Flying and various forms of my name

January 10, 2023 9:00 PM

I am flying domestically in the USA in a few weeks. I usually go by my middle name, and I bought my ticket as Middlename Lastname. My Real ID driver's license has Firstname Middlename Lastname. Do you expect it to be a problem that these don't match exactly?

In case it matters: My names are all somewhat uncommon. I am a white woman. And I am flying between Albuquerque and New Orleans, with a change in Dallas Love Field.

posted by NotLost to Travel & Transportation (17 answers total)

Response by poster: I mean, my first name, my middle name, and my last name are all uncommon are all varying degrees of uncommon.
posted by NotLost at 9:05 PM on January 10, 2023

Call the airline and get them to change the name on your ticket to the exact name on your ID if you don't want to have problems at the airport.
posted by Jacqueline at 9:08 PM on January 10, 2023 [28 favorites]

Best answer: Domestically, probably not, but if you're anxious, as Jacqueline says, just get it fixed on the ticket. (A mismatch is far more likely to be a problem traveling internationally.)
posted by praemunire at 9:09 PM on January 10, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I always go by a non-legal name - everyone in my family, at work, etc calls me that - but I always fly under my legal name so it matches my ID.
posted by latkes at 9:19 PM on January 10, 2023 [8 favorites]

In theory, your name is supposed to match 100%. If your legal middle name is on your ID, it's supposed to be on the ticket as your middle name. I, personally, would try to get it corrected. However, if the TSA person doesn't make a fuss, my guess is it wouldn't make a difference. Checking luggage?
posted by wnissen at 9:37 PM on January 10, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: If the name on the ticket is a substring of the name on the legal ID, I doubt you will have a problem. I managed to make a similar mistake flying internationally (long ago, but post-9/11) and was surprised to discover it was a total nonissue. We didn't notice it till a couple hours before the flight and were shitting bricks that I might not be able to go, but it was fine.

You may as well call and see if they'll change it for you. But if they won't, I think you should just show up at the airport, explain politely what happened if anyone calls you on it, and hope for the best.
posted by potrzebie at 10:48 PM on January 10, 2023

Best answer: In my experience, United is strict about this, other airlines not so much. United even insisted that I add the middle name I never use. Took 5 min with a chatbot to fix it.

Source: have uncommon (for the average white American) name, have traveled domestically on tix bought by other people with varying degrees of spelling proficiency.
posted by basalganglia at 4:39 AM on January 11, 2023 [1 favorite]

Yeah, while there exists a possibility that it won't be a problem, the hassle of getting it changed now to match the name on your ID is far less than the hassle it will be if they decide it is a problem when you go to board the plane.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 5:02 AM on January 11, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: This happens with me very frequently...I've always used my middle name as my "first" name. I've flown probably a dozen times in the US using [middle name] [last name] and never had an issue.
posted by schyler523 at 5:15 AM on January 11, 2023 [1 favorite]

Your middle name is not your first name and when you fly you are asked to and legally obligated to provide your legal first, middle, and last name. How much of hassle this bonafide problem constitutes for you when you check in is entirely dependent on who is checking you in and where, where you are flying to and from where, your travel patterns, and etc.
posted by desert exile at 6:10 AM on January 11, 2023 [1 favorite]

It's easier to conform to the machine than it is to get the machine to conform to you. The machine knows this.
posted by hypnogogue at 6:28 AM on January 11, 2023 [6 favorites]

Nate Bargatze on the subject
posted by falsedmitri at 8:32 AM on January 11, 2023 [1 favorite]

When booking flights you are specifically asked to use your legal name as it appears on your proof of identification, which is required to check in and board. This is a federal requirement for you and for the airlines. You are not asked for either purpose to use "the name you go by" otherwise. As an air traveler, your legal identity is confirmed and tracked. This is the "machine" and it is absolutely spot on that only a specific human being in a specific mood in a specific place and time will, entirely arbitrarily, decide they are going to help you and you alone buck the machine by agreeing it's cool that your ticket name does not match your legal name as you yourself have verified it on your proof of identification.

Or you could just call them and correct your name on the ticket, if possible.
posted by desert exile at 9:09 AM on January 11, 2023 [6 favorites]

Best answer: I have three times experienced serious issues with variations of this (not me personally but friends that I’ve been travelling with). Twice with a common abbreviation used as the passenger name, and once with someone who always used their real middle name as their first name. In every situation “it had never happened before!”. So yes, it totally depends on the check in person…I would always get it changed on the ticket.
posted by tardigrade at 10:10 AM on January 11, 2023

Best answer: For some reason when my work books my travel my name on the ticket comes out as Firstnamemiddlename (smushed together) Lastname and I have never had an issue. I usually check in online and I think when they check IDs at the airport they are mostly making sure the photo matches you. Personally I wouldn't bother getting the ticket changed but if you're concerned about it then yes, get it fixed.
posted by emd3737 at 11:32 AM on January 11, 2023

Best answer: Learn from my horribly stressful recent experience and have your ticket match the name on your identification, even if it's not the name you ever use. Please. Please. Trust me.
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:09 PM on January 11, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Nthing have your ticket exactly match your ID. I have gone by my middle name since I was in my teens but my full legal name appeared on my ID. I flew pretty much weekly for work, was ticketed with my middle name, and was hardly ever even questioned about this. After 9/11 (yes, I'm old af) it changed. There were still times when people let it slide, but other times when I caught a lot of grief for the names not matching. I finally broke down and started booking everything in my full legal name. Three years ago I legally changed my name to eliminate my hated first name. And now I'm retired and don't have to fly anymore. To those who have slogged to the end of this novella, thanks and all best.
posted by charris5005 at 5:24 PM on January 11, 2023 [4 favorites]