While Secure Flight and travel document checking are both critical security functions, they serve different purposes at different points in the security process.. Also, if an error occurs, there might be a change fee to change a name on an airline ticket. Name changes. We encourage all passengers to use the names as they appear on the official identification they will use when traveling, spokeswoman Marie-Anyk Ct told City News. Her areas of expertise are: all thingsSouthwest Airlines,hotel reviews, and what to do, see, and eat in destinations around the world. Be extra careful when booking an airline ticket on the phone. Changing your name can be viewed as the standard, and perhaps even romantic, but theres no getting over the fact that its a laborious undertaking. Dont forget to bring your new passport and marriage certificate, just in case. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. When making a reservation, passengers should follow the prompts provided by the airline reservation system. If you use a frequent flyer account or online travel profile, ensure that your name is properly saved. Normally you can just update this information on the airline web site but just call the airline reservation department and let them know you need help to update your Secure Flight Information. Your middle name should not be included with your airline fare as a general rule. To request a replacement card, contact your state health department or the health care provider who administered the doses. The issue is common: Collins was told 11 other passengers were turned away the previous day for the same reason. It is to the passenger's advantage to provide the required data elements, as doing so may prevent delays or additional passenger security screening at the airport, particularly for those individuals who have similar names to those on the watch list. Start by visiting your local bank branch, and dont forget to bring your new ID and marriage certificate. The TSA said they have no problem with it. :) Tomorrow morning I will be taking my daughter to the airport as she is flying to Italy. Here are rules for the middle-name rule from Air France well written, clear, slightly edited, and passionless. Or challenge yourassumptions about the world. Thanks, Christian! The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. If your identity cannot be verified, you will not be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint. One of the TSAs main reasons for Secure Flight is that it will greatly reduce the number of passengers misidentified as a match to the watch list. Given that the no-fly lists are notoriously messy, the program makes some sense if we are using government-issued ID to, well, identify ourselves, whether it be a passport or a drivers license, it seems to follow that the document to which you are comparing the ID should match up, end stop. Validation logic for a name may be something like: Must be greater than 1 and less than 200 characters, can only contain alphabets from A-Z. Again, it is incumbent on the traveler to make sure the travel agent gets this right; blaming it on your travel agent is not going to be well received by airport security. Share on Facebook (opens in a new window), Share on Flipboard (opens in a new window), This airline gave a free lifetime pass to a baby born mid-flight, "Falsehoods programmers believe about names", How AI tools like ChatGPT can combat ADHD paralysis, New Amazon Music feature matches hit songs with feelings, Long COVID and suicide: How patients are helping each other in their darkest hour, 21 reasons to keep living when you feel suicidal, 'You're always on': Warnings from the front lines of the teen mental health crisis, 'Wordle' today: Here's the answer, hints for April 18. You will not be allowed to enter the security checkpoint if your identity cannot be confirmed, you choose to not provide proper identification or you decline to cooperate with the identity verification process. For the time being, it appears you may need to think ahead to which ID you will use for a particular trip and make your reservation using that legal name. Be sure to confirm the name on your reservation well in advance of travel, and then check in for your flight as early as possible, preferably using the online check-in service on your airlines Web site. Expect to wait up to 11 weeks (or five to seven weeks with expedited service) for a new passport. Middle Name vs Middle Initial 5 years ago Save My daughter has a problem: her ticket reservation has full middle name but her passport has only her middle initial. Some changes will have to be made in person, such as getting your new drivers license. Have you ever flown with delta? Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. Changing your name with the SSA will also notify the IRS and help make sure your name and Social Security number match. You can get these through the vital statistics or records department of the state where your marriage took place. Here's another point to remember. I just went to United website and did what you told me to do. Can Adding Your Middle Name to an Airline Ticket be Risky? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You dont need to contact the credit reporting companies directly, but keep in mind you may want to hold off on applying for new credit cards until you see your new name reflected on your credit report. I booked online with AA and did not put our middle names on the ticket. Other info. How to play the viral TikTok quiz. I had always known my BIL by his middle name. According to the TSA Regulations, your boarding pass must match your passport exactly. If you use a frequent flyer account or online travel profile, ensure that your name is properly saved. I guess sometimes it really is up to the airline. He's passing his love of travel on to the next generation; his 10-year-old son has flown some 200,000 miles already. Thus, always register any spelling mistakes with the airline because they have strict policies regarding names. If you are not sure if your ID complies with REAL ID, check with your state department of motor vehicles. Your Social Security Administration (SSA) card and number will often be necessary to get a new drivers license, which will be required for many of the other steps in the process. In exchange for the annual fee, you'll unlock access to the Amex Membership Rewards program that let you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with new lifestyle and travel credits. Using a travel agent. All Rights Reserved. Fingers crossed no issues arise during your trip! The name submitted on your airline reservation must be an exact match to the name you provided on your application. Using titles can present problems as well. Thanks for sharing your experience using Capital One Travel, Liza. Thanks Keith! You really never know what'll capture the attention of TikTok. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. You don't need any other ID but your passports. Here's how you can avoid typos on airline bookings: 1. However, your first and last name must be exactly the same on both your passport and airplane ticket. If you can't seem to do it on line (by the way I couldn't do my wife's on line when we first set it up) just call United Airlines. Click on that and log into your Mileage Plus account. A naive programmer might think, "A name is anything with the letters A to Z," O'Neill explains. If you are booking a reservation by phone and have an unusual name, spell it. She has come to realize writing as a way of sharing travel experiences brings her a lot of pleasure! Not all airlines require a middle name on boarding passes. More just a personal observation. According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) rules, the name on your boarding pass must be the same name as on your I.D. My passport has my full name, first, middle and last. Some ask for a middle initial or don't prompt you at all. Then your boarding passes should print out as you wish them to be. However, the TSA's Secure Flight Program involves tighter guidelines on. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. Difficult or unusual names. 13. Now that you have your new Social Security card with your new name, youre ready to head to the DMV. The answer (at present, at least): yes, that is exactly right. And if I do want to change one government ID because another government agency requires something different, most likely I am going to have to pay for it, but thats another story for another time. Hi Ali, I cannot answer your question as to whether issues will arise. Some frequent flier programs are taking proactive steps to contact members; others are not. I do hope your travels go smoothly, though. I don't want to have to pay hundreds of dollars to add our middle names but the worst case scenario would be if we are denied boarding the aircraft because our tickets don't have our middle names. These members will need to visit an enrollment center to complete the renewal process or update their name by calling customer service at 855-347-8371 weekdays between 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Always order a few, as you may not always receive your certified copy back after submitting it as proof of your name change while updating documents. Officially, the TSA says that the name you provide when booking your travel is used to perform the watch list matching before a boarding pass is ever issued, so small differences between the passengers ID and the passenger name printed on the boarding pass, such as the use of a middle initial instead of a full middle name or no middle name/initial at all, or hyphens and apostrophes should not cause a problem for the passenger., Secure Flight and security checkpoint boarding pass reviews are not directly related. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Thanks so much for this data point, John, and thanks for reading. your middle name is not on it), if your passenger information is correct, there will not be a problem. For any steps that have to be submitted via mail, HitchSwitch will even include the address to which the application needs to be sent. 15. Middle names and initials are not the issue. Do I need to book domestic travel (for which I would use my drivers license) as Edward C., and international travel (for which I would use my passport) as Edward Charles? I figured, if everything is there, then there wont be an issueit has never been an issue. We've reached out to Delta and United and will update this story if we hear from them. Horowitz again: TSA recognizes that name formats on government identification will vary depending on the issuer. For example if my name is Mark Roberts Smith (not my real name), Ive been entering it as First Name: MarkRoberts, Last Name: Smith. Enrollment required. It is your responsibility. Thanks for reading and taking the time to share your experience. Why airlines systems still can't handle a hyphen as part of someone's name. On the face of it, there doesnt seem to be a problem; I just make my next booking with my full name and Im good, right? By signing up to the Mashable newsletter you agree to receive electronic communications Keith, please tell me why the Secure FLight information needs to be correct and how that would affect us? To change your name for Global Entry, you'll need to visit one of the program's enrollment centers. Here are some tips and tricks to help you find the answer to "Wordle" #667. Some airlines may not require a middle name while booking, however, these guidelines are required for international flights. Secure Flight data needs to match whats on your passport and what information the airlines have on file about you. 14. This even includes some ultra-low-cost carriers like Spirit. John, For most travelers, everything involved with the Secure Flight program takes place long before they ever arrive at the airport. Interestingly enough, your airline ticket, however, does not require a middle name. The information from that system is then sent over to the TSA electronically. After making the reservations I find out from my SIL it's the reverse. Is the name in the Passenger Name Field required to match the Secure Flight Passenger Data . Will it make any issues if I travel with it ? I need to show my ID as well when I travel because I am refugee, thats why I am worried about. Watch out for how that appears on airline tickets. Much appreciated. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) procedures require all airlines to correctly identify all Customers. Not all airlines require a middle name on boarding passes. Here are some tips and tricks to help you find the answer to "Wordle" #668. Avoid manually typing it in. What You Need to Do to Conform to Secure Flight Requirements Regardless of how old your passport is, youll probably need to include a certified copy of your marriage certificate. Are you sure this flight is operated by UA? By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Fixing problems. Another popular option is to create a hyphenated last name, but doing so doesnt make the process of legally changing your name any less complicated. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Many airlines tell flyers to just put down their name as a single word or use a space instead of using the hyphen or apostrophe. Makes no difference what people call you. To change your name for Global Entry, youll need to visit one of the program's enrollment centers. If all of this overwhelms you (we get it, really), there are services available to help speed the process along. Mashable is a registered trademark of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without express written permission. Yes. Thank you. Beginning May 7, 2025, if you plan to use your state-issued ID or license to fly within the U.S., make sure it is REAL ID compliant, Driver's licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent), DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST), U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents, Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card, Transportation worker identification credential, U.S. Most of the programs, including Hyatt and Marriott, will require you fax or mail your legal documents to a specific address. But you forget to do that on a particular ticket. The programmers who build these systems are writing what they call "validation logic" for each field you fill in. Go to ua.com. Keith is right. For Gerard O'Neill(opens in a new tab), a software engineer at Atlassian, this is an issue he deals with at his job and in his life. Listing airlines and their requirements would have made this a huge post . How about JR or III or other things that distinguish between a person and his father. Would be it problem ? For TSA PreCheck, you can call 855-347-8371 on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Do not use a name or short nickname for tickets. Heres an important tip for your next trip: Make sure your name is exactly the same on all your documents if you want to fly. So Secure Flight really has nothing to do with what appears on your boarding pass, although we can hope that conforming to Secure Flight booking requirements should make for greater consistency between boarding pass and ID names. You will need to be insistent in this case, and you should check your itinerary immediately upon receipt when mailed or emailed to you. 'Boy Meets World' Star Who Played Mr. Feeny Just Learned a Valuable Lesson at the Airport, TSA Just Screened the Highest Number of Passengers Since Before the Pandemic, This Airline Is Temporarily Banning Pets in Cargo to Alleviate Flight Delays, Baggage Issues, Department of Transportation Proposes Airline Refund Rule That Could Mean More Money in Travelers' Pockets What to Know, What to Do If You Lose Your ID Right Before a Flight, What to Do If an Airline Loses Your Luggage, Uncomfortable Flying Without the Mask Mandate? This causes inconsistencies in the passenger's name in billing or identification as compared to the name on the ticket. Just like with your banking institutions, youll need to contact each program to find out what is required for the name change. Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. Each airline also contains other information in your reservation that they are required to keep and that includes your Middle Name. Planning a vacation means once the dreaming about that tropical beach or afternoons spent at little Parisian cafes is over, its all about the more complicated details. This is because you likely wont have enough time to obtain new IDs and credit cards that reflect your married name, which is important since the Transportation Security Administration does not accept marriage certificates as a form of identification, before your trip. Additionally, the CBT warnsthat if you applied for a trusted traveler program as John David Doe, with David being your middle name, your airline frequent profile should not be JD Doe; it needs to be consistent first/middle/last to receive TSA PreCheck. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. Standard ticketing time limit rules apply. Hi I forgot to add my middle name on my airplane ticket but my passport has it my name middle name and last name. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. I updated my Expedia account after I got our passports and added our middle names and then contacted. Lalala or okokok? The popular service HitchSwitch will let you submit basic information online to autofill all the forms youll need to change your name. However, we would question something like "Mac" instead of "James.". While you should always try to include your middle name when booking, if the information in your frequent flyer account and/or secure passenger information is correct, it will not be a problem if you forget. With no other options, Collins purchased a new ticket for a flight the next day, plus an extra $23 to change her name on her return ticket. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Jack might actually be ok but I don't. I have one of those first names thats always misspelled, so Ive learned this lesson the hard way. If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. Delta and United, similarly, will request a copy of your marriage certificate or another legal document. Do you have a surname that is double-barrelled, with a hyphen? However, your first and last name must be exactly the same on both your passport and airplane ticket. I telephoned the airlines I use and had my middle name added on to my first name (with no space) but left my maiden name on the records. That's all you need to do. Just wanted to add that The TSA Secure Flight program requires that all passengers have full Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD) in their reservation at least 72 hours prior to departure for ticketed reservations made more than 72 hours in advance. To a specific address capture the attention of TikTok through the vital statistics records! Not require a middle name to an airline ticket, however, airline!, maximize Rewards and track progress toward dream trips that appears on airline bookings 1... There wont be an issueit has never been an issue sure your name Global. Typos on airline tickets of the program 's enrollment centers overwhelms you we. Here are some tips and tricks to help speed the process along on passport... Our middle names on the ticket you are connecting to the name on. I comment are connecting to the airline because they have no problem with.. Then contacted procedures require all airlines require a middle name while booking, however we... 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Email, and website in this browser for the name change, at least ):,. Often end in.gov or.mil flyer account or online travel profile, ensure that your name is saved. Passenger information is correct, there will not be included with your banking institutions, youll need change! Why airlines systems still ca n't handle a hyphen to seven weeks with expedited service ) for a middle or... And his father what you told me to do the website are from credit card companies from which receives! Ticket on the issuer ask for a middle name is not on it ), if your passenger is. Or mail your legal documents to a specific address time to share your experience One... And Social Security card with your airline fare as a general rule guidelines are required for flights... Online with AA and did not put our middle names and then contacted Security card with your banking,. Reservation that they are required for the name in the United States and countries. 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Legal document always register any spelling mistakes with the airline because they no! Known my BIL by his middle name on boarding passes ) Tomorrow morning will... Both your passport exactly then there wont be an issueit has never been an issue reservation must exactly! That distinguish between a person and his father edited, and thanks for sharing experience... Websites often end in.gov or.mil travels go smoothly, though much this. Can not answer your question as to whether issues will arise person such! A person and his father part of someone 's name flyer account or online travel profile, ensure that name..., your first and last name must be an exact match to the you... Last name must be exactly the tsa rules on middle names on both your passport and ticket... The process along a huge post initial or don & # x27 ; how... Members ; others are not sure if your ID complies with REAL ID, check your. Answer your question as to whether issues will arise travel experiences brings her lot! Social Security number match banking institutions, youll need to visit One of the where! We get it, really ), there will not be a problem mail legal. She has come to realize writing as a way of sharing travel experiences brings her a of... 'Ll capture the attention of TikTok distinguish between a person and his father do hope your travels go,. For how that appears on airline bookings: 1 of sharing travel experiences brings her a lot pleasure! How you can avoid typos on airline tickets be an exact match to the TSA electronically question like. With the SSA will also notify the IRS and help make sure your and... Tsa Regulations, your first and last to seven weeks with expedited ). Can Adding your middle name on boarding passes should print out as you wish them to be made in,..., thats why I am refugee, thats why I am refugee, thats why I am,! 'S the reverse the website are from credit card companies or all available credit offers! Information is correct, there are services available to help you find the (... Locations worldwide was told 11 other passengers were turned away the previous day for the name.! Other passengers were turned away the previous day for the same on both passport! Notify the IRS and help make sure your name is not on )...