Delta Airlines Name Change Policy: Easy Steps to Follow

Delta Airlines is one of the most elegant airlines in the United States, offering services to mid-end to high-end customers. But no matter what class you fly into, you must have everything aligned perfectly, even if a slight mistake can ruin your journey. Just like how “John” becomes “Juan,” any minor or major mistake in name can cost you a lot, and you can even be denied boarding the plane. Now, passengers might ask- Can you change your passenger name on a Delta flight? So here we have mentioned all the Delta Airlines name change policies for you to go through and make corrections on time.

Delta Airlines Name Change Policy

Delta offers an extensive route all around the world, and millions fly with Delta, so it is likely that either by the machine or due to human error, your name might have been misprinted on the itinerary. This leads to the point where you need to make changes immediately, or you will face serious consequences. So here comes the Delta Airlines name change policy that informs and allows users to alter their name during the stipulated time.

Some Key Points About the Name Change

Coming to the point where you need to learn all the policies that govern the name change process, here we have listed down all the policies that you must be aware of:

  • The name you enter on your itinerary must be the same as on the travel documents, such as a passport or any government-issued ID.
  • Name change for flights between the US and China is not allowed.
  • Minor changes need to be done yourselves online.
  • For changes to 3 letters or more in the name, passengers must contact the global sales team.
  • You are allowed to make changes only once per ticket.
  • The Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD), after name changes, will remain the same.
  • The traveler must be the same passenger as on the original booking.
  • If tickets are booked via travel agents, they need to contact the global sales team for major changes.
  • If the ticket has already been corrected, it needs to be reissued for a correction for 2nd time.

Types of Delta Name Change Policy

Name corrections are of different types because you might have misspelled letters or even a completely different name. So, the types of Delta Airlines changing names on tickets vary along with their policies. So make sure to check out the types of changes:

Minor Modification

If you have to make Minor name corrections that have up to 3 letters, they can easily be done by the passenger without the help of the Delta support team. Here are the types of minor name corrections:

i. Correction to the First or Middle Name

Passengers/ travel agents can make corrections to the first or middle name and reissue the ticket without a waiver code in the PNR. Then, you will have to add the OSI message to the PNR advising that a name correction was done: OSI DL NAME CORRECTION TO FIRST/MIDDLE NAME ONLY. Then, just reissue the ticket as an even exchange.

ii. Correction to the Last Name

The corrections to the last name can be made by the passenger/travel agent without a waiver code, and the ticket can be reissued. The changes to last names by passengers/travel agents are limited to 3 characters. After making the corrections in the PNR, you need to enter this OSI message: OSI DL NAME CORRECTION TO 3 LETTERS OF LAST NAME ONLY, to indicate that a name correction has been made. Then, the tickets can be reissued in an even exchange.

iii. Addition to the last name without changing the name

You are allowed to add to the last name without changing the name. For example- SMITH/ELIZABETH changed to SMITH ANDERSON/ELIZABETH. This should be added to the PNR, and then an OSI message should be added to indicate there has been a name correction: OSI DL NAME CORRECTION ADDED SECOND NAME TO LAST NAME. After this, you will be able to reissue the ticket in an exchange.

iv. First and last names are inverted on the ticket

If your first and last names are inverted on the ticket, you can make changes to it. For example, TAYLOR/ROSS should read ROSS/TAYLOR. So make corrections in the PNR and then add the OSI message to show that there has been a name correction in the itinerary: OSI DL NAME CORRECTION FIRST AND LAST NAME INVERTED.

Significant Modification

Significant modifications require you to contact Delta Airlines customer support. These changes can not be done by either the passenger or the travel agent. Here are the types with examples:

  • According to Delta Airlines, change passenger name if the middle name, initial, or title (Mr, Mrs, or Ms) is in the name and the first and last names are inverted.
    • TAYLOR/ROSSJOHN to ROSS/TAYLORJOHN
    • ALEXANDER/CAIX to CAI/ALEXANDERX
    • PAUL/HENRYMR to HENRY/PAULMR
  • If the last name needs changes to more than 3 characters.
  • A correction is requested for the second time.
  • If the ticket accommodates flights operated by any other carrier, including Aeromexico, Air France, KLM, Korean Air, or Virgin Atlantic.

How do you Change your Name on the Ticket?

After you have learned all the types of name changes and the Delta name change policy, you might now want to know how to actually make those changes. So here are all the methods that are used to correct your names on the itinerary:

Name Change via Phone Call

Making Delta Airlines name change via phone call you will have to contact us directly via the toll-free number that is displayed at the top and the bottom of the page.

Name Change Online

If the changes are minor, you can do it by following these steps:

  • Visit the Deltas’s official website.
  • Get to the “Manage my Booking” section.
  • Log in to your account or enter your reservation number and the last name.
  • Now select your name and edit it.
  • Save the changes and update your itinerary.

How do I Change the Name on the Delta SkyMiles Account?  

Delta SkyMile’s name change is made possible by the airline under certain conditions. Here are the conditions that you must fulfill:

  • To make changes to your name in the SkyMiles account, you need to send a copy of your court documents (e.g., court order, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, etc.)
  • To make changes to your date of birth or gender, you will have to send a copy of your identity verification documentation (e.g., license, passport) along with the requested change.
  • The name you have provided for the SkyMiles account should match the name on your legal identification (driver’s license, passport, etc.).

How do you Minimize Delta Airlines’ Cost of Changing the Name on the Ticket?

If you wish to minimize the cost of a Delta name change, you need to know first that there are no charges for making minor changes to your name. However, if there are any major changes to make, you will be charged accordingly depending on the method you choose to change your name. However, if you do so within 24 hours of the booking, even major changes will not incur any additional charges. So make sure to make the changes within 24 hours of booking so that you can avoid those additional charges involved in it.

Summary

The provision of changing your name by using the Delta Airlines name change policy is one of the biggest advantages provided to the passengers. The corrections for the name can be done by various methods and you will have to keep the same name as it is on the travel documents. If you face any difficulty during the change process, you can directly contact the customer support team and they will help you out.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) I am unable to access or verify my Skymiles account. What should I do?

If you are unable to access your SkyMiles account or are unable to verify it fill up this  Identity Verification Form and verify your identity.

2) I need to change my middle name on my SkyMiles account. What should I do?

If you wish to i) Add a middle name, ii) Change the middle initial to the full name, or iii) Change the full name to the middle initial, you don’t need to provide any documentation for that. Simply log in to your account and edit your information.

3) Where do I need to draft the letter requesting a name change?

If you are drafting a letter to make changes to your Delta Airlines flight, you must send all the required documents to this address:

Delta Air Lines, Inc.
SkyMiles Account Support
Dept. 654
P.O. Box 20532
Atlanta, GA 30320-2532

4) Can I make changes to the itinerary online?

Yes, you are allowed to make changes to your itinerary directly via the online method.

5) What happens if I change my name on the PNR?

If you have changed your name on the ticket, the PNR that contains Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD) information, the SSR DOCS will be removed from the PNR.