What if the name on my passport doesn't match my ticket or booking?
The name on your ticket and hotel booking should match your passport. Here is what airlines and hotels accept, and how trip1 support can help with a booking name.
Updated
Why the name has to match
Airlines send passenger details to destination governments before departure, and border systems match those details against your passport. Hotels have a simpler reason: they check ID at check-in to confirm that the person collecting the key is the person the room is held for, and in many countries they are legally required to record guest ID.
If you booked through trip1, the guest name on your booking is what the hotel receives. That is why the traveller name should be entered exactly as it appears on the passport or ID that guest will present at the desk.
Mismatches that are usually accepted
- A missing or extra middle name, where the first and last names match
- Accents and special characters dropped by a booking system, such as Muller for a passport that reads Mueller
- A single mistyped letter, though this is always the airline's or the hotel's call, not yours
Mismatches that usually cause a problem
- A completely different surname with no document connecting it to the passport name
- First and last names swapped, so the wrong one sits in the surname field
- A nickname instead of the legal name, such as Bob where the passport says Robert
A name mismatch on a flight ticket
Contact the airline directly, and do it before your travel date. Airlines handle this differently: many will correct one or two letters for free or a small fee, some allow a fuller correction with documents, and a few restricted fares do not permit any name change at all.
If your legal name changed after you booked, carry the document that proves it, such as a marriage certificate, a civil partnership certificate or a deed poll. Any airline willing to correct the ticket will ask to see it.
trip1 is a hotel booking platform, so trip1 support cannot change the name on an airline ticket. That has to go through the airline or whoever issued the ticket.
A name mismatch on your trip1 hotel booking
Contact trip1 support as early as possible with your booking reference and the name exactly as it appears on the passport. Support can raise it with the hotel and ask for the reservation to be corrected.
What can actually be changed depends on the hotel and on the rate you booked. Correcting a misspelling is usually straightforward, while switching the reservation to a completely different guest is the hotel's decision and some rates do not allow it.
Do not leave this until check-in day. At the desk the hotel is dealing with a mismatch in front of them rather than a correction request made in advance, and front-desk staff have much less room to help.
Important: a hotel can refuse to check you in when the ID does not match the reservation name, and a refused check-in on a non-refundable rate can mean losing the booking and the money.
Booking a room for someone else
Enter the guest's name as it appears on their passport or ID, not your own. If you are paying but not staying, tell trip1 support before the stay so a note can be added to the booking, because some hotels expect the person who paid to be present at check-in.
Two surnames, married names and name order
Enter your full legal name exactly as printed on the passport data page, including both surnames if you have two. If your passport prints the surname first, that is a formatting choice by the issuing country, so put the surname in the surname field rather than copying the order across.
If you recently married and your passport still shows your previous name, book in the name the passport shows. Updating the passport later is easier than fixing every booking made in a name your ID does not carry.
Name mismatch on a ticket or booking - FAQ
Yes. Airlines send passenger details to the destination's border authorities before departure, and those details are checked against your passport. A missing middle name or a dropped accent is usually accepted, but a different surname, swapped first and last names or a nickname instead of your legal name can stop you boarding.
The hotel can refuse to check you in, and on a non-refundable rate you could lose the booking and the money. If you booked on trip1, contact trip1 support before your stay with your booking reference and the name exactly as it appears on your passport, so they can ask the hotel to correct it.
Yes, as long as your bookings match the name in the passport. If you recently married and have not updated it, book flights and hotels in the name the passport shows. If a ticket is already in your new name, carry your marriage certificate and contact the airline before you travel.
Often, for a one or two letter typo, but only the airline decides. Many airlines correct small errors for free or a small fee, some allow fuller corrections with documents, and some restricted fares allow no name change. Contact the airline before your travel date; trip1 support cannot change airline tickets.
Contact trip1 support as early as possible and they will raise it with the hotel. Correcting a misspelling is usually straightforward, while switching the booking to a different guest is the hotel's decision and some rates do not allow it. Do not leave it until check-in day.
Yes. Enter the guest's name exactly as it appears on the passport or ID they will show at check-in, not your own. If you are paying but not staying, tell trip1 support before the stay so a note can be added, because some hotels expect the person who paid to be present.