United Airlines name change or correction policy

United Airlines name change or correction policy

Name change or spelling correction on tickets is one of the most common change requests received by any airline in the US. Considering that all airlines operating within the US are strictly required to adhere to Federal laws in order to ensure passenger safety, any deviation in name from Government id proof is treated as a threat to national security and, therefore, highly unacceptable.

Unsurprisingly, to avoid unpleasant situations and to provide hassle-free air travel experience to its revered customers, each airline operating in the US has formulated its own name change or correction policy. And United Airlines, which is one of America’s biggest domestic and international passenger carriers with a varied fleet and an ever-expanding route network, is no exception. United Airlines name change policy is a well-defined guidelinethat is both easy to understand and execute.

United Airlines understands that human errors are inevitable. From simple typing mistakes or typos to mistakes due to a lack of knowledge or mere ignorance, flight tickets often reflect a variety of unintentional blunders. Additionally, there are certain unavoidable circumstances that necessitate a change, addition or deletion of either complete or part of the name. To make things easy for fliers, United Airlines name correction policy segments all name change or correction requests into two major categories which are discussed in detail below,

1. Simple name changes or corrections

As per guidelines shared by United Airlines, all the following possibilities or case scenarios are considered simple name changes or corrections and, therefore, don’t need any documentation for their approval and execution.

1. i) Correction in the spelling of the customer’s first name. Take the example of Michel to Michelle.
2. ii) Correction of a minor typo in the last name. Take for example, Philips to Phillips
3. iii) Changingthe customer’s name toa nickname or the reverse like that of William to Billy or Billy to William
4. iv) A change in the title like that from Mr. or Mrs.ToDr.or vice versa if the Govt. id proof reflects the same.
5. v) Addition or deletion of the middle name or the use of initials (Ex: Michael Joseph Jackson to Michael Jackson and vice versa. Also in the case of Michael Joseph Jackson to Michael J. Jackson and the other way round)
6. vi) Inverting customers’ first and last names (Ex: from David Mckinsey to Mckinsey David.

Please note that all the changes or corrections mentioned above are error-based and mostly unintentional.

2. Significant name changes or corrections

But, there are certain major changes or corrections that arise out of unavoidable situations or circumstances beyond the customer’s control. Take for example a divorce, a marriage or a complete change in name due to a professional or any other reason that was initiated before booking the flight ticket. United Airlines considers all of these as significant name changes or corrections and has clearly furnished on its website the list of documents it accepts as valid proofs under the United Airlines name change policy to initiate such changes. These documents are –

1. i) Divorce decree
2. ii) Marriage certificate
3. iii) Documents supporting a legal name change
4. iv) Government-issued id that reflects the customer’s both past and present names

Please note that for a significant name change or correction, any of the abovementioned documents needs to be uploaded on the United Airlines’ website along with a request in writing before submitting the request. Also, customers should be clear in their understanding that significant name changes or corrections don’t include name transfers, i.e. customers can’t remove their own or somebody else’s name and replace it with another. It should pertain to the same individual whose name has changed either partially or completely.

Alternate Name Affidavit:

The fliers who don’t have with them any of the documents mentioned above on or before the travel date can still get their name changes or corrections effected officially with United Airlines. In that case, they have to download a Name Affidavit format from the United Airlines’ website, get it printed, notarised and physically sent by mail along with a copy of whatever Government id proof they have to the below-mentioned address:

MileagePlus Service center
P.O Box 1394
Houston, TX 77251-1394

However, customers have to keep in mind that all significant changes need at least two weeks to get processed. So, they need to plan things accordingly to avoid harassment on the date of travel.

United Airlines name change fee

Now, here is the big question. Does United Airlines charge its passengers for minor or significant changes or corrections in names? The answer is yes. It does. There are two types of change fees.

1. i) Any name change or correction initiated within 24 hours of booking the ticket attracts a nominal charge of $75.
2. ii) On the other hand, any name change request submitted 24 hours after booking the ticket and before 2 hours from the flight’s scheduled departure attracts a United Airlines name change fee of $200.

Also, passengers might need to pay a fare difference amount for a new ticket at current prices and cancellation charges if the name change or correction requires cancellation of the old ticket. So, next time you book your flight ticket either by yourself or through a travel agent, make sure you thoroughly crosscheck every detail mentioned on the ticket before, during and immediately after booking.

How to apply for a name change or correction on a United Airlines ticket?

All said and done, it’s high time to know how to change or correct the passenger name on a United Airlines ticket as per the United Airlines name change policy. Mentioned below are a few ways to do that.

1. i) The simplest way to effect a name change or correction on ticket isto obviously calling the United customer care number as soon as you spot a simple typo or a gross mistake on your ticket.
2. ii) Simple name change and correction requests can also be made by submitting online applications through the official website, www.united.com. Customers can do this easily through their Mileage Plus account profile.
3. iii) For significant name changes or corrections, customers can upload any of the supporting legal documents listed on the official website along with the submission of a request through the same Mileage Plus customer profile. Affidavits should be physically mailed as already mentioned before.
4. iv) Customers can also avail of services like in-person assistance from United Airlines either by visiting the nearby airport or its corporate office in the city.

Please note that rules related to name change or correction are subject to change at any time at the sole discretion of the airlines. Also, United Airlines duly reserves the right to ask for further documentation for such changes. Therefore, it is important to get info about United Airlines name change policy and fee before applying for correction or change of any misspelled name on the ticket.