My Passport & tickets are not the same name exactly

I've had plane tickets require that the names matched, so the airline can correct your tickets for you. I've never done train tickets or rental cars like that so I don't know about them :)
But I think there's a good chance that you have to get it fixed for your flights. Probably can't hurt to send some emails directly to any other carriers and ask the question. Sometimes rules like that change when it's not expected.
Have a great time!

Train tickets normally don't have names on them, they can be used by anybody, so no problem. The exception is "print-at-home" ones do, to prevent you printing twice and somebody else using the second copy.

And, as the others said, middle names aren't common in most European countries, I don't have one. So people ignore them.

Your problem will be with your trans-Atlantic flight. Everything else should be fine. You need to call the airline, but be aware that this is another of their lucrative ways to turn a profit. You may be able to get a sympathetic phone rep to help you. I hope you booked directly and not through an on-line booking service for simplicity. Airlines and on-line agencies have been known to toss the problem back and forth at each other. Good luck.

Middle name doesn't matter. Both my husband and I have our middle names in our passports but never include them when we buy our airline ticket. It's never been a problem.

A perfect match in that regard between passport/driver's license number and name on the ticket only matters if you're also paying to use TSA Precheck (for flights departing the USA) or Global Entry and if you don't participate in those programs, it shouldn't be an issue.

I sorry. You will NOT have any problem with TSA Pre-check or Global Entry. Global Entry never looks at airline tickets. With TSA the protocol is the same for comparing ID to board pass with or without Pre-check. If you name is Joseph Adam Smith on your passport and your ticket is Joseph Smith. You are fine. My passport routine list my full name plus "III" after my surname because that is what my birth certificate says. Have not used the "III" for several decades and rarely use the middle name on airline tickets. Never had a problem.

Thank you everyone who has posted replies to my question!

I booked directly through Norwegian Air to fly between US to England. Their policy states, "The name on your ticket must be identical to your form of identification." I know there are lots of policies when flying - some are followed exactly, some are rarely enforced, some just depend on who is on duty and what kind of day they have had so far. Which is this? Like I said, on my passport my middle name is included but on my ticket it is not. I can change it online through their website but the fee is $260 (!!!!). Should I go ahead and pay it and get it straightened out now or what chances am I taking that they will not let me on the plane??

After that, I fly Ryanair between London and Dublin, then Eurowings from Dublin to Thessaloniki via Dusseldorf, then from Thessaloniki to Rome via Belgrade on Air Serbia, and again on Ryanair from Brussels to Manchester. Traveling within Europe, I should not expect to have much trouble based on your comments above - is that correct? Apparently it's not a big deal when it comes to any mode other than air travel. My middle name is spelled out on my passport but not on any of these tickets, just the initial. It will cost a fortune to change it with all of them, but if I have to, I have to.

The recent reported problem was on WOW airline -- have you asked Norwegian and the other airlines ? My husband's middle name was left off his ticket, and when he called up United the Mileage Plus person just put a notation on the record, which flowed through to the connection onto Lufthansa. (And I made sure he updated his Mileage Plus profile to match his passport, so this won't happen again.)

Middle names are not an issue. First and Last names should match exactly.

I had forgotten that when I applied for my passport, that the rep at
the library had insisted on using my full middle name

This caught my attention. What does an employee at your local library have ANYTHING to do with your applying for your passport? Why would anyone from your library invoke herself/himself on how YOUR name should appear on your passport especially as you are the one filling out the application either online or on paper?

That all said, you should have no issue on your upcoming trip. To make things easier for you on future flights, make sure your name matches your passport.

Depending on where you are in the country, libraries are an authorized passport acceptance facility, so that employee does need to make sure the paperwork is completed correctly before being submitted.

I'm always surprised when people have identity documents that don't have their complete legal name on them.

This is for "Continental" - in many places the public library branch is often an official Passport Acceptance Facility with one person trained in this, and that is the person taking in the application, checking the documentation and application for completeness, and then submitting it. So they are following the instructions from and acting on behalf of the State Department. They are not telling him this as a "librarian."

Thanks for the info. I assumed it wasn't a librarian. I find it troubling that someone posted at a local library to "assist" people with their first passport applications had the gall to insist how an applicant's name should be written.

sat! thank you for bringing this to my attention! I went to the site and took steps to book another (fake) flight and you are absolutely correct, there is no place to enter a middle name. Whew! It never occurred to me that was the cause. I appreciate your explanation. That is something Rick Steves needs to add to his books!

Thank you, Miranda & Larry. That is exactly the case, Continental. The trained librarian was quite thorough and helpful in making sure I had everything filled out correctly to avoid any delays. This saved me over an hour of travel time to get to the next closest facility for the same service. And I was delightfully surprised that my passport arrived in only 3 weeks. To be clear, I am thrilled the US govt is adding more services to our libraries rather than trying to cut them.

These recent posts have set my mind at ease and I am confident it will be smooth sailing, at least where my passport is concerned. Now if those European airlines would quit changing flight times...one of my layovers has been cut from 1.5 hours to 45 minutes in different terminals. I'll need wings and a prayer that my arrival is not running late.

Thank you all!

one of my layovers has been cut from 1.5 hours to 45 minutes in different terminals.

I would say 1½ hours is tight, and I would not want to do that if I had to change terminals or go through immigration. I would only consider it in small or very efficient airports (e.g. Amsterdam). And it leaves no safety for a late incoming intercontinental flight.
45 minutes no way.
I think you need to get back to whoever you booked with and get them to change the flights.

These recent posts have set my mind at ease and I am confident it will
be smooth sailing, at least where my passport is concerned. Now if
those European airlines would quit changing flight times...one of my
layovers has been cut from 1.5 hours to 45 minutes in different
terminals. I'll need wings and a prayer that my arrival is not running
late.

Ok....you can't blame THAT on the rep at the local library. :-)

As for the new 45 minute layover, go to the airline's website to find 2 or 3 alternatives that will work for you. Then contact the airline to tell the agent that the airline's change to a 45 minute connection is unworkable and say that you've found alternative routes that are. Having that info should make things go more smoothly as you've done the research and may get a favorable response from the agent. If you find the agent is negative toward helping you, end the call and then call back to find another agent. Good luck!

Continental's advice is important. With a change to such a short layover, you should be able to get a new flight with a better connection for no charge. But, the agents won't want to spend a lot of time finding one, so be sure you've done the research first, and know the options, before you call.

I'm always surprised when people have identity documents that don't have their complete legal name on them. <<

This is really easy to happen. I am in my 60s. I dropped my middle name in about 1970, never used it for anything at all. However, when I first applied for a passport, whatever document I had to show them had it. Then every time I renewed my passport, my middle name was still there.

So now, the only legal document that contains my middle name is my passport. My driver's license, tax bills, bank accounts, property deeds, graduation diplomas, etc. all have only my first and last name.

I always buy domestic plane tickets with just my first and last name and international tickets including my middle name, since I show my drivers license and passport for them, respectively.

From my research I am the only person in the USA and perhaps the world to have my first and last name. I wish I could get rid of the middle name from my passport, but hopefully this won't cause any problems.

My experience was my passport name and license name had to be the same. Passport had middle initial, license had middle name spelled out. So at passport renewal time they only accepted my license once I changed it. Also with air ticketing, things go smoother if your ticket name matches your passport or license.