diff --git a/crates/oxc_formatter/src/parentheses/ts_type.rs b/crates/oxc_formatter/src/parentheses/ts_type.rs
index 2162ec38127dd..0788300cc68f7 100644
--- a/crates/oxc_formatter/src/parentheses/ts_type.rs
+++ b/crates/oxc_formatter/src/parentheses/ts_type.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,22 @@ use crate::{
     formatter::Formatter,
 };
 
+/// Looks through single-member `TSUnionType` and `TSIntersectionType` to find the effective parent.
+///
+/// In Prettier's AST (Babel), single-member unions/intersections (e.g., from leading `|` in
+/// `(| number)[]`) don't exist — the parser unwraps them. In oxc's AST, they do exist, so inner
+/// types need to "see through" them when checking `needs_parentheses` to get the correct parent
+/// context.
+fn effective_parent<'a>(parent: &'a AstNodes<'a>) -> &'a AstNodes<'a> {
+    match parent {
+        AstNodes::TSUnionType(union) if union.types.len() <= 1 => effective_parent(union.parent()),
+        AstNodes::TSIntersectionType(intersection) if intersection.types.len() <= 1 => {
+            effective_parent(intersection.parent())
+        }
+        other => other,
+    }
+}
+
 impl NeedsParentheses<'_> for AstNode<'_, TSType<'_>> {
     fn needs_parentheses(&self, f: &Formatter<'_, '_>) -> bool {
         match self.as_ast_nodes() {
@@ -29,16 +45,21 @@ impl NeedsParentheses<'_> for AstNode<'_, TSType<'_>> {
 impl NeedsParentheses<'_> for AstNode<'_, TSFunctionType<'_>> {
     #[inline]
     fn needs_parentheses(&self, _f: &Formatter<'_, '_>) -> bool {
-        function_like_type_needs_parentheses(self.span(), self.parent(), Some(&self.return_type))
+        function_like_type_needs_parentheses(
+            self.span(),
+            effective_parent(self.parent()),
+            Some(&self.return_type),
+        )
     }
 }
 
 impl NeedsParentheses<'_> for AstNode<'_, TSInferType<'_>> {
     fn needs_parentheses(&self, _f: &Formatter<'_, '_>) -> bool {
-        match self.parent() {
+        let parent = effective_parent(self.parent());
+        match parent {
             AstNodes::TSIntersectionType(_) | AstNodes::TSUnionType(_) => true,
             AstNodes::TSRestType(_) => false,
-            _ => operator_type_or_higher_needs_parens(self.span, self.parent()),
+            _ => operator_type_or_higher_needs_parens(self.span, parent),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -46,17 +67,24 @@ impl NeedsParentheses<'_> for AstNode<'_, TSInferType<'_>> {
 impl NeedsParentheses<'_> for AstNode<'_, TSConstructorType<'_>> {
     #[inline]
     fn needs_parentheses(&self, _f: &Formatter<'_, '_>) -> bool {
-        function_like_type_needs_parentheses(self.span(), self.parent(), Some(&self.return_type))
+        function_like_type_needs_parentheses(
+            self.span(),
+            effective_parent(self.parent()),
+            Some(&self.return_type),
+        )
     }
 }
 
 impl NeedsParentheses<'_> for AstNode<'_, TSUnionType<'_>> {
     fn needs_parentheses(&self, _f: &Formatter<'_, '_>) -> bool {
-        match self.parent() {
-            AstNodes::TSUnionType(union) => self.types.len() > 1 && union.types.len() > 1,
-            AstNodes::TSIntersectionType(intersection) => {
-                self.types.len() > 1 && intersection.types.len() > 1
-            }
+        // Single-member unions are transparent (formatted as just the member).
+        // In Prettier/Babel, these don't exist in the AST.
+        if self.types.len() <= 1 {
+            return false;
+        }
+        match effective_parent(self.parent()) {
+            AstNodes::TSUnionType(union) => union.types.len() > 1,
+            AstNodes::TSIntersectionType(intersection) => intersection.types.len() > 1,
             parent => operator_type_or_higher_needs_parens(self.span(), parent),
         }
     }
@@ -125,11 +153,13 @@ fn operator_type_or_higher_needs_parens(span: Span, parent: &AstNodes) -> bool {
 
 impl NeedsParentheses<'_> for AstNode<'_, TSIntersectionType<'_>> {
     fn needs_parentheses(&self, _f: &Formatter<'_, '_>) -> bool {
-        match self.parent() {
-            AstNodes::TSUnionType(union) => self.types.len() > 1 && union.types.len() > 1,
-            AstNodes::TSIntersectionType(intersection) => {
-                self.types.len() > 1 && intersection.types.len() > 1
-            }
+        // Single-member intersections are transparent (formatted as just the member).
+        if self.types.len() <= 1 {
+            return false;
+        }
+        match effective_parent(self.parent()) {
+            AstNodes::TSUnionType(union) => union.types.len() > 1,
+            AstNodes::TSIntersectionType(intersection) => intersection.types.len() > 1,
             parent => operator_type_or_higher_needs_parens(self.span(), parent),
         }
     }
@@ -137,26 +167,27 @@ impl NeedsParentheses<'_> for AstNode<'_, TSIntersectionType<'_>> {
 
 impl NeedsParentheses<'_> for AstNode<'_, TSConditionalType<'_>> {
     fn needs_parentheses(&self, _f: &Formatter<'_, '_>) -> bool {
-        match self.parent() {
+        let parent = effective_parent(self.parent());
+        match parent {
             AstNodes::TSConditionalType(ty) => {
                 ty.extends_type().span() == self.span() || ty.check_type().span() == self.span()
             }
             AstNodes::TSUnionType(union) => union.types.len() > 1,
             AstNodes::TSIntersectionType(intersection) => intersection.types.len() > 1,
-            _ => operator_type_or_higher_needs_parens(self.span, self.parent()),
+            _ => operator_type_or_higher_needs_parens(self.span, parent),
         }
     }
 }
 
 impl NeedsParentheses<'_> for AstNode<'_, TSTypeOperator<'_>> {
     fn needs_parentheses(&self, _f: &Formatter<'_, '_>) -> bool {
-        operator_type_or_higher_needs_parens(self.span(), self.parent())
+        operator_type_or_higher_needs_parens(self.span(), effective_parent(self.parent()))
     }
 }
 
 impl NeedsParentheses<'_> for AstNode<'_, TSTypeQuery<'_>> {
     fn needs_parentheses(&self, _f: &Formatter<'_, '_>) -> bool {
-        match self.parent() {
+        match effective_parent(self.parent()) {
             AstNodes::TSArrayType(_) => true,
             // Typeof operators are parenthesized when used as an object type in an indexed access
             // to avoid ambiguity of precedence, as it's higher than the JS equivalent:
diff --git a/crates/oxc_formatter/tests/fixtures/ts/union-type/single-member.ts b/crates/oxc_formatter/tests/fixtures/ts/union-type/single-member.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..8aacbd7497084
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/oxc_formatter/tests/fixtures/ts/union-type/single-member.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+// Issue #18941 - single-member unions should not have unnecessary parentheses
+type Items = ( | number)[];
+type Items2 = ( & number)[];
+
+// Multi-member unions should keep parentheses
+type Items3 = (string | number)[];
+
+// Simple case without array
+type Simple = | number;
diff --git a/crates/oxc_formatter/tests/fixtures/ts/union-type/single-member.ts.snap b/crates/oxc_formatter/tests/fixtures/ts/union-type/single-member.ts.snap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..5fc18d0c5160e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/oxc_formatter/tests/fixtures/ts/union-type/single-member.ts.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+---
+source: crates/oxc_formatter/tests/fixtures/mod.rs
+---
+==================== Input ====================
+// Issue #18941 - single-member unions should not have unnecessary parentheses
+type Items = ( | number)[];
+type Items2 = ( & number)[];
+
+// Multi-member unions should keep parentheses
+type Items3 = (string | number)[];
+
+// Simple case without array
+type Simple = | number;
+
+==================== Output ====================
+------------------
+{ printWidth: 80 }
+------------------
+// Issue #18941 - single-member unions should not have unnecessary parentheses
+type Items = number[];
+type Items2 = number[];
+
+// Multi-member unions should keep parentheses
+type Items3 = (string | number)[];
+
+// Simple case without array
+type Simple = number;
+
+-------------------
+{ printWidth: 100 }
+-------------------
+// Issue #18941 - single-member unions should not have unnecessary parentheses
+type Items = number[];
+type Items2 = number[];
+
+// Multi-member unions should keep parentheses
+type Items3 = (string | number)[];
+
+// Simple case without array
+type Simple = number;
+
+===================== End =====================