If I book a flight with a passport and the airline employee at the check-in desk refuses it, can I check in with a second passport of mine with UA?

Question

I have a French passport and a US passport. If I book a flight with United Airlines with one passport and the airline employee at the check-in desk refuses it due to its physical condition, can I check in with the second passport?

Assume:

I don't have to present any visa to the destination country's immigration officers that can't be done on arrival to be allowed to enter the country.
The two passports are under the same name.

FYI I've asked a similar but more general question recently If I book a flight with a passport and the airline employee at the check-in desk refuses it, can I check in with a second passport of mine? but it got closed and according to Should questions whose answer may depend on the airline or the check-in airline clerk be closed as “opinion-based” or be left open? (mirror) that's because the answer depends on the airline.

Possible duplicate of: https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/79636/for-uk-usa-bound-flights-are-details-entered-during-online-check-in-such-as-da?r=SearchResults. Short answer is yes, you can use any passport you want. — JonathanReez, Jul 25 '20 at 22:41
@JonathanReez thanks, the question you mentioned focuses on information entered during online check-in. My case is different: I wonder what if I booked a flight with passport A, show up at the check-in desk with passport A but the airline employee doesn't like the passport, and I show my second passport. — Franck Dernoncourt, Jul 25 '20 at 23:24
@JonathanReez On lambshaanxy's answer, some check-in desk employees seem to care to the point of having to call in the supervisor. — Franck Dernoncourt, Jul 25 '20 at 23:30

score 4 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 26 '20 at 02:15

You don’t really need a passport for a booking, and even if you add one, it doesn’t matter. There can be significant time between booking and flying and documents and requirements can change.

You need to present a passport at check in that needs to be valid for your current travel. Which one you present is up to you and United doesn’t care as long as it’s valid for travel.

I sometimes give them both and ask “which one do you want” as a joke.

If I book a flight with a passport and the airline employee at the check-in desk refuses it, can I check in with a second passport of mine with UA?

1 Answers1