Can a 16 year old fly alone in the European Union?

I have an identity card, but I have never travelled to a different country.

I'm planning next year to fly from Lithuania to Cologne, Germany, to an event that will probably take place for a couple of days. I would only be either at the Lanxess Arena, eating, or in a hotel. After that I would fly home.

Can a 16 year old fly alone in the European Union, check into a hotel, and pay the hotel in cash?

Best Answer

There are two questions here: reserving a room and staying in it. Many will say the first one is easy, you are a minor, can't enter into a contractual relationship so you can't reserve a room. That's something your parents will need to do.

However for Austria and Germany this is not exactly so as there is https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taschengeldparagraph specifying how minors can do low amount transactions and so if you are 16 you can to call the relevant http://www.jugendherberge.de/ and they might reserve a bed for you (understand please the risk is much higher for them as you still can't make a binding contract but in general they will, 16 is not so young and it's just a bed for a few nights and this is why a hostel is a better choice, a hotel would risk an entire room) and when you show up with written parental consent to travel they will let you check in (http://www.jugendherberge.de/de-DE/FAQ/Jugendherbergen) finally you will need a membership from DJH which can be bought on spot.

While I can't find on their website, this page claims the Jugendherberge Köln-Deutz not only accepts cash but in fact is is cash only. Another reason to work with Jugendherberge.

As for flying, in general above 16 there are no problems as you are staying within Schengen borders so you won't even meet immigration. You need to carry written parental consent anyways which the airline might ask for. Having a passport simplifies things, you can get away with national IDs typically but a passport makes life simpler.

Have fun! Travelling alone is awesome, I started at 16 too.

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How old do you have to be to travel alone EU?

Majority of airlines allow children to travel alone when they reach the age of 12.

Can you fly out of the country at 16?

Answer: Minors age 12 to 17 can travel alone on any domestic flight without restrictions. There are no special requirements but you do need to present valid government-issued IDs. Please contact the airline you are flying with to verify requirements. Question: My brother is 16 years old.

Can a 16 year old travel alone to Spain?

All children must have their own ID card or passport and must also meet the requirements of the destination country. If they are travelling alone and don't have a passport, the ID card must be accompanied by a travel consent form signed by the parent or guardian, formalised at a police station.

Can a 16 year old travel abroad without parental consent UK?

You must get the permission of everyone with parental responsibility for a child or from a court before taking the child abroad. Taking a child abroad without permission is child abduction.

Get a LOT of Information - E05: Children travelling unaccompanied

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