Using middle name on tickets? TSA and Airlines?
 

Do any of you have recent experience using just your middle name on airline tickets?

Any hassle with TSA?

Any hassle with the airlines?

A guy at work goes by his middle name, and says it works fine...

If you have your middle name on the ID you use to pass through security (driver's license or passport) you shouldn't have any problems. It's still your legal name, just part of your legal name.

Using a middle name only works especially well if your name matches one on the watch list/no-fly list, as does adding a middle initial to your ticket.

If you're flying Int'l and using a passport
 

If you're going to be using your passport for International flights be sure to ticket with your name exactly as it appears on the passport (including middle name) to save headaches and delays.

Regardless of your destination I would suggest using your legal name as it appears on your ID on your ticket to avoid the possibility of issues.

I agree that it's best to have all your documents agree as much as possible. In my case, my name on my passport is: First Name, Middle Name, Maiden Name, Married Name (Jane Mary Smith Doe). This makes a VERY long name, and my tickets, airline card, etc., always print that out as First Name, Middle Initial, Maiden Name Initial, Married Name (Jane M S Doe). I've never had any problems because of this. And having an extra name/initial may even help.

I go by a shortened version of my legal first name and use it on everything I can. My license and passport have my legal name, though; but I've never had a problem. Only once in umpteen years has anyone commented on or questioned the difference.

i have watched the TSA hassle a pax in BHM over the mismatch between her id and ticket. It was an obvious non-issue like Fran on the ticket and Frances on the license. Why look for trouble?

I go by my middle name and used to fly under my middle name, but since 9/11 I was getting problems at the security line, so I switched it to go by my first name and middle initial. I was getting questioned about it around 50% of the time but I was never stopped from getting on a flight. It's a lot simpler now that I put my first name on my tickets.

Very helpful reply!

Anyone ELSE have EXPERIENCE recently flying on their middle name ONLY?

I fly exclusively under my middle name and have never had a problem. My ID has both my first and middle names on it. If anything, the ID checker might take an extra second or two to mentally match them up, but no one has ever said anything about it. I have limited international travel experience, but didn't have any trouble on those trips either.

I recently had an AAgent (:rolleyes:) ticket me using my middle name off my driver's license. As it appeared on my driver's license, I didn't have any trouble with the TSA or the airline, EXCEPT:

My AAdvantage number was kicked off the itinerary for a mismatch, but another agent figured it out and added it back on.

Regularly I fly with tickets issued as "Rob" while my ID says "Robert." Never had an issue with that.

It won't create any issue.
That's how it's written on BP stock, and sometimes it will be like James/MichaelRichardMR.
You don't need to worry about it.

What if its just an Initial though? Would that create any problems?

My given name (the name I go by in day-to-day life) is one of my middle names (I have two) and I've never had any serious problems with it in my travels, be it bus, train or plane. I always book everything with my given name and as long as it is somewhere on the ID and the spelling matches up, I don't really see how it should be a concern. Unless it is absolutely required (maybe things are different in Canada since I've never run into this), I never put anything in if they ask for a middle name. Just first and last.

My passport shows my first, middle and family names. I always use only my middle initial in travel. I travel enough to need a 48-page U.S. passport as a starter and sometimes add pages. I have never, EVER had a problem of ANY sort, however trivial, because my middle name is not written out in full on my travel documents.

I recently finished a trip to India with legs on United, Singapore, Jet Lite and Air India. The order of parts in my name was majorly messed up by a Coimbatore-based travel agent. However, all the parts were there, so in boarding 10 segments there was no difficulty with security at any time. The only problems were:

1. Check-in agents and others couldn't find my reservation by family name. They could find it via the airlines' record locator or by entering my given (first) name as my family name, though. This caused a delay, measured in single-digit minutes, but did no other harm.

2. I didn't get automatic frequent flyer credit because the family name on my ticket didn't match what the airline's database has. This had to be handled after the fact via the airline's frequent flyer program, with e-mailing scans of boarding passes and so on. A bit of a hassle, but at the end of the day credit was given. (Almost all of it, anyhow. I'm still waiting for one leg to post, but that part was my fault.)

In your case, with the only difference among documents being lack of a space, I doubt you'll have even those problems.

I was given quite a fright this winter by a UA check-in agent at LHR who told me that my nefarious habit of being called by my third (and given) name would no longer be tolerated after the roll-out of Secure Flight. After reassurance on the Travel Safety forum here I decided to stick with the only forename I have ever used, and have had no problems whatsoever during several flights to, from, inside, and outside the US.