Can you transfer a plane ticket to someone elses name

Can you change the name on an airline ticket? It’s a question many travelers have wondered, whether a friend suddenly couldn't make a trip, or you notice a dreaded spelling mistake on a boarding pass at the last minute.

While every airline has systems in place to help passengers handle such situations, factors like how close to the flight you'll be able to make changes—and how much it'll cost—depend on each company's specific policy. Read on for what you need to know.

Can I travel under an incorrect name?

Definitely not. Under the Transportation Security Administration’s (T.S.A.) rules, the name on the boarding pass must match the passenger's government-issued ID. This is to ensure that all passengers have been screened against the government’s watchlist and are approved to fly. Not only do airlines have the right to deny you flight access, but many also have a cutoff point for making name changes. Even if you feel it's too late, it's still worth contacting their customer service, who may be able to note on the reservation that they've been made aware of the issue.

How can I correct a typo in my name?

Once you find such an error, contact the airline or agency you booked with immediately (although prepare to be on hold for a while during peak hours.) If you're at the airport in a panic, head to the airline's ticket desk. And don't sweat if you've left out a middle initial: airlines are specifically focused on first and last names.

Will it cost me money to make the change?

On any airline, you have twenty-four hours to correct the error charge-free, whether you need to change a single letter or the entire name. For this reason, passengers should always review their confirmations immediately after purchasing.

If it's been more than 24 hours, that's when each airline's specific ticket change policy comes into play. While Alaska and Delta charge $125 and $200 respectively for changes, other airlines, such as JetBlue and Southwest, allow at least one free correction. For the most part, no matter how good your reason may be to make a change, expect the airlines to apply all penalties, fees, and increased fares. When airlines say tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, they mean it.

Can I give my ticket to a friend?

Almost never. While airline customer services will usually assist you in correcting the name for the original passenger, hardly any allow you to change it to a whole new traveler. Delta, United, Southwest, and JetBlue all have strict policies against this—although Frontier Airlines allows it for $75. Airlines will typically tell you the reason tickets are non-transferable is for security purposes, but in truth, from a government policy perspective, you can change the name on an airline ticket. What's really happening is that airlines want to control their revenue. In the days when you could transfer tickets, consolidators would scoop up the cheap ones and resell them, negating the airline's ability to move the ticket price around as demand ebbed and flowed.

What if I recently got married or divorced, and my name changed?

Legally, you're fine as long as you have the right documentation and allow enough time at the airport for it to be reviewed. Seeing as technically the name on your ticket simply needs to match the passenger's identification on the day of travel, the Department of Transportation on its Fly-Rights page explains: "If your name has recently changed and the name on your ticket and your I.D. are different (or will be different by the time of your trip), bring documentation of the change (e.g., a marriage certificate or court order)." That'll show the necessary authorities that the name on your government ID now corresponds to the one on your ticket, even if your physical ID doesn't reflect it yet. To be safe, we'd encourage you to bring a printout of the Fly-Rights page in case the person you're dealing with isn't aware of this protection.

This article was originally published in November 2014. It has been updated with new information.

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

One of the most discouraging moments for a traveler who has booked airline tickets is being unable to board the flight and now he or she has to apply for cancelation, refunds, or transfer the airline ticket to a second person. While most airlines do not allow you to transfer a ticket to another person, rather they have an easy cancelation and refund policy. But yes, some airlines have a simple transfer rule. Maybe you can cancel your ticket and then reissue a new air ticket in another person's name. Let's see how can I transfer a flight ticket to another traveler and what is the procedure. Although it's a NO in the USA, there are a few exceptions that can be made easy for the passenger.

What is a Transferable Airline Ticket?

A transferable airline ticket can be transferred from one person to another after a booking has been made. Such transferable air tickets are usually offered by domestic or low-cost airlines with a small fee attached to them. If you've booked a flight and either you or one of your group members is unable to travel, the air ticket can be given to someone else to travel on your or your friend's behalf. Consecutively, a non-transferable airline ticket cannot be transferred. Most long-haul and outbound airlines are non-transferable; hence, one needs to bear this in mind. Aer Lingus, Air Arabia, Easy Jet, Ryanair, Vueling, West Jet, Wizz Air, Transavia, Flybe are some of the airlines overseas that offer transferable air tickets.

How Do You Transfer Plane Ticket to Another Person?

Many of you might have this question if the top US airlines allow ticket transfer and other changes or not. American Airlines, the largest US airline does not allow passengers to transfer a ticket. Nevertheless, AA will allow travelers to transfer their tickets to another flight just before the departure time of the original flight. It depends on several factors – the type of ticket, class, destination, or on the passenger's special need. Even Delta Airlines, Southwest, and United do not allow the transfer of air tickets to someone else. There might be cases where you can get a refund for the unused ticket and cancel it within 24 hours to get a refund.

How to Transfer an Airline Ticket?

When you book an airline ticket, do not forget to 'read the fine print’. As we've discussed that airlines usually do not transfer air tickets but it depends on the airline, but do not hesitate to ask the airline or the necessary travel agent.
So, when you book an airline ticket, look out for the words - non-transferable on your ticket. If you've reserved a first-class or business class, the tickets might not be transferred but canceled and refunded. In some cases, you might be able to transfer the ticket to another person or pay a fee for cancelation and then get it re-issued in another person's name.

One of the main reasons for not allowing an air ticket transfer is revenue protection. Since airlines have cheap fare buckets and cheapest airfares. Before the strict rules were applied, many fake airlines ticket sellers would buy a ticket and transfer it to another person for less or the same price and keep the profit. This became a problem for the airline and the revenues decreased and faced loss in the market. By making airline tickets non-transferable, airlines can now ensure that fake sellers do not go around selling air tickets. Hence, such rules were imposed but one can always cancel the air ticket and apply for a refund.

When Can You Transfer a Plane Ticket to Someone Else?

• To transfer your plane ticket, you’re required to cancel the original ticket and pay the cancelation fee and the ticket issued for the same location will be rebooked.
• You can make such changes when the booking is done in advance. If the 24-hour timeframe is crossed then you need to pay the charges or the airline will not allow the name change.
• Modification of the destination will not be counted in the transfer of the air ticket. You'll need to cancel the ticket and redo the booking.
• If you have a flyer program, you can make some changes without giving any fee to the airline as several airlines offer such programs where one can access a few features.
• In several cases, group booking passengers are allowed to transfer their air tickets but you need to contact the agent.
• Sometimes the airlines choose to transfer tickets depending upon the type of class.

How Can I Transfer a Flight Ticket to Another Person?

Well, in case you need to transfer an airline ticket, these are a few steps to follow:

• Go to the airline's official webpage
• Open the Manage Booking Page or Reservations button
• Click on Modify or Change
• Enter the person's name on whom you wish to transfer the ticket

Most customers are unable to do it online. In case your airline does not allow you to transfer the air ticket, you need to cancel the flight ticket and rebook it with another person's name on it as most airlines allow name correction and forbid the transfer of air tickets.

If you've booked your flight through a travel company, you can always approach them for their assistance. You can contact your travel agent on Fond Travels at +1-571-389-6426 and let them guide you step by step. Your travel agent will be in direct contact with several airlines and they might be the right people to approach. Your travel agent might be able to convince the airline officer to simplify the air ticket transfer.