Airport Codes: IATA Lookup, USA & World List

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IATA lookup · city guide · traveler reference

Airport codes, decoded for real trips

Search a code or city, compare IATA and ICAO identifiers, browse practical USA and India lists, and avoid booking the wrong airport in multi-airport cities.

Quick answer: the three-letter code most travelers see—such as EWR, ORD, LHR, MSP or IAD—is usually an IATA location identifier. It is not the same thing as a four-letter ICAO code.
Search airport codesBrowse A–Z
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Independent reference: Airport-Guides.org is not IATA, ICAO, FAA, AAI or an airport operator. Codes and airport names can change. Use the official IATA search for final code verification before ticketing, cargo documentation or system integration.
Interactive airport code finder

Search by IATA code, city, airport or country

Type a code such as EWR, a city such as London, or a country such as India. This traveler-focused directory covers 147 commonly searched airports; it is not a substitute for IATA’s complete official database.

Tip: click any code in the A–Z directory to load it here.
Verify with official IATA code search ↗FAA U.S. Location ID database ↗
Start with your actual task

What are you trying to do with an airport code?

A three-letter code can be a booking shortcut, a baggage destination, a metropolitan search code or an intermodal location. Start with the document or decision in front of you instead of assuming every code means one physical airport.

BOOKBooking a flightMatch the code with the full airport name and city before paying—especially in New York, London, Washington, Chicago, Delhi NCR or Goa.
BAGReading a baggage tagCompare the three-letter destination/transfer codes on the tag with the itinerary. A metropolitan code is not a substitute for the physical transfer airport.
MAPPlanning transportUse the physical airport code—not only a city label—to choose parking, rail, taxi, hotel shuttle or pickup directions.
DATABuilding software or cargo dataUse continuously maintained official reference data. A static travel article is not a production code database.
Three coding systems, different jobs

IATA, ICAO and FAA airport codes are not the same thing

Most travelers mean the three-character IATA location identifier when they say “airport code.” Pilots, flight-planning systems and air-traffic operations also use four-letter ICAO location indicators. In the United States, the FAA separately assigns location identifiers for landing facilities and other aviation facilities.

JFK

IATA location identifier

Usually the code passengers see in flight search, reservations, tickets and baggage handling. IATA also assigns identifiers to metropolitan areas and qualifying intermodal points, so three letters do not always mean a runway.

Passenger / commercial travel
KJFK

ICAO location indicator

A four-letter operational identifier used internationally in flight planning, air traffic and aeronautical systems. ICAO publishes these in Doc 7910 and updates the publication quarterly.

Operational aviation
JFK

FAA location identifier

A U.S. identifier assigned under FAA policy. It can resemble an IATA code at many airports, but the FAA explicitly treats its location-identifier system as separate from IATA coding.

U.S. facility identification
Traveler rule: do not convert one system by guessing. “K + IATA” works for many airports in the contiguous United States, but it is not a worldwide formula and should not be used to invent an ICAO code.
Official-source / FAA PDF findings

Why an airport code can survive a name change

The current FAA Location Identifiers order explains a point that generic code lists rarely cover: U.S. FAA identifiers are designed for stable facility identification, not branding. That helps explain why an identifier can remain familiar even when an airport’s public name changes.

01

FAA identifiers are intended to be permanent

FAA Order JO 7350.9GG says a location identifier is considered permanent and changes require strong documented justification, primarily tied to safety or facility status. The original identifier normally remains when only the facility name changes.

02

FAA and IATA identifiers are separate systems

The same order explicitly says airport location identifiers are not associated with IATA codes and requests merely to make the FAA identifier match an IATA code are denied. Many U.S. airports happen to display the same three letters in passenger and FAA contexts, but the authorities and rules are different.

03

Canceled U.S. three-letter identifiers are not instantly recycled

FAA policy normally holds a canceled three-letter identifier for one year before it is available for reassignment. That reduces immediate ambiguity after a facility closes or an identifier is withdrawn.

04

FAA metropolitan identifiers are a separate concept

The FAA order recognizes existing metropolitan-area identifiers and says no further new metropolitan assignments are contemplated; existing metropolitan codes are not exchangeable with airport identifiers. IATA has its own metropolitan-location coding rules.

Important scope: these permanence and reassignment details are FAA policy for FAA identifiers. Do not assume every IATA or ICAO identifier follows the identical rule; verify the authority that owns the code you are using.
Current FAA JO 7350.9 order ↗FAA Location Identifier Search ↗ICAO designators & indicators ↗
Use the code correctly

Airport code on your ticket, boarding pass and baggage tag: what to check

Flight search

A city search can expand to several airports. Before purchase, verify the exact physical airport name and three-letter code for every segment.

