How do I apply an unused ticket from one traveler to another traveler's trip?

Understand the processes, policies and penalties for applying unused tickets between travelers for the six largest U.S. airlines

This page tracks airline name change policies for the six largest U.S. airlines. The page is updated as often as possible to keep up with changing airline policies, the last update was made May 2, 2023.

Whether an employee has left your company, a guest no longer needs to travel for your company, or you just want to use an expensive unused ticket to defray the cost of a new trip for another traveler, AmTrav can help you apply an unused ticket from one traveler to another traveler's trip (subject to airlines rules). Here's how to request a name change, along with a guide to each carrier's name change policies.

Procedure to request a name change on an AmTrav booking:

Once you understand the policies and penalties associated with name changes you can request that an unused ticket (visible in your Unused Ticket Report) be applied from one traveler to another by contacting an AmTrav Travel Advisor (chat, email or call) to make the booking and requesting that the ticket be applied when you make the booking (have the original AmTrav booking number, original airline ticket number and original traveler name handy).

AmTrav note: AmTrav service fees apply to bookings with name changes. Much as we'd like these to be easy, automated processes, airlines require special handling for tickets with name changes so our Travel Advisors spend additional time on each booking with a name change.

Inactive travelers: we recommend deleting the profiles of any travelers who have departed your company. Those travelers' unused tickets will be available to you, but they'll be easier to track in your Unused Ticket Report because we mark them with Traveler Status as Inactive.

Airline name change policies & penalties:

Alaska Airlines (code AS, tickets starting with 027)

Alaska charges a $125 name change fee when applying an Alaska ticket from one traveler to another, plus the difference in fare from the old ticket to the new ticket, plus any applicable change penalties (see the change penalty for each ticket in your Unused Ticket Report). The name change fee is waived when the original unused ticket is held by an Alaska MVP Gold member traveler (the opposite is not true: the $125 fee does apply when the original traveler is not an MVP Gold but the new traveler is an MVP Gold). 

American Airlines (code AA, tickets starting with 001)

Name changes and ticket transfers on American Airlines tickets are only available to contracted corporate accounts (full corporate contract, Business Extra doesn't qualify), there's no charge for the transfers for those corporate accounts. Residual values are sacrificed on name changes (so if you're transferring a $500 ticket to cover another traveler's $300 ticket, the residual $200 value is surrendered).*

Delta Air Lines (code DL, tickets starting with 006)

Name changes and ticket transfers on Delta Air Lines tickets are only available if a client has a Delta corporate contract (full corporate contract, SkyBonus doesn't qualify), a $100 Admin Fee is levied by Delta. Residual values are sacrificed on name changes (so if you're transferring a $500 ticket to cover another traveler's $300 ticket, the residual $200 value is surrendered).*

JetBlue Airlines (code B6, tickets starting with 279)

Kudos to JetBlue for having the easiest name change policy. JetBlue does not charge name change fees so applying a JetBlue ticket from one traveler to another costs only the difference in fare from the old ticket to the new ticket, plus any applicable change penalties (see the change penalty for each ticket in your Unused Ticket Report). 

Southwest Airlines (code WN, tickets starting with 526)

Wanna Get Away fares are not transferrable, though AmTrav may be able to secure a refund (please email support@amtrav.com). Wanna Get Away Plus fares are transferrable with no additional fees from Southwest, that's their biggest selling point. Anytime and Business Select fares are fully refundable, you can refund that value back to the original form of payment and use it towards a new ticket instead of transferring the value.

United Airlines (code UA, tickets starting with 016)

United charges a $100 name change fee when applying an United ticket from one traveler to another, plus the difference in fare from the old ticket to the new ticket (if the new fare costs more than the value of the credit), plus any applicable change penalties (see the change penalty for each ticket in your Unused Ticket Report). The name change fee is waived for certain tickets issued under certain companies' United corporate agreements, and companies may use their available United Sales funds for applicable name change fees.* Residual values are sacrificed on all United exchanges including name changes (so if you're transferring a $500 ticket to cover another traveler's $300 ticket, the residual $200 value is surrendered). (Note that through the end of 2023 you can also refund many United tickets, minus a refund penalty that varies from $125-$350. Learn more about this offer here.)

*Contact your AmTrav Relationship Manager for help understanding your airline Sales funds and corporate agreements, they're ready to help.

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