Types of Name Changes on American Airlines
1. Minor Spelling Corrections (1–3 characters)
Small typos — "Jonson" to "Johnson," "Smtih" to "Smith" — are typically handled free of charge. American allows these without documentation since it's clearly the same person. You can request corrections via aa.com Manage Trips or by calling our specialists.
2. Legal Name Change (Marriage, Divorce, Court Order)
If your legal name changed after booking, American requires supporting documentation: marriage certificate, divorce decree, or updated government-issued ID. There is typically no fee for properly documented legal name changes that represent the same individual passenger. Contact American or our team with documentation ready.
3. Complete Ticket Transfer (Name Change to a Different Person)
Not permitted on any fare. Airline tickets are non-transferable by policy. If someone else needs to use the booking, the only path is cancellation (subject to fare rules) and a new booking in the correct name.
How to Request a Name Correction Online
- Go to aa.com → Manage Trips
- Find your booking with 6-character confirmation code
- Look for "Edit passenger information"
- Minor 1–3 character corrections may be editable directly
- For larger corrections, you'll need to call — or call our team at +1-888-570-4815
Adding TSA PreCheck to Your American Booking
Forgot to add your Known Traveler Number (KTN) at booking? Add it through Manage Trips at aa.com under "Edit traveler info." This is not a name change — it's a passenger profile update. Add your KTN up to 72 hours before departure for the PreCheck indicator to appear on your boarding pass.
AAdvantage Account Name Corrections
If your AAdvantage account name doesn't match your ID, update it by submitting a name change request to AAdvantage customer service with a copy of your government ID. This is a separate process from ticket name corrections and must be done at the account level. A mismatch between your account name and ID can affect upgrade priority and award redemption.