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What to do if…
you are travelling with two passports and are unsure which one your booking is linked to

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Check the passenger name first, then check the airline’s travel document or Advance Passenger Information record and make it match the passport you plan to present for the relevant flight or UK entry check.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t assume the booking is permanently “linked” to a passport just because you entered a passport number once.
  • Don’t swap passports at check-in or boarding without asking airline staff to check or update the travel document record.
  • Don’t enter a passport number, nationality, or expiry date that only “almost” matches.
  • Don’t rely on a photo of a passport if you can carry the physical passport or passports.
  • Don’t post your boarding pass, booking reference, or passport details online.
  • Don’t ignore a visa, ETA, eVisa, or residence status that is linked to one specific passport.

What to do now

  1. Check the passenger name on the ticket.
    Open your confirmation or e-ticket and compare the passenger name with both passports. If the name itself is wrong, deal with the airline’s name-correction process before worrying about the passport number.

  2. Find the travel document section for this booking.
    In “Manage booking” or the airline app, look for “Advance Passenger Information”, “API”, “Passport details”, “Travel document”, or “Passenger information”. This is usually where passport number, nationality, issuing country, and expiry date are stored.

  3. Choose the passport you need for this flight or entry check.
    Use the passport that matches any visa, ETA, eVisa, residence status, or entry permission for that part of the trip. If the trip involves more than one country, check the entry rules for each country rather than assuming one passport works for every leg.

  4. Make the airline record match that passport.
    Update the passport number, issuing country, nationality, date of birth, and expiry date exactly as shown on the passport you plan to present. Save or screenshot the confirmation page if the airline system gives one.

  5. If the system will not update cleanly, contact the airline or travel agent.
    Use an official support route and say: “I have two passports. Please confirm which passport is in the travel document or API record for this booking and update it to the passport issued by [country], ending [last 4 digits].”

  6. If you are travelling to the UK and you are British or Irish, check this before relying on an ETA.
    British and Irish passport holders do not need an ETA. UK dual nationals can usually travel to the UK using a valid UK passport, an Irish passport, or a certificate of entitlement. If you are a British or Irish dual citizen, do not assume you can solve the problem by applying for an ETA on your other passport. If you became British after settling in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme, check your UKVI account and make sure the passport or identity document you will use is linked to your valid status.

  7. If you are not British or Irish and you need a UK ETA, keep the passport consistent.
    Check whether the passport nationality you will present can use an ETA. If you already have an ETA, check it before travel and make sure the airline record uses the same passport you will present.

  8. Use a staffed desk if you are still uncertain.
    Arrive earlier than usual, bring both passports, and go to a staffed check-in desk before security. Ask staff to confirm the travel document or API record before they issue or reissue boarding documents.

  9. At the border, use the document you are entitled or required to use.
    Airline records help with boarding, but border officers apply the entry rules for that country. If you realise at the airport that the airline record and the border document need to differ, pause and ask airline staff to update the record before you continue.

What can wait

  • You do not need to fix every saved traveller profile today; focus on this booking and this journey.
  • You do not need to settle long-term questions about dual nationality travel before checking in.
  • You do not need to keep fighting an app that will not save changes; airline support or a staffed airport desk may be the right next step.
  • You do not need to decide future passport renewals or citizenship paperwork right now unless they affect this trip.

Important reassurance

This is a common travel admin problem and is often fixable before travel or at a staffed desk. The immediate goal is simple: make the airline’s travel document record match the passport and permission you will actually use for the relevant part of the journey.

Scope note

These are first steps only. If your trip involves visas, UK immigration status, residence permits, a certificate of entitlement, children with possible British citizenship, name differences between passports, or complicated transit rules, later decisions may need specialist help.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, immigration, or travel-agent advice. Airline systems, carrier checks, and border requirements vary by route, nationality, and document type, so confirm uncertain details with the airline and the relevant official entry rules before you travel.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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