how does airline code determined

In short, determining which three letters make up an IATA travel code comes down to two main things:

1. How the airport wishes to identify itself
2. The availability of that letter combination (to ensure there are no duplicates)

Full Answer

How are airline codes assigned?

The assignment of these codes is administered by the Montreal-based International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the codes cover locations (mainly airports) around the globe. The FAA is the governing body for aviation in the United States.

How do you identify airports by code?

Airports around the world are commonly identified by their 3 and 4 letter codes. These codes are assigned by IATA, ICAO, the FAA and other civil aviation organizations. Although some codes are a no-brainer – John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK); Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) – some of them leave more questions than answers. IAD. ORD. YYZ. WTF?

How do airline flight numbers work?

For example, Delta uses DL, American Airlines is AA, and United is UA. The system gets more complicated with the numbers. Although each airline has their own rules about how to assign numbers, no airline can use more than four digits for the flights. Every single flight number must be from 1 to 9999.

What are IATA codes and how are they used?

ICAO codes are commonly seen within the aviation industry and on private flight-tracking services such as FlightAware ( www.flightaware.com ), whereas passengers more often will see IATA codes on their tickets and luggage.

Why are airline booking codes important?

Is there a standard accepted code system for airline booking?

About this website

What do airline codes mean?

Airline Class of Service Codes A - First Class Discounted. B - Economy/Coach – Usually an upgradable fare to Business. C - Business Class. D - Business Class Discounted. E - Shuttle Service (no reservation allowed) or Economy/Coach Discounted.

Where did airport codes come from?

Airport codes arose out of the convenience that the practice brought pilots for location identification in the 1930s. Initially, pilots in the United States used the two-letter code from the National Weather Service (NWS) for identifying cities.

How are ICAO codes assigned?

ICAO code consists of 4 letters. Certain classifications among countries and regions are used in creating these codes. The first letter stands for the region in which the airport is located, the second is for the country. The other two letters are generally given in order.

What is a 3 digit airline code?

The International Air Transport Association's (IATA) Location Identifier is a unique 3-letter code (also commonly known as IATA code) used in aviation and also in logistics to identify an airport. For example, JFK is the IATA code for, you might know it, New York's John F.

How many different airport codes are possible?

17,576 uniqueHow many airport codes are there? The IATA's three letter permutation (26 x 26 x 26) allows for a total of 17,576 unique location codes.

Why do some airport codes have Numbers?

For example, in the US, there are some 15,000 airports. Most are small grass strips or similar, but each often needs its own identifier. There aren't enough 3 letter or 4 letter only combinations, so they start adding numbers.

What is the difference between ICAO and IATA codes?

ICAO codes are the next most widely recognized codes. While IATA codes specifically support the airline travel industry, ICAO codes more broadly support international flight operations regardless of the type of operation (to include general and business aviation).

Why are there two types of codes for airports and airlines?

Since the code contains only three letters, the possible combinations are limited and consequently the IATA codes are not unique in some cases, with the same code used to designate two different airports. Therefore, the ICAO codes were created because aviation requires a unique designation for airports.

Are ICAO codes unique?

ICAO three-letter codes are always unique. The official source, ICAO Document 8585, says the following: 1.2 The same designator will not be registered for more than one aircraft operating agency, aeronautical authority or service.

What is code 11 in an airport?

Code 11, code 11 - ice spill. Watch out for that ice...

What airline code is no?

NeosNeos Flight Tracker (NO / NOS)Airline name NeosIATA code NOICAO code NOSCountry ItalyCallsign MOONFLOWERStatus Active

What airline has code?

TUI Airways Flight Tracker (BY / TOM)Airline name TUI AirwaysIATA code BYICAO code TOMCountry United KingdomCallsign TOMJETStatus Active

Why do US airports start with K?

K – United States The prefix K is generally reserved for the contiguous United States. The ICAO codes for these airports are usually the FAA location identifier prefixed with a K.

Why do airports in Canada start with Y?

So 'Y' Canada? According to Airfarewatchdog, in the 1930s, it was important to know whether or not an airport had a weather/radio station located on its premises for safety and landing reasons. If it did, the letter Y for "yes" was added in front of the existing radio call sign.

Why is ORD Chicago airport code?