Boarding pass

Confirm the airport code together with terminal/gate information. A codeshare airline name does not change the physical departure airport.

Baggage tag

Read the routing codes printed on the tag and compare the final code with your itinerary before the bag leaves the counter.

Airport transfer

When two consecutive flights use different airport codes in one metro area, assume a ground transfer may be required until the airline confirms otherwise.

What you seeWhat it may meanWhat to verify before acting
NYCNew York metropolitan search/location code, not a terminal to drive toJFK, LGA or EWR on the actual segment
LONLondon metropolitan search codeLHR, LGW, LCY, STN or the airport shown on your itinerary
ORD → MDWTwo different Chicago airportsGround-transfer time and separate check-in/security requirements
DEL / DXNTwo different Delhi NCR airportsWhich airport your airline operates from before booking transport
Baggage safety: if the code on the bag tag does not match the destination/connection you expect, ask the airline agent before the bag is accepted. Do not try to “correct” a code from memory.
Airport codes USA

USA airport codes list: major airports travelers search most

Use this as a quick planning list, not a complete inventory of every U.S. airport. The FAA maintains the authoritative U.S. Location ID database, while IATA maintains the passenger-facing airport/location coding data.

IATAAirportCity / areaCountryICAO
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International AirportAtlanta, GAUnited StatesKATL
Austin-Bergstrom International AirportAustin, TXUnited StatesKAUS
Nashville International AirportNashville, TNUnited StatesKBNA
Boston Logan International AirportBoston, MAUnited StatesKBOS
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall AirportBaltimore, MDUnited StatesKBWI
Charlotte Douglas International AirportCharlotte, NCUnited StatesKCLT
Dallas Love FieldDallas, TXUnited StatesKDAL
Ronald Reagan Washington National AirportWashington, DCUnited StatesKDCA
Denver International AirportDenver, COUnited StatesKDEN
Dallas Fort Worth International AirportDallas-Fort Worth, TXUnited StatesKDFW
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County AirportDetroit, MIUnited StatesKDTW
Newark Liberty International AirportNewark, NJ / New York metroUnited StatesKEWR
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International AirportFort Lauderdale, FLUnited StatesKFLL
Daniel K. Inouye International AirportHonolulu, HIUnited StatesPHNL
William P. Hobby AirportHouston, TXUnited StatesKHOU
Washington Dulles International AirportDulles, VA / Washington metroUnited StatesKIAD
George Bush Intercontinental AirportHouston, TXUnited StatesKIAH
John F. Kennedy International AirportNew York, NYUnited StatesKJFK
Harry Reid International AirportLas Vegas, NVUnited StatesKLAS
Los Angeles International AirportLos Angeles, CAUnited StatesKLAX
LaGuardia AirportNew York, NYUnited StatesKLGA
Orlando International AirportOrlando, FLUnited StatesKMCO
Chicago Midway International AirportChicago, ILUnited StatesKMDW
Miami International AirportMiami, FLUnited StatesKMIA
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International AirportMinneapolis-St. Paul, MNUnited StatesKMSP
Chicago O'Hare International AirportChicago, ILUnited StatesKORD
Portland International AirportPortland, ORUnited StatesKPDX
Philadelphia International AirportPhiladelphia, PAUnited StatesKPHL
Phoenix Sky Harbor International AirportPhoenix, AZUnited StatesKPHX
San Diego International AirportSan Diego, CAUnited StatesKSAN
Seattle-Tacoma International AirportSeattle, WAUnited StatesKSEA
San Francisco International AirportSan Francisco, CAUnited StatesKSFO
San José Mineta International AirportSan Jose, CAUnited StatesKSJC
Salt Lake City International AirportSalt Lake City, UTUnited StatesKSLC
Tampa International AirportTampa, FLUnited StatesKTPA
Northwest Arkansas National AirportBentonville/Fayetteville, ARUnited StatesKXNA
Airport codes in India

India airport codes: major passenger airports and the new DXN code

India’s airport network is growing quickly. AAI says it manages 137 airports across international, customs, domestic and civil-enclave categories. For travelers, the important point is to verify the actual airport code on the ticket—especially in regions with more than one commercial airport.

