United Airlines Name Change Policy

Per TSA regulations, the name on your boarding pass must exactly match your government-issued ID. To meet this requirement, United Airlines’ name change policy mandates that the name on your boarding pass and ticket must be correct in every detail; otherwise, you may be denied boarding.

Overview of United Airlines Change Name on Ticket

United Airlines permits passengers to change the name on their tickets for both domestic and international flights. Consider following key points:

• Correcting Spelling: You can correct the spelling of your first or last name, prefix/title, inverted first and last names, or change to/from a nickname, including adding or removing a middle name.
• Legal Name Changes: If you’ve legally changed your name due to marriage, divorce, or a court decree, name changes are allowed as long as the original ticket holder is the one traveling. These changes require proper documentation and must be made at a United Airlines ticketing office.
• Simple Name Changes: You can request these by phone or at a ticketing office, as long as you have valid ID proof. Simple changes include corrections to spelling or typographical errors.
• MileagePlus Account Holders: Name changes can be made online or in writing. Simple name changes, such as correcting the spelling of a first or last name, adjusting a nickname, correcting a prefix/title, or adding/removing a middle name/initial, can be done online through your MileagePlus account without supporting documentation.
• Significant Name Changes: You can make all other name changes not mentioned above online through your MileagePlus account profile. You’ll need to upload supporting documents, such as a marriage license, divorce decree, court decree, or government-issued ID showing both the current and former names.

If you cannot provide the required documents, you must mail a printed, signed, and notarized copy of the Name Affidavit to the designated address.

• Unless otherwise stated at the time of purchase, all tickets are non-transferable. You must ensure that your ticket correctly states your name.
• If you present someone else’s ticket, it will be void, and United Airlines will neither honor nor refund it.
• If your ticket is used by an unauthorized passenger, with or without your consent, United Airlines cannot be held liable for any delay, damage, destruction of baggage or personal property, or any injury or death related to the unauthorized use of the ticket.
• Additionally, if your ID does not exactly match the name on your ticket, United Airlines reserves the right to deny or allow your boarding.

Change Name on Ticket Info

You can change the name on a United Airlines ticket online (for MileagePlus members), by phone, in writing, or at a ticketing office. The process depends on the type of name change required—whether it’s a simple or significant name change—and whether you are a MileagePlus member.

If you are not a MileagePlus member:

Simple Name Changes: These can be made by phone, at a United ticketing office, or through the ticket-issuing authority/third party. Simple changes include:

• Correcting spelling of the first or last name
• Changing to or from a nickname
• Correcting a title or prefix
• Adding or deleting a middle name/initial
• Correcting inverted first and last names

Legal/Significant Name Changes: These, such as name changes after marriage or divorce, must be supported by proper legal documentation and processed through a United Airlines ticketing office (a fee may apply).

If you are a MileagePlus member:

• Simple Name Changes: Can be done online via your MileagePlus account profile without supporting documents. Simple changes include:
• Correcting spelling of first or last names
• Changing to/from a nickname
• Correcting or changing a title/prefix
• Adding or removing a middle name/initial
• Correcting inverted first and last names

Significant Name Changes: Can be made online through your MileagePlus account profile, provided you upload supporting documents such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, court papers, or a government-issued ID showing both current and former names.

If you cannot provide the required documents, you must mail a printed, signed, and notarized copy of United’s Name Affidavit to:

MileagePlus Service Center
PO Box- 1394
Houston, TX- 77251-1394

Name Correction Process

United Airlines allows simple name corrections on tickets by phone or through a ticketing office, provided you can support the correction with a government-issued ID if requested. Simple corrections include misspelled names (first, last, or middle), title/prefix changes, and inverted first and last names.

If the name on your ticket differs significantly from your legal name—due to marriage, divorce, etc.—you must present a valid copy of your marriage certificate, divorce decree, or other relevant documents to facilitate the correction.

Name Change on Ticket Due to Marriage, Divorce, etc. 

If your name has changed due to marriage, divorce, adoption, or other reasons, and you have the proper legal documentation, you must have it updated with United Airlines before your departure. Ideally, notify United Airlines as soon as you discover the discrepancy. If you notice the error on the day of travel, present your legal documentation at United’s airport ticket counter.

According to the D.O.T.’s Fly-Rights page:

• Carrying legal documentation demonstrates to authorities that the name on your government ID matches the name on your ticket, even if your ID has not been updated yet.
• If the name on your physical ID does not match the name on your ticket or boarding pass, contact United Airlines immediately for correction. Simple corrections that do not require reissuing your ticket may not incur a fee.

However, significant corrections that require reissuing your ticket may involve change fees or fare differences, depending on your fare type.

Name Change Fee

For simple name corrections, you may not incur a name change fee. If you are changing your legal name due to marriage, divorce, or other reasons, you may need to have your ticket reissued and pay the fare difference between the old and new fares.

United Airlines- MileagePlus Members Name Change Policy 

Under TSA guidelines, the name on your ticket and boarding pass must exactly match the name on your government-issued ID to ensure proper screening and verification of the passenger. If the name on your ticket is incorrect, United Airlines can deny boarding. However, you should notify United Airlines as soon as you discover the error, even if it seems too late.

United Airlines’ name change policy permits corrections after booking. Name changes fall into two categories: simple or significant.

You can make the following simple name changes or corrections to your MileagePlus account without supporting documentation:

– Minor spelling corrections to the first name (e.g., Jane to Janet)
– Minor spelling corrections to the last name (e.g., Phillips to Philips)
– Corrections to the title or prefix (e.g., Miss to Ms. or Dr.)
– Corrections to inverted first and last names (e.g., Philips Janet to Janet Philips)
– Changing from a nickname to the real name or vice versa (e.g., Elizabeth to Liz)
– Addition or deletion of a middle name (e.g., Janet Richard Philips to Janet R. Philips)

Significant name corrections require proper legal documentation:

– Name changes because of divorce requires a divorce decree.
– Name changes after marriage require a marriage license.
– Legal name change documents must support general name changes.
– Applicants must provide a government-issued ID that shows both former and current names.

Alternate Name Affidavit Option. If you are unable to provide the required documents, United Airlines permits you to submit a Name Affidavit affirming your name change, along with a copy of your government-issued ID.

To request a name change using the Alternate Name Affidavit, print, sign, and mail a notarized document to:

MileagePlus Service Center
PO Box- 1394
Houston, TX- 77251-1394.

How to request a name change?

You can make simple name corrections:

• Through your MileagePlus account profile
• By phone through the United Airlines Customer Care Center

For significant name corrections:

• Upload a copy of your supporting documentation to your MileagePlus account, or
• Mail your Name Affidavit as explained above

Expect up to 2 weeks for United Airlines to process a significant name correction. In some cases, we might ask you to provide legal documentation to support a simple name correction request, such as for military titles, nicknames, hyphenated names, variations, or misspelled names.

Name Change Tips 

• Take advantage of the 24-hour window: You have up to 24 hours to correct any error free of charge, whether it’s a single letter or the full name.
• When purchasing your ticket, ensure that your full name (first, middle, and last) matches your government-issued photo ID.
• Set up your MileagePlus (frequent flyer) account with United Airlines and enter the correct passenger information. When you book a ticket and add your frequent flyer number, the system will automatically include your passenger information in your reservation.
• If you already have a MileagePlus account, verify that your profile information is correct.

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