Originally Posted by
dechi03
DL says Frank. Is this only a TSA issue or do the airlines require a match?
There's your problem. You should get your ID's to match. DL would be much easier to change than passport for most people.
This is a TSA thing for passengers boarding any flight in the US. From TSA.gov:
If the name printed on my boarding pass is different than what appears on my government ID, will I still be able to fly?
Secure Flight is a behind-the-scenes process that TSA and airlines collaborate on to compare the information you provide against government watch lists. The additional data elements that you may be asked to provide, such as date of birth and gender, serve to better differentiate you from individuals on the government watch lists.
Due to differences in boarding pass systems, boarding passes may not always display the exact name you provided when booking your travel. The name you provide when booking your travel is used to perform the watch list matching before a boarding pass is ever issued, so small differences between the passenger's ID and the passenger name printed on the boarding pass, such as the use of a middle initial instead of a full middle name or no middle name/initial at all, or hyphens and apostrophes should not cause a problem for the passenger.
My boarding pass never shows my middle name, even though the airlines always collect it and it is on my DL and my passport. For getting through TSA at the airport, use the ID that matches your boarding pass. TSA doesn't care which ID you use as long as it it is a "government issued ID".
When you get off the plane at your destination, your boarding pass is no longer an issue. The only potential problem I see is getting through security when departing some foreign country that will only accept a passport as ID when you enter an international terminal. Unlike the US, many other countries have passport control for exiting passengers as well as entering passengers. There is usually a guy that compares your passport and ID when you enter the passport control area and they may have a problem with the names not matching. Where are you going?
In the long run, I would get my DL changed to show my real name and use that when booking travel.