2026 change worth knowing: Noida International Airport uses DXN and began commercial passenger operations on June 15, 2026. Delhi NCR travelers therefore need to distinguish DEL (Indira Gandhi International) from DXN (Noida International).
IATAAirportCity / areaCountryICAO
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International AirportAhmedabad, GujaratIndiaVAAH
Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International AirportAmritsar, PunjabIndiaVIAR
Biju Patnaik International AirportBhubaneswar, OdishaIndiaVEBS
Kempegowda International Airport BengaluruBengaluru, KarnatakaIndiaVOBL
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International AirportMumbai, MaharashtraIndiaVABB
Calicut International AirportKozhikode, KeralaIndiaVOCL
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International AirportKolkata, West BengalIndiaVECC
Coimbatore International AirportCoimbatore, Tamil NaduIndiaVOCB
Cochin International AirportKochi, KeralaIndiaVOCI
Indira Gandhi International AirportDelhi NCRIndiaVIDP
Noida International AirportNoida / Jewar, Uttar PradeshIndiaVIND
Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International AirportGuwahati, AssamIndiaVEGT
Goa International Airport (Dabolim)GoaIndiaVAGO
Manohar International AirportMopa, GoaIndiaVOGA
Rajiv Gandhi International AirportHyderabad, TelanganaIndiaVOHS
Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar AirportIndore, Madhya PradeshIndiaVAID
Bagdogra AirportSiliguri / Bagdogra, West BengalIndiaVEBD
Chandigarh International AirportChandigarhIndiaVICG
Madurai AirportMadurai, Tamil NaduIndiaVOMD
Veer Savarkar International AirportSri Vijaya Puram, Andaman & Nicobar IslandsIndiaVOPB
Jaipur International AirportJaipur, RajasthanIndiaVIJP
Chaudhary Charan Singh International AirportLucknow, Uttar PradeshIndiaVILK
Chennai International AirportChennai, Tamil NaduIndiaVOMM
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International AirportNagpur, MaharashtraIndiaVANP
Jay Prakash Narayan AirportPatna, BiharIndiaVEPT
Pune AirportPune, MaharashtraIndiaVAPO
Srinagar International AirportSrinagar, Jammu & KashmirIndiaVISR
Thiruvananthapuram International AirportThiruvananthapuram, KeralaIndiaVOTV
Tiruchirappalli International AirportTiruchirappalli, Tamil NaduIndiaVOTR
Lal Bahadur Shastri International AirportVaranasi, Uttar PradeshIndiaVEBN
AAI network overview ↗Official DXN operations announcement ↗
Not every location code is one airport

Airport, metropolitan and intermodal IATA codes: the hidden difference

IATA’s official Airport & Location Identifier Database covers more than airports. It includes metropolitan areas and intermodal travel points such as rail and bus locations. That is why a three-character code returned by a travel system should always be read together with its location name and type.

Location-code typeExample / patternTraveler meaningCommon mistake
Physical airportJFK, LHR, DELA specific airport facilityAssuming a city has only one airport
Metropolitan areaNYC, LON, WAS, TYO, CHIA city/metro search grouping that can cover multiple airportsUsing it as a driving destination or baggage-transfer airport
Intermodal locationRail/bus/ferry points can receive IATA identifiersA non-airport segment integrated into travel distributionAssuming every three-letter IATA identifier has runways
Official IATA databaseApprox. 12,000 locations
Update frequencyDaily
Useful fieldsType, city, country, timezone, coordinates
Practical rule: a metro code is useful for finding options across a city, but the physical airport code is what you need for terminals, pickup, parking, security and airport-to-airport connections.
IATA Airport & Location Identifier Database ↗IATA official code search ↗
High-risk city searches

Airport-code confusion by city: New York, London, Washington, Chicago, Delhi NCR and Goa

These searches cause more trouble than a simple alphabetical list reveals. The code determines the actual airport, ground-transport plan and often whether a connection is realistic.

NYC

New York

JFK — John F. Kennedy
LGA — LaGuardia
EWR — Newark Liberty

NYC is a metropolitan location code. EWR is in New Jersey but serves the New York metro market.
LON

London

LHR — Heathrow
LGW — Gatwick
LCY — London City
STN — Stansted

“London” in a fare result does not tell you which airport or how long the surface journey will take.
WAS

Washington region

IAD — Dulles
DCA — Reagan National
BWI — Baltimore/Washington

These airports have different rail/road access and are not interchangeable for a tight connection.
CHI

Chicago

ORD — O’Hare
MDW — Midway

Changing ORD↔MDW is a landside cross-city transfer, not a terminal change.
NCR

Delhi NCR

DEL — Indira Gandhi International
DXN — Noida International

DXN began commercial operations June 15, 2026. DEL and DXN are different airports; verify the operating airport before arranging a car.
GOA

