Passport Middle Name and Flight
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Passport Middle Name and Flight
Does the name on our passport pertaining to middle name, middle initial, or lack thereof, have to match the flight reservation precisely?
Or is it more important that it match the driver's license? Our driver's licenses are different from our passports regarding our middle names/initials.
Thanks!
Or is it more important that it match the driver's license? Our driver's licenses are different from our passports regarding our middle names/initials.
Thanks!
#2
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The only people that care about drivers lic are rental car companies.
Your passport is your official ID and should match your plane ticket. If the ticket has just your first and last name - and not the middle name on your passport you should be OK. If the plane ticket has a 3 part name and the passport doesn;t that might cause a question. (Hopefully you are not John Smith).
Your passport is your official ID and should match your plane ticket. If the ticket has just your first and last name - and not the middle name on your passport you should be OK. If the plane ticket has a 3 part name and the passport doesn;t that might cause a question. (Hopefully you are not John Smith).
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,212
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Your passport needs to match your plane ticket exactly. The TSA is getting stricter about this. If your ticket is incorrect, the airline can include a notation/correction that the TSA can see when you go through security.
#5
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,983
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I believe the above posters after nyt are incorrect.
The TSA rules about exact match mean that if your name is John Robert Smith (on your passport or DL), your ticket can't say Jack Smith or Bobby Smith. Jack might actually be ok but I don't know anybody who's tried.
John R. Smith is fine. Your ticket would probably say Smith, Johnr anyway. That's the way AA and Lufthansa both print out my name on a ticket.
My passport doesn't match my DL. DL only has middle initial. Besides the rental car co's, the TSA does accept DL as ID. International departing flights from the US are usually at adjacent gates to domestic flights, and there is a single TSA security checkpoint. A DL is all you need to pass that point, regardless of your destination.
The airline will ask for your passport at checkin as it's their responsibility to fly you back to the US if you're turned away at the gate. TSA doesn't give a flip if you use pp or DL to pass through security.
I've flown numerous times with a Rodney (pp) who's ticket says Rod, a Thomas (pp) - Tom (ticket) and a Susanna (pp) - Susan (ticket). None has had any problem on several flights in the last 6mo, and I've yet to read one single report here on Fodors of anyone being rejected if the middle initial/middle name don't match.
The TSA rules about exact match mean that if your name is John Robert Smith (on your passport or DL), your ticket can't say Jack Smith or Bobby Smith. Jack might actually be ok but I don't know anybody who's tried.
John R. Smith is fine. Your ticket would probably say Smith, Johnr anyway. That's the way AA and Lufthansa both print out my name on a ticket.
My passport doesn't match my DL. DL only has middle initial. Besides the rental car co's, the TSA does accept DL as ID. International departing flights from the US are usually at adjacent gates to domestic flights, and there is a single TSA security checkpoint. A DL is all you need to pass that point, regardless of your destination.
The airline will ask for your passport at checkin as it's their responsibility to fly you back to the US if you're turned away at the gate. TSA doesn't give a flip if you use pp or DL to pass through security.
I've flown numerous times with a Rodney (pp) who's ticket says Rod, a Thomas (pp) - Tom (ticket) and a Susanna (pp) - Susan (ticket). None has had any problem on several flights in the last 6mo, and I've yet to read one single report here on Fodors of anyone being rejected if the middle initial/middle name don't match.
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,421
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The name of your ticket should exactly match whichever ID you present to TSA at security. If a passport is requried for your destination, your driver's license will have nothing to do with anything.
But, you should not be asking here. The airline determines whether to issue a boarding pass, so you should be asking them.
And, TSA determines whether you get through security, so you should check with them.
See:
http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers...ight/faqs.shtm
But, you should not be asking here. The airline determines whether to issue a boarding pass, so you should be asking them.
And, TSA determines whether you get through security, so you should check with them.
See:
http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers...ight/faqs.shtm
#8
My middle name is spelled out on my passport (not just an initial) and my plane tickets always have only my middle initial... I've never had any problems.
I fly to Europe once per year... wish it could be more often!
I fly to Europe once per year... wish it could be more often!
#13
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,968
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The passport name needs to match the airline ticket name exactly. The rules are getting stricter. The TSA guidelines are quite clear so it is bad advice to give the impression that it does not matter based on an individual's personal experience.
#14
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,983
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
An annotation is simple for the airline to do at checkin. Have any of you actually been denied boarding because of a middle initial, or did you just have to get it straightened out at the airport?
If anything it shows inconsistency between different airports, or even different TSA agents at a single airport. There are certainly no absolutes when it comes to the TSA.
If anything it shows inconsistency between different airports, or even different TSA agents at a single airport. There are certainly no absolutes when it comes to the TSA.
#15
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,983
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here's the TSA website on the Secure Flight program
http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight/
Small differences between the passenger's ID the passenger's reservation information, and the boarding pass (such as the use of a middle initial instead of a full middle name or no middle name/initial at all, hyphens or apostrophes) should not cause a problem for the passenger.
http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight/
Small differences between the passenger's ID the passenger's reservation information, and the boarding pass (such as the use of a middle initial instead of a full middle name or no middle name/initial at all, hyphens or apostrophes) should not cause a problem for the passenger.
#16
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,939
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My son goes by his middle name and buys his ticket with it. He travels several times a year with no problem. I always fear the TSA will reject it, but not yet. Could be he has just had good luck. We leave again September 5, so hoping it still passes.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
lowcountrycarol
Europe
10
Mar 22nd, 2013 05:21 AM
Oceanic27
Air Travel
9
Jul 4th, 2010 10:36 AM
SemiMike
Europe
14
Mar 14th, 2008 05:35 PM