Yes, You Can Change the Name on an Airline Ticket

Posted by Nikhil on March 3rd, 2020

Can you change the name on an airline ticket? It’s a question many travelers have wondered, whether a friend suddenly couldn't make a trip, or you notice a dreaded spelling mistake on a boarding pass at the last minute.

While every airline has systems in place to help passengers handle such situations, factors like how close to the flight you'll be able to make changes—and how much it'll cost—depend on each company's specific policy. Read on for what you need to know.

Can I travel under an incorrect name?

Definitely not. Under the Transportation Security Administration’s (T.S.A.) rules, the name on the boarding pass must match the passenger's government-issued ID. This is to ensure that all passengers have been screened against the government’s watchlist and are approved to fly. Not only do airlines have the right to deny you flight access, but many also have a cutoff point for making name changes. Even if you feel it's too late, it's still worth contacting their customer service, who may be able to note on the reservation that they've been made aware of the issue.

How can I correct a typo in my name?

Once you find such an error, contact the airline or agency you booked with immediately (although prepare to be on hold for a while during peak hours.) If you're at the airport in a panic, head to the airline's ticket desk. And don't sweat if you've left out a middle initial: airlines are specifically focused on first and last names.

Will it cost me money to make the change?

On any airline, you have twenty-four hours to correct the error charge-free, whether you need to change a single letter or the entire name. For this reason, passengers should always review their confirmations immediately after purchasing.

Can you change the name on an airline ticket? It’s a question many travelers have wondered, whether a friend suddenly couldn't make a trip, or you notice a dreaded spelling mistake on a boarding pass at the last minute.

While every airline has systems in place to help passengers handle such situations, factors like how close to the flight you'll be able to make changes—and how much it'll cost—depend on each company's specific policy. Read on for what you need to know.

Can I travel under an incorrect name?

Definitely not. Under the Transportation Security Administration’s (T.S.A.) rules, the name on the boarding pass must match the passenger's government-issued ID. This is to ensure that all passengers have been screened against the government’s watchlist and are approved to fly. Not only do airlines have the right to deny you flight access, but many also have a cutoff point for making name changes. Even if you feel it's too late, it's still worth contacting their customer service, who may be able to note on the reservation that they've been made aware of the issue.

How can I correct a typo in my name?

Once you find such an error, contact the airline or agency you booked with immediately (although prepare to be on hold for a while during peak hours.) If you're at the airport in a panic, head to the airline's ticket desk. And don't sweat if you've left out a middle initial: airlines are specifically focused on first and last names.

Will it cost me money to make the change?

On any airline, you have twenty-four hours to correct the error charge-free, whether you need to change a single letter or the entire name. For this reason, passengers should always review their confirmations immediately after purchasing.

WATCH THIS

How to Survive Holiday Travel

If it's been more than 24 hours, that's when each airline's specific ticket change policy comes into play. While Alaska and Delta charge 5 and 0 respectively for changes, other airlines, such as JetBlue and Southwest, allow at least one free correction. For the most part, no matter how good your reason may be to make a change, expect the airlines to apply all penalties, fees, and increased fares. When airlines say tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, they mean it.

Can I give my ticket to a friend?

Almost never. While airline customer services will usually assist you in correcting the name for the original passenger, hardly any allow you to change it to a whole new traveler. Delta, United, Southwest, and JetBlue all have strict policies against this—although Frontier Airlines allows it for . Airlines will typically tell you the reason tickets are non-transferable is for security purposes, but in truth, from a government policy perspective, you can change the name on an airline ticket. What's really happening is that airlines want to control their revenue. In the days when you could transfer tickets, consolidators would scoop up the cheap ones and resell them, negating the airline's ability to move the ticket price around as demand ebbed and flowed. 

What if I recently got married or divorced, and my name changed?

Legally, you're fine as long as you have the right documentation and allow enough time at the airport for it to be reviewed. Seeing as technically the name on your ticket simply needs to match the passenger's identification on the day of travel, the Department of Transportation on its Fly-Rights page explains: "If your name has recently changed and the name on your ticket and your I.D. are different (or will be different by the time of your trip), bring documentation of the change (e.g., a marriage certificate or court order)." That'll show the necessary authorities that the name on your government ID now corresponds to the one on your ticket, even if your physical ID doesn't reflect it yet. To be safe, we'd encourage you to bring a printout of the Fly-Rights page in case the person you're dealing with isn't aware of this protection.