ORD – Chicago O'Hare “ORD” is a nod to the airfield's history, which started its life as Orchard Field Airport (OrchaRD) in 1945, at the site where Douglas Corporation had a wartime aircraft assembly plant.

Why Chicago airport is called O Hare?

Navy Lt. Edward O'Hare, for whom Chicago's O'Hare Airport is named, sits in the cockpit of the plane in which he shot down six Japanese heavy bombers in WWII.

List of airline codes - Wikipedia

This is a list of all airline codes.The table lists the IATA airline designators, the ICAO airline designators and the airline call signs (telephony designator). Historical assignments are also included for completeness.

IATA - Codes - Airline and Location Codes Search

Official directory of IATA codes used by airlines and airports, including IATA 3-letter and 2-letter codes.

IATA Class Codes - Booking Codes - LiquiSearch

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Why are airline booking codes important?

Airline booking codes are essential because they convey a tremendous amount of information in a succinct string of code letters and numbers. That way, an airline representative (or seasoned traveler) can look at the code and easily figure out what “kind of ticket” they’re looking at.

Is there a standard accepted code system for airline booking?

It’s important to note that although there are standard accepted practices on creating a code system for airline booking codes, every airline has different codes and structures that make unifying the system of airline booking codes impossible amongst all the airlines.

When did airport codes start?

Airport coding first began in the 1930s, and airlines typically chose their own two-letter codes. By the late 1940s, there were too many airports, and the system shifted to the three-letter code we know today. Los Angeles International Airport, for instance, was originally just “LA,” but became LAX in 1947. The IATA stepped in during the 1960s when the airlines decided they needed a standardized process to avoid confusion.

How is a three letter code determined?

The three-letter code is determined by first ensuring that it’s unique and not in use by any other entity. The code might be assigned based on the name of the airport, the name of the city, or some other meaningful and relevant identifier if those letters are already taken.

What airport has the same code as Amsterdam?

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, for example, appears as “FLL," and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is “AMS.”. Sometimes the code is the same as the last three letters that the ICAO assigns, but not always. Airport coding first began in the 1930s, and airlines typically chose their own two-letter codes.

When did the IATA come into existence?

The IATA stepped in during the 1960s when the airlines decided they needed a standardized process to avoid confusion. “IATA codes are an integral part of the travel industry, and essential for the identification of an airline, its destinations, and its traffic documents.

What is the airport code for Fort Lauderdale?

For instance, Florida's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport would be KFLL; the “K” is for U.S. and “FLL” is the specific airport code. There’s LOL (Derby Field airport in Nevada, serving Lovelock City); OMG (Omega Airport in Namibia); and EEK, (a small town in Alaska).

What is the IATA code?

As you can see in these cases, the IATA code is simply the ICAO code minus the first letter. The regions and their ‘first letters’ as designated by ICAO. Photo: Hytar via Wikimedia Commons. And then, there are ICAO codes that have no resemblance to their IATA counterpart. This is due to ICAO’s system.

What is an airport code?

Airport codes are a shortcut to identifying airports without needing to write out the full name of the facility. Whether it’s on checked baggage tags, boarding passes, or that inflight tracker, you’ll find airport codes at several places along your journey. Some of these three-letter codes make sense and correspond easily to ...

What does the letter Y mean in ICAO?

The second letter, Y, indicates that it is in Lithuania. To summarize, four-letter ICAO codes have a more rigid structure, with the first two letters being tied to an airport’s geography. IATA codes, on the other hand, do not have such rules.

What airports use letters?

Airports might also use letters that correspond with the name of the airport (sometimes this is a name that honors a historical figure): New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) Paris’ Charles de Gaulle ( CDG) Then there are other reasons that have an assortment of historical origins.

How many letters are in an ICAO code?

ICAO codes, also known as “location indicators,” consist of four letters and are used within the industry- think pilots, air traffic control, airline operations planners, etc.

What is the IATA code for the airport in Bishkek?

For example, the airport that serves the city of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, has the IATA code of FRU. This originates from the Soviet name of the city of Bishkek, then called Frunze. Canadian airports (in general) all begin with the letter Y.

How do airlines decide what route gets labeled flight 1?

