When booking a flight with Delta Air Lines, passengers are asked to provide their full legal name as it appears on their government-issued ID. This includes your first, middle, and last name. However, Delta’s booking systems do not necessarily combine your first and middle names.
Quick Answer
Delta’s booking systems keep your first, middle, and last names separate in their records. Your boarding pass and other travel documents will list your first, middle, and last names individually. However, some parts of Delta’s website or mobile app may display a shortened version of your name that combines first and middle names if there is limited space.
Delta’s Name Policy
Delta requires passengers to book flights under the exact name that matches their identification. This complete legal name includes your first, middle, and last name as written on a driver’s license, passport, or other valid government-issued ID.
Delta does this to ensure accuracy in reservations and to comply with security regulations. By having your full legal name in their system, Delta can cross-check your identity against any federal government watch lists or databases.
First Name
Your first name should be written on your ticket and Delta profile exactly as it appears on your ID. This includes any hyphens, apostrophes, or other punctuation.
Middle Name
You should also provide your full middle name to Delta during booking. Many IDs include middle names or middle initials, which must be reflected accurately in Delta’s system.
Last Name
Similarly, your last name should match your ID in spelling, punctuation, and any spaces or hyphens between names. Any suffixes like Jr. or III should also be included.
How Delta Displays Names
While Delta requires your complete first, middle, and last names at booking, how they display your name may vary in different parts of your travel experience:
Boarding Pass
Your Delta boarding pass will list your first, middle, and last name separately. Your name displays in the order of first, middle, last with your middle name or initial commonly in parentheses.
Baggage Tags
Luggage tags and receipts also show your first, middle, and last names individually following standard name order and formatting.
In-Flight Services
Delta flight attendants access passenger manifests that include first, middle, and last names separately. However, their in-flight PA announcements may shorten names for brevity.
Delta.com
On Delta’s website, you may see your name displayed with first and middle names combined. This is done to fit longer names in website headers, menus, or other space-constrained areas.
Mobile App
Similarly, Delta’s mobile app may condense first and middle names when displaying traveler names in some places. But full names remain stored in Delta’s systems.
Emails/Text Messages
Travel notifications and communication via email or text message will also commonly show a shortened name combining first and middle names.
When Delta Combines First and Middle Names
While Delta keeps your names separate in their booking and check-in databases, here are some common situations where they may display an abbreviated name combining first and middle names:
- On your mobile boarding pass
- In the header or menu of the Delta app or website
- In check-in reminders or travel alerts
- During onboard flight attendant announcements
- On in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi landing pages
- On drink napkins or food service items in Delta One cabins
In these cases, Delta will condense your name to fit in the limited space. For example, “Jennifer Anne Smith” may display as “Jennifer A Smith”. Or “William Jefferson Jones” may condense to “William J Jones”.
When Delta Keeps Names Separate
While Delta may shorten names for display purposes occasionally, here are key situations where your first, middle, and last names will remain separate:
- On your printed or digital boarding pass
- On your checked luggage tags
- In Delta’s computer reservation system
- On TSA and U.S. Customs travel documents
- On post-flight surveys
- On flight manifests and passenger lists
- On mileage statements, awards, or correspondence
Your full name will always be used on legal travel documents and in Delta’s databases. Only select secondary displays like the app header may combine first and middle names.
Name Changes or Corrections
If your name is incorrect or differs from your ID when booking with Delta, you should update your reservation immediately. You can do this online via Delta’s website or mobile app. For more significant name changes like after marriage, contact Delta reservations directly to update your traveler profile.
Any name corrections must be made well in advance of travel to allow changes to propagate through Delta’s systems as well as to TSA and U.S. Customs requirements. Having a mismatch between your ID and boarding pass name could result in denied boarding or other travel delays and complications.
The Purpose of Delta’s Name Policy
Delta adheres to strict name matching policies for all reservations as required by various government agencies and regulations including:
- Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
- Secure Flight program
- Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS)
By collecting complete legal names, Delta helps these agencies crosscheck passenger identities against watch lists and perform background checks to flag high-risk travelers.
Traveling Under Different Names
While Delta requires your government-issued ID name to match their reservations exactly, there are certain exceptions that allow you to book Delta flights under a different name than your legal name:
Unmarried Couples/Companions
Delta allows booking companion tickets for unmarried couples, friends, or relatives under different last names than your own. The name must still match their photo ID.
Middle Name Omissions
You can book Delta flights with your middle name omitted as long as the first and last names on your ID match.
Nicknames
Nicknames are allowed in place of your first name as long as your photo ID supports it. For example, “William” can book as “Bill”.
Name Changes
For recent name changes due to marriage, divorce, or other reasons, your ID may not reflect your new name yet. Contact Delta with documentation to update your name on your reservations.
How Other Airlines Handle Names
Most major airlines follow similar name policies as Delta when booking flights:
| Airline | First and Middle Name Policy |
|---|---|
| Delta | Keeps separate in systems but may combine for display |
| American | Displays full names separately |
| United | May combine first and middle names |
| Southwest | Uses first name only at booking |
| Alaska | Combines first and middle names |
| Spirit | Keeps first, middle, last separate |
Most airlines collect full first, middle, and last names but have slight variations in how they display abbreviated names in tickets, apps, and notifications.
Conclusion
In summary, while Delta requires your complete first, middle, and last name for bookings that match your government ID, how they display your name may vary in some circumstances.
Delta typically keeps your first, middle, and last names separate in their reservation systems, tickets, and luggage tags. However, for space reasons, you may see an abbreviated name that combines your first and middle name in places like the app header or in-flight drink items.
So in most key legal and travel documents, Delta does not combine your given names. But minor display consolidations of first and middle names may occur. As long as your ID matches the name used at booking, Delta will accept any shortened display names that include your full legal first and last names.