Absolutely Ridiculous Question..

[vicky33006]

Hi everyone!

Forgive my silly question, but my sister is making me ask...

Neither of us have flown in quite some time and we are having a discussion about the "middle name" part of buying our tickets. On the website it says that we need to enter our middle name exactly as it appears on our ID. My sister says she can't just enter her middle initial as her middle name...I think she has to though because that's how it appears on her ID. Help please? And feel free to laugh at us...We just don't want to screw anything up and then not be able to board! Thanks

 

[Jestocost]

Hi everyone!

Forgive my silly question, but my sister is making me ask...

Neither of us have flown in quite some time and we are having a discussion about the "middle name" part of buying our tickets. On the website it says that we need to enter our middle name exactly as it appears on our ID. My sister says she can't just enter her middle initial as her middle name...I think she has to though because that's how it appears on her ID. Help please? And feel free to laugh at us...We just don't want to screw anything up and then not be able to board! Thanks

Theoretically, your ticket should read exactly like your ID. If your middle initial appears on your ID, use that. If your full middle or maiden name appears on your ID, use that.

Realistically, if you use your full middle name when only your initial is on your ID or vice versa, it likely will not cause significant problems.

 

[englanddg]

Exactly as stated. Your name on your ticket should match your photo identification.

 

[vicky33006]

Thank you both so much!

 

[ladypage]

Sorry, I'm going to hijack your thread a little bit!

I'm flying Southwest (if that makes a difference), and didn't put my middle names (yes, plural, which is why I didn't) on my ticket. I never have in the past, and when I went through in January I didn't have a problem. Since I have my rapid rewards account, it just filled in my ticket information for me. Should I be worried they won't let me through?

 

[Hoopfamily]

It's not the airline you need to worry about it's TSA. In a perfect worl you would have your middle name on your id. They use it as another way to try and sift safe travellers away from people on watch lists. For example. If you are Mary Joan Wilson but your id says Mary J Wilson, someone on no fly list named Mary Jean Wilson could have your name flagged. In theory.

 

[Jestocost]

Sorry, I'm going to hijack your thread a little bit!

I'm flying Southwest (if that makes a difference), and didn't put my middle names (yes, plural, which is why I didn't) on my ticket. I never have in the past, and when I went through in January I didn't have a problem. Since I have my rapid rewards account, it just filled in my ticket information for me. Should I be worried they won't let me through?

What names are on your photo ID? That's what matters and that's what should match what's on your ticket. In the end, there's very little chance that the TSA would not let you through security which is the only even remotely possible problem that having a ticket not match your ID could create.

If your ID says Joe Bob Larry Miller and your ticket says Joe Miller or Joe B. Miller you may have to answer a few questions or show some other form of ID, but it's really not going to be a huge problem unless you encounter a TSA ID Nazi (and there probably are a few out there). If, however your ID says Joe Bob Larry Miller and your ticket says Joseph Robert Lawrence Jones, then you will have a problem.

Making certain that your ticket matches your ID exactly will eliminate the possibility of any hassles at security, but it's not the end of the world if the match isn't exact. I would suggest, however, that you go into your SWA RR account info and update your profile so that your name in their system matches your ID to help make the process go more smoothly in the future.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Don't worry. Your ticket name does not have to exactly match the name on your id, ie, you can use a nickname (Mike for Michael) or an initial on your ticket when your id has your full name. TSA agents won't give this a second glance.

I travel quite a lot and while my passport and driver's license have my full first, last and middle name, I always just use my middle initial on airline tickets. Zero problems in years, flying all over the world.

 

[ladypage]

Ok, thanks everyone. It has my first and last names listed identically, just not my multiple middle names. I never thought of putting them because they're so long and cut off even on my drivers license. This is the first time I'm really using a new airport though, and it made me nervous.

My ticket has Megan XXXXXX, where as my license has Megan YYYYYYYYY RRRR XXXXXX. Which still isn't my full name anyways.

 

[mwmom]

I fly American and have never put my full middle name on the reservation and never had a problem at all.