But how do airlines decide what route gets labeled flight 1, or how any particular route gets numbered? The answer lies in a complex set of tiers combining traditional and modern rules, tweaked to each carrier specifically. And while no naming convention is identical between airlines, there are some parallel trends as well as some red-hot flight numbers that most airlines tend to avoid.

How do airlines organize flight numbers?

Airlines can also organize flight numbers in blocks that indicate at a glance where they are going. For example, with typical German precision, Lufthansa divides the world by flight number: LH400 to LH499 are flights to North America, South America gets flights in the 500s, Africa from 560 to 599, the Middle East and Central Asia is the 600s, and Asia-Pacific the 700s. Even numbers are outbound from the home country, and odd numbers fly back. (British does it the other way; odd flights are outbound, starting from that BA1 to New York.) The geography-based model is in use at other airlines too: On Alitalia, for example, if your flight is in the 600s you know you’re going to the Americas, and in the 700s to Asia.

What is flight 1?

Boarding flight 1 to any destination is often a matter of prestige. Whether it’s British Airways’s flight BA1 from London to New York — once flown by the Concorde, now by the Airbus A318 in all-business configuration — or United’s UA1 from San Francisco to Singapore, flight 1 is often a flight of distinction, operated with a flagship aircraft ...

Why was United flight 1122 chosen?

As it turns out, United flight 1122 from Newark to Cape Town was chosen because that was the first date — November 22nd — that Quayle visited South Africa when he was a youngster. Meaningful to him and a handful of people in his network, of course, but most people flying across the Atlantic will never know the significance of that route number. Many more stories of how a particular route got its number may never get told.

What is FNOM flight number?

At legacy carriers, a combination of manual and automatic tools are used to figure out what flight numbers are open within a specific bracket. American, specifically, uses a tool called FNOM, or the Flight Number Optimization Model, to automatically search for route numbers, consider the overall schedule and suggest possible numbers. “We use the automatic tool mostly for the domestic system where we don’t have as much of a preference on what the numbers are,” says Alex at American. “In that automated tool there is a function where those international numbers will kind of be locked down so they can only be assigned to that route.”

What is the label on an airplane?

But let’s back up for a minute: each flight operated in commercial airspace has a number associated with it, a label that easily tells planners (and knowledgeable passengers) where an airplane is headed, and between what two airports.

Where does United Airlines fly?

Earlier this month, United Airlines announced new service between Newark and Cape Town, South Africa, one of the first carriers in the United States to ever offer that route, and the airline’s only service into sub-Saharan Africa.

How Do Airports Get Their Codes?

As commercial airlines became more accessible and air travel gained popularity throughout the 1930’s, a three-letter system was used to create a seemingly endless amount of combinations — it’s actually 17,576.

What is the IATA code?

IATA (International Air Transport Association) is a trade association that represents the airlines IATA codes are mainly used for ticketing; travel itineraries use IATA’s 3-letter codes for airports and IATA flight numbers. The assignment of these codes is administered by the Montreal-based International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the codes cover locations (mainly airports) around the globe.

What is the purpose of ICAO codes?

ICAO’s 4-letter codes are used for “official” purposes such as Air Traffic Control; flight plans use ICAO codes for airports and airline flight identification . ICAO codes are commonly seen within the aviation industry and on private flight-tracking services such as FlightAware ( www.flightaware.com ), whereas passengers more often will see IATA codes on their tickets and luggage.

What is the difference between the FAA and ICAO?

Basically, the ICAO is focused on civil aviation regulations, whereas IATA is a trade association for airlines. The FAA is the United States’ civil aviation authority, governing domestic airlines, their operations and regulations. Check out all of the airport codes around the world, and learn more about the organizations below.

What was the code for Orchard Place?

Take Chicago, for example — in the 1940’s, Orchard Place was a small community just west of the city and the site of a military airport; the airfield was also a manufacturing facility for Douglas Aircraft, and Or chard Place Airport – D ouglas Field was given the code ORD.

What is the airport code for Liberty International Airport?

DuBai subbed an X for the U, making its unique airport code of DXB. EWR. Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey. When airport identifiers switched from two letters to three, the Navy reserved all codes starting with N. NEWaRk, then, used the other letters in its name to make EWR.

What is the airport code for Austin Powers?

