Passports, IDs and matching names

Written by Owen (SI), Director, Booking Operations · Updated 2026-10-05

Each traveler's name on your booking must be their full legal name, matching the government ID they'll travel with. International trips also need passport details, and every traveler on an international trip, including children and infants, needs valid travel documents.

Getting names right matters, because airlines and airport security check them against each traveler's ID. Entry rules, such as visas, are set by governments and airlines, so check official sources for your destination.

What do you ask for when I book?

Here's what checkout asks for:

For every traveler: full legal name matching their government ID, date of birth and gender.
For at least one traveler: contact information.
For international trips: passport number, expiration date and nationality.
Optional: frequent flyer numbers, a Known Traveler Number (for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry), and special requests such as meals or a wheelchair.

How do I check the details on my booking?

It's worth checking every name and date of birth against each traveler's ID after you book. You can see them in two places:

Your booking confirmation email. It lists every traveler detail entered at checkout. Passport, ID and Known Traveler numbers show only their last 4 digits.
Your trip page. The full numbers are on your trip's Flight Details screen: open Trips and tap your trip.

How do I book faster next time?

Save each traveler to the Passengers section of your profile, with their name exactly as it appears on their ID. Open your profile from the avatar menu, then tap Add at the top right of the Passengers section.

Next time you book, you can pick saved travelers from a list, and their details fill in for you.

What if a name or date of birth is wrong?

Chat with the Defera Concierge, our AI concierge. It can send a request to our team. Include:

the name or date of birth as it is on your booking
the name or date of birth as it appears on the traveler's ID

The request shows as a card on your trip page, and the answer arrives there and by email. Fixing a name or date of birth on your booking has more.

What about visas and entry rules?

Each traveler is responsible for checking visa, vaccination and entry rules. They're set by governments and airlines, and they change, so confirm them with official sources: the US State Department, the CDC, your destination's embassy and your airline.

For US airport security screening, see the TSA.