Passenger name change for BA reward flights

[ExpatInBerlin]

I’m planning to book BA CE SH reward flights for 4 pax for travel early 2025. There is a chance that 1 of the pax won’t be able to make it due to a provisional work trip down under but the other three of us will still travel and I’m keen to nail the reward flights down from a cost & flexibility perspective. Does anyone please know if it’s possible to pay a fee to change the name of the fourth passenger? Or would it just be a case of paying the £35 to cancel and hoping the seat would come back into the inventory to be immediately rebooked under a different name (we have a back up pax)?

I’ve tried searching but can only find info relating to BA holidays and cash tickets (and for the latter the BA website explicitly states it isn’t possible to change the ticket name/cancel and rebook outside of the 24 hour cooling off period). Interestingly I booked Wizz Air flights to Chisinau last week and for an extra few pounds there was the option to delay confirming passenger names until much nearer the departure date. Certainly one way to keep friends & family on best behaviour! TIA.

[John]

If there is availability for 5 you could just book everyone and cancel later.

[SamG]

I’d book that person separately. Then you can cancel online easily and see if the seat comes back into inventory to rebook. You can’t change the name on the ticket

[ExpatInBerlin]

Thanks both, good ideas! Will certainly book the uncertain pax on a separate booking.