Goa

GOI — Dabolim
GOX — Manohar International (Mopa)

Hotel transfer times can differ substantially; use the three-letter airport code when arranging pickup.
Airport codes alphabetical list

A–Z airport codes directory

This alphabetical list contains 147 frequently searched passenger airports across the United States, India and major international markets. It is deliberately practical rather than pretending to reproduce IATA’s much larger, continuously updated official database.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTVXYZ
A10 codes
ADDAddis AbabaEthiopiaAKLAucklandNew ZealandAMDAhmedabadIndiaAMSAmsterdamNetherlandsARNStockholmSwedenATHAthensGreeceATLAtlantaUnited StatesATQAmritsarIndiaAUHAbu DhabiUnited Arab EmiratesAUSAustinUnited States
B12 codes
BBIBhubaneswarIndiaBCNBarcelonaSpainBERBerlinGermanyBKKBangkokThailandBLRBengaluruIndiaBNANashvilleUnited StatesBNEBrisbaneAustraliaBOGBogotáColombiaBOMMumbaiIndiaBOSBostonUnited StatesBRUBrusselsBelgiumBWIBaltimoreUnited States
C14 codes
CAICairoEgyptCANGuangzhouChinaCCJKozhikodeIndiaCCUKolkataIndiaCDGParisFranceCGKJakartaIndonesiaCHCChristchurchNew ZealandCJBCoimbatoreIndiaCLTCharlotteUnited StatesCMBColomboSri LankaCOKKochiIndiaCPHCopenhagenDenmarkCPTCape TownSouth AfricaCUNCancúnMexico
D12 codes
DACDhakaBangladeshDALDallasUnited StatesDCAWashingtonUnited StatesDELDelhi NCRIndiaDENDenverUnited StatesDFWDallas-Fort WorthUnited StatesDMKBangkokThailandDOHDohaQatarDTWDetroitUnited StatesDUBDublinIrelandDXBDubaiUnited Arab EmiratesDXNNoida / JewarIndia
E3 codes
EDIEdinburghUnited KingdomEWRNewarkUnited StatesEZEBuenos AiresArgentina
F3 codes
FCORomeItalyFLLFort LauderdaleUnited StatesFRAFrankfurtGermany
G6 codes
GAUGuwahatiIndiaGIGRio de JaneiroBrazilGOIGoaIndiaGOXMopaIndiaGRUSão PauloBrazilGVAGenevaSwitzerland
H6 codes
HELHelsinkiFinlandHKGHong KongHong Kong SARHNDTokyoJapanHNLHonoluluUnited StatesHOUHoustonUnited StatesHYDHyderabadIndia
I9 codes
IADDullesUnited StatesIAHHoustonUnited StatesICNSeoulSouth KoreaIDRIndoreIndiaISTIstanbulTürkiyeIXBSiliguri / BagdograIndiaIXCChandigarhIndiaIXMMaduraiIndiaIXZSri Vijaya PuramIndia
J4 codes
JAIJaipurIndiaJEDJeddahSaudi ArabiaJFKNew YorkUnited StatesJNBJohannesburgSouth Africa
K3 codes
KIXOsakaJapanKTMKathmanduNepalKULKuala LumpurMalaysia
L10 codes
LASLas VegasUnited StatesLAXLos AngelesUnited StatesLCYLondonUnited KingdomLGANew YorkUnited StatesLGWLondonUnited KingdomLHRLondonUnited KingdomLIMLimaPeruLISLisbonPortugalLKOLucknowIndiaLOSLagosNigeria
M13 codes
MAAChennaiIndiaMADMadridSpainMANManchesterUnited KingdomMCOOrlandoUnited StatesMDWChicagoUnited StatesMELMelbourneAustraliaMEXMexico CityMexicoMIAMiamiUnited StatesMLEMaléMaldivesMNLManilaPhilippinesMSPMinneapolis-St. PaulUnited StatesMUCMunichGermanyMXPMilanItaly
N3 codes
NAGNagpurIndiaNBONairobiKenyaNRTTokyoJapan
O3 codes
ORDChicagoUnited StatesORYParisFranceOSLOsloNorway
P10 codes
PATPatnaIndiaPDXPortlandUnited StatesPEKBeijingChinaPERPerthAustraliaPHLPhiladelphiaUnited StatesPHXPhoenixUnited StatesPKXBeijingChinaPNQPuneIndiaPTYPanama CityPanamaPVGShanghaiChina
Q1 codes
QROQuerétaroMexico
R1 codes
RUHRiyadhSaudi Arabia
S12 codes
SANSan DiegoUnited StatesSCLSantiagoChileSEASeattleUnited StatesSFOSan FranciscoUnited StatesSGNHo Chi Minh CityVietnamSINSingaporeSingaporeSJCSan JoseUnited StatesSLCSalt Lake CityUnited StatesSTNLondonUnited KingdomSXRSrinagarIndiaSYDSydneyAustraliaSZXShenzhenChina
T4 codes
TPATampaUnited StatesTPETaipeiTaiwanTRVThiruvananthapuramIndiaTRZTiruchirappalliIndia
V2 codes
VIEViennaAustriaVNSVaranasiIndia
X1 codes
XNABentonville/FayettevilleUnited States
Y4 codes
YULMontréalCanadaYVRVancouverCanadaYYCCalgaryCanadaYYZTorontoCanada
Z1 codes
ZRHZurichSwitzerland
Worldwide examples