While it may sound like a private airport for cougars (both kinds) or Austin Powers’ preferred landing pad, GRR is actually the code used for G erald R. Fo r d International Airport in Gr and R apids, hitting a rare twofer with both formal and city names.

How many digits can an airline use?

The system gets more complicated with the numbers. Although each airline has their own rules about how to assign numbers, no airline can use more than four digits for the flights. Every single flight number must be from 1 to 9999.

What does the letter DL mean on a flight number?

The letter component of the flight number is fairly straightforward: They represent the carrier. For example, Delta uses DL, American Airlines is AA, and United is UA. Faster Internet Is Coming to Airports Across the U.S.

What is the return flight number for JetBlue?

For example, JetBlue has a flight from JFK to LAX that's JBU523. When it returns to JFK, the flight number is JBU524.

Why won't airlines have flight 13?

Flights won’t ever have a number like 757 to avoid confusion with the model of aircraft. And, due solely to superstition, airlines won’t operate flight 13 or flight 666 — unless it’s an elaborate joke.

What is the flight number for JFK?

When it returns to JFK, the flight number is JBU524. Generally, the lower the flight number, the more important that route is to the airline. Delta operates DL1, a route between New York's JFK and London Heathrow. The very important flight number likely relates to the airline’s history. Delta’s very first international destination was London in ...

What is the first group on a business select flight?

First group: Passengers with and “A” group boarding pass and customers on “business select” fares

Which group does JetBlue not specify?

Fifth group (Group D): JetBlue doesn’t specify exactly which passengers are assigned to this group. Sixth group (Group E): JetBlue doesn’t specify exactly which passengers are assigned to this group.

What does a basis code tell you?

Fare basis codes can also tell an agent whether a fare is refundable, good for one-way or round-trip tickets, departing to or from specific countries, combinable with other fares, good in high or low season, how far in advance it can be booked and whether there are any routing restrictions or change penalties.

What is the fare basis code?

While fare class is generally designated by a single letter, this gets more complicated very quickly. When you combine a fare class with other rules , you’ll wind up with a series of alphanumeric characters, and this is known as a fare basis code. This tells airline reservation specialists and travel agents everything they need to know about your ticket. You’ll commonly find an E after your fare class to indicate that the ticket is an excursion fare, which has a minimum or maximum stay at the destination.

What does "J" mean on a flyer?

Note: These letters are also commonly used as abbreviations on message boards like FlyerTalk to refer to the “generic” class of service (e.g. “I’m flying in Y from NY to London and want to upgrade to J” means “I’m traveling in economy from NY to London and want to upgrade to business class”). However, this article is focusing on the actual published fare classes from airlines.

What is the fare class used for?

(Photo by JT Genter/The Points Guy.) Fare classes are used by airline reservation systems and travel agents to sell seats on a plane, keeping track of which fare classes are still available. Let’s take a look at a quick example.

Why is knowing your fare class important?

Knowing your fare class is important for several reasons. First, it can tell you whether you’ll earn 100% of your frequent flyer miles from a purchased ticket. This is even more important when crediting your flight to a partner airline.

What is the basis code for Delta flight from Atlanta to Seattle?

The above screenshot shows the fare basis code VE21A0SC for a Delta flight from Atlanta (ATL) to Seattle (SEA). I know this is a V fare class excursion fare, but I would have to get a travel agent to look up the fare rules to find out exactly what the rest of the fare basis code tells me. A V fare with Delta is a deeply-discounted economy fare that still earns 5 miles per dollar spent for non-elite members but is not eligible for upgrades unless you have Delta Medallion elite tatus.

Which airlines use revenue based miles?

While American, Delta and United have all switched to a revenue-based model of awarding miles for flights on their own (respective) flights, traveling on most of their partner airlines will use a somewhat complicated formula that takes into account distance flown as well as fare class booked.

Why are airline booking codes important?

Airline booking codes are essential because they convey a tremendous amount of information in a succinct string of code letters and numbers. That way, an airline representative (or seasoned traveler) can look at the code and easily figure out what “kind of ticket” they’re looking at.

Is there a standard accepted code system for airline booking?

It’s important to note that although there are standard accepted practices on creating a code system for airline booking codes, every airline has different codes and structures that make unifying the system of airline booking codes impossible amongst all the airlines.

Introduction

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