Airport codes are three or four-letter codes used to identify airports worldwide. The most common three-letter code is the IATA code, used by customers and associated with the city or airport name. The four-letter ICAO code is used by air traffic controllers and pilots and designates the region, country, and airport. Some airports have both codes, but they are usually different. The codes are useful for checking ticket and luggage information and understanding aviation-related documents.
An airport code is typically a three-letter code associated with nearly every airport in the world. These codes are known and used by customers flying on airlines and are often used when researching ticket prices, buying tickets or tagging your luggage to ensure you arrive at the correct destination. A second type of airport code is a four-letter code used between airports internationally, although these codes are typically never used by the general public.
The most common three-letter code is known as the IATA code, by the International Air Transport Association. It can also be referred to as a location identifier. This code is typically associated with the city in which the airport is located or with the proper name of the airport itself. For example, the airport code for Dublin, Ireland is DUB; Heathrow in London is LHR; and New York City’s John F. Kennedy Airport is JFK. These airport codes can be found easily by searching online. Many websites list codes by city and state to make it easier to find information.
People can use this airport code to check that the ticket information is correct, for both the departure and arrival airports. Also, it’s a good idea to take a look at the bag tag once it’s placed on your bag to be sure it’s going to the correct airport. This simple, unified system of location identifiers works well because it can be understood by speakers of many different languages and is used successfully around the world.
The second type of airport code is the four-letter ICAO code, established by the International Civil Aviation Organization and used in a more official capacity. Air traffic controllers and pilots might use these codes, for example. These codes are divided into regional, often continental divisions, where the first letter of the code indicates the region; for example, countries in northern Europe are designated with the letter E, while South America is designated with the letter S. The next letter designates the specific country within that region, and the next two letters designate the specific airport.
Some airports have corresponding IATA and ICAO codes; for example, ATL and KATL are the respective codes for Atlanta’s Heartsfield-Jackson Airport. For the most part, though, the two codes are in no way similar; the codes for London-Heathrow, for example, are LHR and EGLL respectively. It is rare that someone outside the industry has to learn the ICAO code for a specific airport. However, it can be useful when trying to determine the location of an airport or when trying to understand aviation-related documents.
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