Popular international airport codes outside the USA and India

IATAAirportCity / areaCountryICAO
Addis Ababa Bole International AirportAddis AbabaEthiopiaHAAB
Auckland AirportAucklandNew ZealandNZAA
Amsterdam Airport SchipholAmsterdamNetherlandsEHAM
Stockholm Arlanda AirportStockholmSwedenESSA
Athens International AirportAthensGreeceLGAV
Zayed International AirportAbu DhabiUnited Arab EmiratesOMAA
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat AirportBarcelonaSpainLEBL
Berlin Brandenburg AirportBerlinGermanyEDDB
Suvarnabhumi AirportBangkokThailandVTBS
Brisbane AirportBrisbaneAustraliaYBBN
El Dorado International AirportBogotáColombiaSKBO
Brussels AirportBrusselsBelgiumEBBR
Cairo International AirportCairoEgyptHECA
Guangzhou Baiyun International AirportGuangzhouChinaZGGG
Paris Charles de Gaulle AirportParisFranceLFPG
Soekarno-Hatta International AirportJakartaIndonesiaWIII
Christchurch AirportChristchurchNew ZealandNZCH
Bandaranaike International AirportColomboSri LankaVCBI
Copenhagen AirportCopenhagenDenmarkEKCH
Cape Town International AirportCape TownSouth AfricaFACT
Cancún International AirportCancúnMexicoMMUN
Hazrat Shahjalal International AirportDhakaBangladeshVGHS
Don Mueang International AirportBangkokThailandVTBD
Hamad International AirportDohaQatarOTHH
Dublin AirportDublinIrelandEIDW
Dubai International AirportDubaiUnited Arab EmiratesOMDB
Edinburgh AirportEdinburghUnited KingdomEGPH
Ministro Pistarini International AirportBuenos AiresArgentinaSAEZ
Rome Fiumicino AirportRomeItalyLIRF
Frankfurt AirportFrankfurtGermanyEDDF
Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International AirportRio de JaneiroBrazilSBGL
São Paulo/Guarulhos International AirportSão PauloBrazilSBGR
Geneva AirportGenevaSwitzerlandLSGG
Helsinki AirportHelsinkiFinlandEFHK
Hong Kong International AirportHong KongHong Kong SARVHHH
Tokyo Haneda AirportTokyoJapanRJTT
Incheon International AirportSeoulSouth KoreaRKSI
Istanbul AirportIstanbulTürkiyeLTFM
King Abdulaziz International AirportJeddahSaudi ArabiaOEJN
O. R. Tambo International AirportJohannesburgSouth AfricaFAOR
Kansai International AirportOsakaJapanRJBB
Tribhuvan International AirportKathmanduNepalVNKT
Kuala Lumpur International AirportKuala LumpurMalaysiaWMKK
London City AirportLondonUnited KingdomEGLC
London Gatwick AirportLondonUnited KingdomEGKK
London Heathrow AirportLondonUnited KingdomEGLL
Jorge Chávez International AirportLimaPeruSPJC
Humberto Delgado AirportLisbonPortugalLPPT
Murtala Muhammed International AirportLagosNigeriaDNMM
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas AirportMadridSpainLEMD
Manchester AirportManchesterUnited KingdomEGCC
Melbourne AirportMelbourneAustraliaYMML
Mexico City International AirportMexico CityMexicoMMMX
Velana International AirportMaléMaldivesVRMM
Ninoy Aquino International AirportManilaPhilippinesRPLL
Munich AirportMunichGermanyEDDM
Milan Malpensa AirportMilanItalyLIMC
Jomo Kenyatta International AirportNairobiKenyaHKJK
Narita International AirportTokyoJapanRJAA
Paris Orly AirportParisFranceLFPO
Oslo AirportOsloNorwayENGM
Beijing Capital International AirportBeijingChinaZBAA
Perth AirportPerthAustraliaYPPH
Beijing Daxing International AirportBeijingChinaZBAD
Tocumen International AirportPanama CityPanamaMPTO
Shanghai Pudong International AirportShanghaiChinaZSPD
Querétaro Intercontinental AirportQuerétaroMexicoMMQT
King Khalid International AirportRiyadhSaudi ArabiaOERK
Arturo Merino Benítez International AirportSantiagoChileSCEL
Tan Son Nhat International AirportHo Chi Minh CityVietnamVVTS
Singapore Changi AirportSingaporeSingaporeWSSS
London Stansted AirportLondonUnited KingdomEGSS
Sydney AirportSydneyAustraliaYSSY
Shenzhen Bao'an International AirportShenzhenChinaZGSZ
Taiwan Taoyuan International AirportTaipeiTaiwanRCTP
Vienna International AirportViennaAustriaLOWW
Montréal-Trudeau International AirportMontréalCanadaCYUL
Vancouver International AirportVancouverCanadaCYVR
Calgary International AirportCalgaryCanadaCYYC
Toronto Pearson International AirportTorontoCanadaCYYZ
Zurich AirportZurichSwitzerlandLSZH
Accuracy over “complete list” claims

