Can A Name Be Changed On An Airline Ticket?
Is It Possible to Have a Name Changed on the Airline Ticket?
One of the most frequent mistakes that people make while booking a flight is writing the wrong name. You may have entered your name at the time of booking a ticket with a certain name and then used some other name; for instance, you may have forgotten to input your middle name or a title, or you may have used your nickname on the ticket while your legal name is different, or your name has changed due to marriage or divorce after you have booked the ticket. In any case, having an airline ticket in the wrong name is an inconvenience when it comes to traveling for whatever reason it was issued in the first place. Is it possible to change the name on an airline ticket if there was an error done or if you had an alteration on the name? Okay, let us explore the policies of leading airlines in the United States.
It is possible to change the name on an airline ticket, but not all airlines provide this service, and there are differences in prices and conditions. Here is an overview of the name change policies of some of the largest US passenger airlines: Here is an overview of the name change policies of some of the largest US passenger airlines:
Delta Air Lines
Delta permits a ticket to be altered and transferred from the initial bearer to another individual. If you want to change your name, then you will be required to contact Delta through a phone call to the reservations department or by visiting a Delta ticket counter at an airport. The name change occurs at a service fee depending on the ticket type and can go as low as $100 and as high as $300. The tickets that have been issued and have the passenger must be replaced with the correct name on the ticket.
American Airlines
On the American Airlines site, it is possible to make corrections and changes to the name for $200 for the ticket. To change a name, it is equally important to contact the American Airlines reservations number. Your old ticket will be looked at and if it was bought under the wrong name, it will be replaced by a new one. It is important to acknowledge the fact that basic economy fares have much stringent rules on change policies and therefore, name changes cannot be allowed for these very low-cost ticket types.
United Airlines
United has a $200 fee for a name change on each ticket. To change a name on a United Airlines ticket would mean informing the airline either through the phone, by contacting the United Airlines reservations services or physically going to the check-in desk at the airport. What you will do is take your ticket and be given a new one with the right traveler's name on it. However, changing names is not allowed, particularly for the basic economy fares.
Southwest Airlines
Currently, Southwest stands out as one of the most lenient airlines when it comes to name changes on ticket accounts. Unfortunately, unlike many other airlines, Southwest doesn't allow passengers to select specific seats, so you may have to sit near a person with a name similar to yours if your flight is full or close to it. Southwest's policy on name changes is flexible because if the flight has not taken place, name changes are unrestrained.
Alaska Airlines
The Alaskan airline tickets can be altered, and in particular, the passenger's name can be changed. As simple as calling the Alaska Airlines reservations to change the name of the ticket for a charge of $150 per ticket. Alaska will then void out the old e-ticket (which may show a different name) and then issue a new e-ticket with the right name. Basic economy Saver fares, for instance, cannot be ticketed or fares changed in any way.
Spirit Airlines
Spirit holds the policy of charging $100 for the ticket alteration in the traveler's name before traveling. To change the name, dial the reservation number for Spirit. However, in their basic economy fares, it is stipulated that modifications can only be made on the spelling of the name, not the name itself.
JetBlue
JetBlue permits ticket name change; this will cost $100 for each ticket. To remedy this, you'll need to contact the JetBlue telephone number to get a correction made or switch the ticket to another person. The only fare class allowed is their Blue fare class, which is classified as their basic economy and does not allow name changes.
Frontier Airlines
Frontier can allow name changes on airline tickets and this comes with a hefty fee of $150 for each ticket. The only way to change the name is to contact Frontier and request the change to be made on the reservation. However, note that Frontier's Den fares have some cheap prices for flying, but you cannot change the passenger's name once you have booked a flight.
Hawaiian Airlines
A minor correction to the spelling of the passenger's name is still allowed on Hawaiian Airlines tickets, or a full name change is also allowable. There is a $150 fee for a flight name change, whether it is for flights within the mainland or between islands. Notify Hawaiian Airlines phone reservations that you would like to modify the traveler information and request them to issue a new ticket for you.
Marriage or divorce is a legal ground for changing names.
Most airline companies do not charge this fee under circumstances where one needs to change his or her official name due to some reasons such as marriage, divorce, or a court order. Usual documents may include a marriage certificate, divorce paper, or any other legal document from the court of law. Cabin names are not engraved on tickets; therefore, airlines such as America, Delta, United, and Southwest allow some name changes at no charge or a lower rate.
The Bottom Line: Yes, changing a passenger name is indeed possible, although it depends on the airline company providing the service or product in question.
Usually, airlines allow the tickets to be transferred to another person provided that the same is required; this usually costs between $100 and $300 per ticket. It is important to note though that policies may differ, so in case of such issues as name correction, switching of passengers, or making any necessary name changes on the reservations, it is advisable to contact the particular airline earlier than the trip. Be quick to correct it if an error is detected, and be certain that the name in the booking is correct against the ID you'll be using for travel. Here are some rules that will help you to avoid soreness of name mismatch in the airport: