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uk Travel, documents & being abroad travelling with two passports • dual citizen travel • two passports which to use • booking linked to passport • booking linked to passport number • passport details in manage booking • advance passenger information error • apis passport details wrong • check-in passport mismatch • travel document details wrong • passport for uk travel • certificate of entitlement confusion • dual national uk travel rules • airline document check issue • passport number not updating • two passports at airport • multiple nationalities travel • entry permission linked passport

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

Short answer

Make sure the name on your ticket matches your ID, then check and correct the passport details (API/travel document info) in “Manage booking” so the airline has the same passport you will actually present for this trip.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t assume the booking is “linked” to a passport just because you typed a passport number once—airlines often collect passport details separately as travel document/API data.
  • Don’t “switch” which passport you present at check-in/boarding without getting the airline record updated.
  • Don’t enter passport details that “almost match” (wrong number, swapped expiry date) to get through a form.
  • Don’t rely on a photo of a passport at the airport if you can carry the physical passport(s).
  • Don’t share photos of your boarding pass or booking reference online.

What to do now

  1. Check the passenger name on the ticket carefully.
    Open your confirmation/e-ticket and compare the passenger name to your passport(s). If the name itself is wrong, deal with that first (airlines often have specific name-correction rules).

  2. Find the airline’s “Travel documents / API / passenger information” section for this booking.
    In “Manage booking” (or the airline app), look for “Advance Passenger Information (API)”, “Passport details”, “Travel document”, or “Passenger information”. That’s usually where a passport number is stored for travel.

  3. Decide which passport you will use for this journey, then make the airline’s stored passport details match it.
    Update the passport number, nationality/issuing country, and expiry date to match the passport you plan to present for the relevant part of the trip. If the website/app won’t let you edit cleanly, move to step 4.

  4. Contact the airline (or your travel agent) and ask them to confirm which passport is recorded — and change it if needed.
    Use official support channels and say plainly: “I have two passports. Please confirm which passport is in my travel document/API record for this booking and update it to [issuing country + last 4 digits of passport number].”

  5. If you are travelling to the UK and one of your passports is British (or Irish), don’t gamble.
    Current UK travel document rules mean British (including dual) citizens are generally expected to travel to the UK with a valid British passport (or, if travelling on a non-British passport, the relevant Certificate of Entitlement). If you are missing what you need, talk to the airline before you travel because you may be refused boarding.

  6. If you (or someone on the booking) needs a UK ETA, make sure it matches the passport you will present.
    This applies to travellers who require an ETA to travel to the UK. The ETA is linked to a specific passport, so your airline travel document/API details should match that same passport.

  7. Plan a low-drama airport fallback.
    If anything still feels uncertain, arrive earlier than you normally would and go to a staffed check-in desk. Bring both passports so the airline can correct your travel document/API details before you’re committed.

  8. Avoid casual mid-process switching.
    Present the passport that matches what the airline has recorded for that leg. At borders, use the passport you are entitled/required to use for that country. If you realise you need to switch, pause and ask airline staff to update the travel document record first.

What can wait

  • You do not need to “fix” both passports in every profile today—only the passport details for this specific booking.
  • You don’t need to settle long-term questions about dual nationality travel right now.
  • You don’t need to fight an app form at 2am—airline support or a staffed desk can usually fix travel document/API records.

Important reassurance

This is common and usually fixable. Most disruptions happen when the airline’s stored travel document/API details don’t match the passport you present, or when UK travel document rules for dual nationals aren’t met.

Scope note

These are first steps to reduce the risk of check-in refusal or border confusion. If your trip involves visas, residency permits, complicated transit rules, or a name discrepancy across documents, you may need specialist advice—but you can still stabilise things now by aligning the airline record with the passport you’ll present.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. Airline systems and border requirements vary by route and nationality, and carriers can refuse boarding if required documentation is not met. If you’re unsure, the safest move is to confirm and correct your stored travel document/API details with the airline before you travel.

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