Correcting Passenger Names on Airline Tickets

Minor spelling corrections - up to three letters on most carriers - are typically free if you contact the airline before check-in. This covers typos like Jonh instead of John, or Smth instead of Smith.

Airlines like Emirates, Qatar, Singapore Airlines, and most European flag carriers handle these by email within 24 to 48 hours. Low cost airlines are less forgiving. Ryanair charges 115 euros per name correction at the airport.

Swapping the passenger for a different person is a name change and is almost never allowed on non-refundable tickets. Even minor structural changes - adding a middle name that was missing, or changing surname after marriage - may require documentation.

For a legal name change after marriage or divorce, most airlines accept a marriage certificate or court order and process it as a correction if the ticket is still in the previous name.

Airport counters have less flexibility than the reservations desk. Call the airline as soon as you notice the error - ideally within a few hours of booking, when many will simply cancel and reissue the ticket for free.

If you booked through a travel agency, they must submit the correction. The airline will not action name changes on agency-issued tickets directly.