Can I purchase airline tickets before my passport is renewed?
by Jim
(Long Beach, CA, USA)
Question: My passport has expired and I am in the process of renewing it. I plan to fly to Switzerland in May and would like to know if I will be able to purchase my airline tickets before my passport is renewed.
If I am required to enter my passport number at the time I purchase my tickets, would entering my expired passport number be acceptable or would that create problems for me once my I receive my renewed passport and new passport number?
Answer: The name and passport number on your airline ticket must match exactly the name and number on your passport. Entering the information from your expired passport can cause problems since your renewed passport will have a different number.
Passport renewal applications normally take only 4 to 6 weeks to process so you have plenty of time as long as you apply early.
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Standard service may take between 10 and 13 weeks. This timeframe does not include delivery time. Mailing times vary across the country.
Expedited service takes from 7 to 9 weeks excluding mailing times on the front and back end. Current mailing delays are significant. Requesting 1-2-day mailing service is recommended.
Regional passport agencies are offering two types of appointments: Life-of-Death Emergency Service and Urgent Travel Service.
Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, and grandparent) that require you to travel outside the United States within 3 business days.
If you need to travel due to a qualified life-or-death emergency, please call the National Passport Information Center for an appointment.
For Urgent Travel Service, you need to call 14 days before your scheduled international travel or 28 days if you also need to secure a foreign visa.
If you need to travel urgently for reasons other than a life-or-death emergency, please call the NPIC.
A registered expedited passport courier can often assist in obtaining a passport as quickly as the same day. You can learn more about this service here.
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