I have a ticket ORD-CDG-JFK booked for next week on AF. How much of a problem is it that the person booking the ticket used 'Matt' instead of 'Matthew?' Any ideas what will happen?

You'll be fine. I only use the first initial of my middle name, even though my ID has my full name. Never had a problem with TSA or customs in England or the U.S.

By customs you mean immigration, right?

It is certainly possible that a different / shortened name (compared with passport) used on an international ticket could cause some issues. Much more likely if the last name is spelled differently, but still possible with a first name.

The only reason immigration could ask to see the ticket is to ensure a return date for a visitor coming into the country, and in that case the difference in name certainly won�t matter.

The only organization that has stated that tickets must have the exact same name as ID is the TSA.

It's more complicated than that. If you are entering the US from an international flight your details from your ticket (and passport) are scanned. This data is uploaded to a DHS database.

When you arrive in the US, the CBP agent that admits you has a list of incoming passengers that day. They certainly will be able to see if the passport you hand them matches the name on their list.

It's more than just a requirement from the TSA.

Not my experience at all.

My ticket name never matches my ID, because I have a long name and it does not fit on a ticket. The same is true for most of my family members, and we use a combination of abbreviations, omissions and nicknames among us. We have never had any problem whatsoever with immigration, but the TSA agents have given us warnings and even secondaries because of the mismatch.

More surprisingly, although I am watch-listed and constantly SSSSed by the TSA, I have never had any troubles at all with immigration. Immigration seems to me to use much more common sense than the TSA, ignoring the ridiculous watch list and understanding that people are going to continue to have name mismatches, no matter how hard you try to get the whole world to make reservations match ID exactly.

Prior to the airlines getting strict (i.e. post 9/11), I always traveled with a shortened version of my name similar to Matt vs Matthew.

I didn't have any problems using a shortened variation of name, including international, back then.

While my airline ticket had a shorted version of my first name (and my FF accounts, credit cards, etc. all used the short version) I always completed forms (i.e. declaration forms) with my full legal name as it appears in my passport.

No guarantees, but I suspect you'll be ok.

Perhaps someone who recently traveled on an intl ticket with a shortened name could chime in.

I wouldn't worry and would just enjoy my trip just like the many people who travel like this every day without issue, including internationally.

It is no big deal and it's pretty simple as the airlines readily forwards the information as listed on the passport and included in the PNR -- an abbreviated name on a ticket makes no difference to that.

Yes, indeed.

"matches" and "matches character-for-character" are very different concepts.

I'm well aware of that.

The risk of anything occurring is minimal - but it exists. I was merely providing a bit more context to the issue than "you'll be fine"

The risk of getting hit by lightning and urinating in one's pants as a result of being hit by lightning exists too -- of course the risk of that occurring is minimal too. Just trying to provide a bit more context to a routine matter.

I've flown using both a shortened version of my first name (Alex rather than Alexander) and without including my middle initial/name a number of times. I've never had any problems, either in the US or overseas, with security or immigration officials.

I think even TSA is smart enough to realize that someone with an ID saying "Alexander" and someone with a ticket saying "Alex" are the same person...

Great examples ^ I'm sure we all feel far more contextually aware now.