bunch of times. Usually your bank has a notary who does stuff for free.
Travel with grandkids a lot and have always had consent letters but never have been asked to show it, but better safe than sorry! Ten dollars is not worth missing a trip, and not to mention the hassle it would be and the expense!
First I’ve heard of this although I somewhat reluctantly see how it could make sense.
My bank offers free notarizing services for customers. It might be worth looking into to see if yours does as well.
I have been asked to show it twice, in Canada and Switzerland. My daughter was under 10 at both times.
Seems like a little too much but given there have been numerous cases of a parent taking a child away as part of a custody dispute (or after a divorce) I can understand airlines requesting that on international flights. While it seems like an odd request I can also chalk it up to “better safe than sorry” on the part of the airline and wasn’t too much of a problem for parents to obtain provided they aren’t doing anything wrong.