Can you change your name on a plane ticket if you get married?

If you have accidentally bought a flight ticket using your maiden name, and then changed your name after marriage, you will need to contact the airline and provide them with the relevant documentation (such as a marriage certificate) as proof of the name change.



Yes, you can change your name on a plane ticket after getting married, but the process is often complex and potentially expensive. Airlines are extremely strict about name mismatches due to security regulations; the name on your boarding pass must exactly match the name on your government-issued ID (passport or driver's license). If you have already booked a ticket in your maiden name but your ID has been updated to your married name, you must contact the airline's customer service immediately. Most major carriers will allow a name correction for a legal name change if you provide a copy of your marriage certificate. While some airlines may waive the fee for this specific life event, others may charge a "re-ticketing fee" or the difference in fare. The safest strategy in 2026 is to book your travel under the name that will be on your ID at the time of the flight. If you are going on a honeymoon immediately after the wedding, it is almost always best to book under your maiden name, as your passport won't be updated in time for the trip.

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Citizens: United States Citizens who change their name due to marriage, divorce, or because of any other circumstance may travel using your United States passport or other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative approved document in your prior name provided you bring proof of your name progression such as; a marriage ...

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Even if your driver's license has your new name, again, all that matters is that your passport and your plane ticket match. So remember – your last name doesn't magically change the minute you get married, so make sure you list your name on your plane ticket the same way it's listed on your passport!

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Generally, only minor name changes or corrections are allowed, such as fixing a typo or updating the ticket to reflect a legal name change (e.g. last name change through marriage). Name changes to transfer flight tickets are generally not allowed for a few reasons.

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The cost of changing the name on your flight ticket will depend entirely on the airline. Some airlines allow one free correction per ticket. Others will charge a “correction fee” or a “change fee” that can range from $50 to $200.

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What's really happening is that airlines want to control their revenue. In the days when you could transfer tickets, consolidators would scoop up the cheap ones and resell them, negating the airline's ability to move the ticket price around as demand ebbed and flowed.

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Name changes are allowed only for the entire trip, i.e., you cannot change the outbound or inbound flight only. The passenger name could be changed online up to 2 hours before the outbound flight's scheduled departure time.

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Changing your name in your passport. If you have changed your name by marriage or divorce, you may apply for a new passport to be issued in your new name, using form DS-82 or DS-5504. If you have changed your name any other way, you must apply using form DS-11, Click here for instructions.

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No problema -- but plan accordingly. You have to book your airline tickets and secure your passport before your honeymoon, and the name on both must match, so book your ticket and apply for your passport under your maiden name.

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They ask you to email [email protected].

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If airline tickets could be transferred from one passenger to another, it would create a secondary market for tickets that would undermine the airline industry's entire business model, which is to discount advance-purchase fares bought by tourists and raise the price of a tickets typically bought by business travelers.

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If you purchased a round-trip flight and need to change the first leg to a different day, your best bet will likely be to pay the change fee and book a new flight. If you only need to change the return portion of a round trip, however, it may be cheaper to book a new one-way flight than to pay the cancellation fee.

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Can you reschedule a flight? Yes, you can reschedule or cancel a flight. However, you may need to pay a change or cancellation fee depending on the airline you booked with and the fare class of your ticket. Luckily during Covid-19, many airlines have reduced change fees or waived them altogether.

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