How Can I Change Name on United Airlines Ticket?

After all, we are all human and mistakes are part of our lives, but finding ways to fix them is our responsibility. This also applies to United Airlines flight bookings. Name mistakes happen more often than you would think, and the best thing is that United Airlines gives you the flexibility to rectify your mistake to ensure a smooth journey.

The most important takeaway of United Airlines name change policy is that it permits name corrections to fix typos, wrong spellings, or to upgrade your legal name as long as the traveler is the same, but transferring your ticket to a different person or changing your full name is not allowed under any circumstances. So you must always have your name on the United ticket and your passport or government-issued ID exactly the same to avoid inconvenience at the airport.

We understand the kind of stress you may feel when you have a misspelled name on your United Airlines flight ticket, as this can lead to missing your flight if you are stopped at the departure gate and denied boarding due to security regulations. So here is the guide to show you the right way to change your name on a United ticket.

What You Need to Know About United Airlines Name Change Policy?

United Airlines name change policy makes a solid distinction between name correction and ticket transfer, as it does not allow the sale or transfer of flight tickets to another person, but you can make changes if only a minor correction is needed to match your name on ID and ticket, or if there is a legal reason for your name change. Therefore, the United name change policy specifies whether you can change the name on your ticket, as well as the required documents and fees for requesting a name change.

1. Minor Name Corrections

Minor name corrections or typos are easy to fix on a United flight ticket without documents. The minor errors in the name that happen very often are like

• Spelling mistakes
• Wrong order of first and last name.
• Missing middle name.
• Extra or missing character in the name.

2. Legal Name Changes

Legal name changes take longer than minor name corrections, and they can not be done without documentation. The name changes due to a legal reason include

• Marriage or divorce
• Court-ordered name change
• Legal identity change

3. Transfer Ticket or Full Name Change

The full name change, which is equivalent to the transfer of a ticket to a different person, is not allowed on United Airlines. If you want a different person’s name on the United ticket, you will need to rebook the ticket after canceling the first.

Learn more: How to Upgrade to Business Class on United​ Airlines?

How Can You Change Name On United Airlines Ticket?

United Airlines won’t let you completely change the name on a ticket to someone else’s. But don’t worry, if you just need to fix small mistakes or update your legal name, here’s a clear process to do it.

First Step: Gather Your Documents

First of all, you need to make sure you have all the required documents ready before you request a name change on your United flight ticket. Here you can check what you need to collect:

• Get your confirmation code for the United flight booking.
• Your name’s correct spelling as it is written on your government-issued ID.
• Your legal documents, like a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or a legal name change order from the court, if you want a legal name change on the ticket.

Second Step: Contact United Airlines

In the next step, you need to contact United Airlines to request name change to your flight ticket. Since the process of name change can not be processed online, unlike the flight change and seat selection, you will need to directly get in touch with the airline’s agent. To request a name change by directly contacting United Airlines, you have two options:

• Call United Airlines Reservations: For a quick response, you can directly call the United Airlines reservations and apply the name correction.
• Chat with United Help Center: For a texting experience, you can chat with an agent and explain the name error in your ticket. Whether you need a minor adjustment or a legal name change, you can request the agent to make changes and upload your required documents if requesting a legal name change.

Third Step: Update MileagePlus Account

If you are a MileagePlus member and the reason for your name change request is any legal event that has taken place recently in your life, like marriage, divorce, gender change, expulsion from the family, or any other legal reason, you must update your MileagePlus account with the latest details. Here are the steps to follow:

• Go to United’s website and sign in to your MileagePlus Account.
• Tap on your profile icon and select Edit personal information.
• Enter your new legal details, including name, and upload the required documents, and submit.
• After your MileagePlus Account is updated with your new legal details, you can also link your reservation to your updated profile by requesting the agent on call or chat to accelerate the name correction process on your United flight ticket.

Fourth Step: Verify Name On New Ticket

Once the United agent confirms your name correction, you can verify your updated name on the ticket by asking the agent to read the corrected name back to you. If new details match your ID exactly, request the agent to re-issue the ticket.

Read more: How Can You Upgrade to Premium Plus on United Airlines?

Is There A Fee To Correct A Name On A United Ticket?

The moment you decide to correct your name mistake on a United ticket, the next thought that comes to mind is whether you will also need to pay a fee for it. Generally, United Airlines does not charge a fee for the most common mistakes, but there is a scenario in which United Airlines may impose a fee for changing the name on the ticket. Here you can check whether a fee applies or not for the most common name change requests:

• Minor Name Corrections: United Airlines does not charge any fee for this type of name correction on the flight ticket, provided the changes are minor and the traveler remains the same.
• Legal Name Changes: There is also no fee for legal name changes on United Airlines, as the airline simply updates your booking with your new legal identity.
• Major Name Changes: If United allows major corrections or changes to the name, you may need to pay a fee. However, if you want a complete name change, you will incur cancellation charges and then need to purchase again with the new details.

Tips To Easily Change Name On United Ticket

If you are stressed after finding a mistake in your name on the United ticket, follow these tips to simplify the name change process:

• Use the 24-hour flexible booking rule: If you notice a mistake in your United flight ticket within 24 hours of booking, which was made at least one week in advance, you can simply rebook the ticket with your correct name. This will not only save you money but also save you time that you would otherwise waste requesting name changes from the airline.
• Update your MileagePlus profile: You can reduce the processing time of a legal name change by updating your MileagePlus profile with new legal details, as without updating your MileagePlus profile, it may take longer than a minor name correction on United.

Final Thoughts

Changing the name on your United flight ticket is relatively simple, as it involves a straightforward process for minor corrections or legal name changes, but you can not completely change the name or transfer the ticket to another person, which is not allowed.

You can easily process Minor name corrections or legal name changes on United Airlines tickets by contacting United Airlines by phone or chat, as the online method via My Trips is not available for name changes.

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