LaserSailor

But get to airport early, perhaps one hour earlier than "usual" in case you have to explain.

dpschnei

I just got great advice on another thread and thought I should keep going while I'm ahead.

Next year, my fiance and I are planning a trip to Europe on UA in business using saver award tickets. As our wedding is this May, by the time we go on our Europe trip my fiance's last name will have changed. Can we book her ticket in her current (maiden) name and then change the name on her ticket once her last name changes legally? Or if she keeps her current passport, should she just fly under her maiden name and wait to change her passport until after our trip?

mahasamatman

I would book the tickets using what her name will be on her passport. It's up to you whether that will be her current passport or a new one. I wouldn't try to change the name - airlines always make this as difficult as possible and it's not worth the hassle if you can avoid it.

Dianne47

No, once booked you cannot change the name on any airline booking.

Book the ticket under her current passport name and keep that passport until after the trip. Much easier to do it this way.

aacharya

Change the passport after you come back. That is by far the easiest approach.

She can always start changing the name change process this year, and moving over work, social security, etc. But I'd wait for the DL/passport.

We found after our honeymoon (which was immediately after the wedding) that the marriage license goes a long way in changing names, even months later. That's all that the state and federal governments need for the wife's name change. (That the husband's name change requires a court visit is an interesting tidbit).

sbm12

Depends on the state.

The other option the OP has is to book the award in the new name today and get the new passport issued between the wedding and the trip.

rstlsgirl

Book the ticket in whatever name she'll have. If it will be married, be sure she applies for a new passport ASAP after the wedding. (And when she has to go to the SSO and DMV for other name change stuff, go with her, because it sucks and you should have to suffer through it too).

I've been married ten years, and just changed my name. Inertia at first, and then my work started booking flights so far in advance that I couldn't change it before the next flight. And also, because the whole process of name changing sucks. Just remember that - she's doing it for you.

kenn0223

I changed my name when I married (4+ yrs ago) and still travel under my old name. My passport is in my old name, NEXUS is in my old name, DL is new, SSN is new, CCs are new. I've never run into problems. I'll likely change my passport and "travel name" when it expires in 2017. Effecting a name change is a big PIA and I essentially gave up proactively changing it with entities several years ago. When it's convenient to do so (passport expiring) I've been doing it, but I no longer make an effort to do so.

If I were the OP, I'd just book it under her old name. She can take her time updating documents when you get back. There is no law or requirement (that I know of) to immediately change every document you have the moment you change your name. Trust me, its a lot easier to do it at your convenience.

mahasamatman

I ran into this when I changed my name after marriage. The Social Security office at first didn't want to do it, but eventually relented (and told me I was lucky to live in California). We secretly hoped they would deny it so we could sue for sexual discrimination. I had no problem at all with my driver's license.

I didn't change my passport until last year, so for years I had different names on my DL and U.S. passport (my Canadian passport matched my DL). No problem.

Baze

All you need to do with whatever ID you use is carry a certified copy of the marriage certificate as it will have her maiden name and her married name on it. That will reconcile any discrepancies in name. Book away and have a great trip.

USHPNWDLUA

Unless you have lots of time between the marriage ceremony and honeymoon, and are absolutely sure that she can get all her documents updated with the new name, you can book now in what will be her future name. But I strongly suggest following the advice of others above that you book now in current name, keep her passport unchanged, and then change her name on her passport after the honeymoon. Why take a chance that the update won't be done in time (think of the chain of updates and in what order they have to happen....)? Besides, what's the rush? You want that honeymoon to be stress-free!

bniebler

Hi Guys --
Newbie here, but question for you as my newly married wife and I (as of last week) are traveling to Europe in May.

I had booked award tickets both ways with miles, AA to get there and United coming home. I booked these prior to us being married back in August. In the reservation I used my wife's new last name that she took but I mixed up the middle name. She decided to take her maiden name as her new middle name and when I booked the award tickets I put her old middle name.

Now that we've married and her middle name is different, I just thought about this and am wondering if we will have issues if her middle name on the award ticket is different than what will be on her new passport.

Is this an easy fix with United and considered a minor name correction or will this be a dealbreaker? Or will no one think twice about it when traveling since our first and last names are correct. Also same goes with American airlines since I had that listed incorrectly as well.

Any help is much appreciated! Thanks

WineCountryUA

Is not an easy fix -- once a ticket has been issued, name changes are essential impossible. The only real fix is to cancel and rebook. While is probably not needed most of the time, there have been reports of the occasional agent that becomes a problem. Middle names do seem to be less of an issue. Check in agents seem to be a bigger issue than TSA/Immigration agents.

If you decide to go ahead with present ticket, bring supplement documents to the name before and after the change.

older related threads
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...d-threads.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...-e-ticket.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ng-spaces.html

dank0014

How close are you to a major UA airport (ORD, IAH, IAD, EWR, SFO, LAX, DEN)?

You are also able to bring in your marriage certificate and proof of legal name change and they can authorize a change with that. If I remember, there is an administrative fee associated with it though.

changey2

Middle name differences are usually fine