Booking a flight without passport info

Passport (and citizenship) information is generally not needed to book a flight.

You only need to have your valid passport and potential visas at the moment of checking in.

If you don’t have the necessary documentation when checking in, you will not be allowed to fly. People tend to blame the airline for that, so some airlines ask for passport data when booking, to make sure you will be able to fly.

If your airline asks for that, you can safely enter made-up data or - better - your old passport’s data. This info can be changed anytime until check-in - online, on the phone, or at the counter when checking in.

Note that you cannot change the name easily. Also, if you find out your new passport comes late or you would need a visa and don’t have it, it is your problem, and the airline owes you nothing if you cannot fly.

Bookings do not need a passport. As a matter, the system does not know if you need a passport since there are some cases where it is not needed.

When checking-in to the flight, usually 24 hours or less before the departure, you will be asked to give your passport information, if it is in fact required for your flight. You are also able to supply it yourself ahead of time by accessing your itinerary on the website of the airline.

Should you already have provided your passport number and it changes, due to it being renewed or replaced, you will be able to call the airline and ask them to update your passenger information. This is not always possible to do online, so you will usually have to call but that is it.