What to Have Ready Before Booking a Flight

Quick answer

Have each traveler's legal name exactly as on their ID, date of birth, your origin and destination, dates or a flexibility range, and payment ready. Seat, baggage, and loyalty preferences are optional but speed things up. Accurate names matter most — post-ticketing corrections can be limited.

The must-haves

• Legal names for every traveler, matching government ID
• Dates of birth (and gender as on the ID where required)
• Origin, destination, and dates — or your flexibility range
• Payment method

The nice-to-haves

• Seat preferences and any accessibility needs
• Frequent-flyer numbers for airlines on the route
• Baggage count, if you are checking bags

Why names matter so much

Airline name-change rules after ticketing are strict — some allow minor corrections for a fee, others do not. Matching the ID exactly at booking is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy.

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