What the official IATA location database includes—and what this page does not claim

IATA describes its Airport & Location Identifier Database as the official set of three-character location identifiers and says it is updated daily. The database covers approximately 12,000 locations, including airports, metropolitan areas and intermodal travel points. It also carries fields such as location type, city/country, city code, timezone and geographic coordinates.

~12,000Locations in the official Airport & Location Identifier Database
DailyIATA’s stated database update frequency
Not airports onlyMetro areas, rail, bus, ferry, heliport and other eligible points can be represented

Why this guide is curated instead of pretending to reproduce the whole database

The interactive directory on this page prioritizes major passenger airports and high-search traveler cases. It is intentionally not marketed as the complete official IATA dataset. For professional ticketing, cargo, schedule distribution, software integration or a newly assigned code, verify against IATA’s current reference data.

Read IATA database coverage ↗IATA coding databases overview ↗
60-second verification workflow

How to verify an unfamiliar three-letter code before you book or travel

Search the code in IATA’s official code search.
Confirm the exact location name. Do not stop at a third-party list when the code is unfamiliar or newly assigned.
Check the location type.
Determine whether the result is a physical airport, metropolitan area or another travel location. This changes how you should use it.
Match it to the itinerary city and airport name.
For multi-airport cities, compare every flight segment—not just the origin/destination city shown at the top of a booking.
For a U.S. FAA identifier, use the FAA search tool.
FAA Location ID Search is the better source for FAA facility identifiers; do not assume an FAA identifier was assigned because of IATA.
Check for surface or intermodal segments.
If the itinerary includes rail, bus or a self-transfer, verify where the code physically places you and whether baggage transfers automatically.
Reconfirm the airline’s live itinerary on travel day.
Airport code, operating airline, terminal and schedule each solve a different part of the trip.
Verify with IATA ↗Verify a U.S. FAA identifier ↗
Booking, connection and baggage safety

Six airport-code mistakes that cost travelers time or money

Booking the right city but the wrong airport.
Compare the physical airport code before paying for a nonrefundable fare, hotel shuttle or parking reservation.
Treating a metropolitan code as a terminal.
NYC, LON, WAS, TYO and CHI are useful search groupings; your actual flight still uses a physical airport.
Missing an airport change during a connection.
ORD→MDW, JFK→EWR or similar pairs can require ground transportation, a fresh security check and much more time than an ordinary terminal connection.
Assuming the baggage tag is correct without looking.
Check the final and transfer codes while you are still at the counter, especially after rebooking or an itinerary change.
Guessing ICAO from IATA.
The familiar K-prefix pattern is not a global conversion rule. Use the published ICAO location indicator.
Using an old static list for a new or changed location.
IATA says its location-code reference data is continuously updated; professional systems should use current authoritative data.
Self-transfer warning: two flights in the same city can still use different airports. Unless the airline explicitly protects the transfer, plan for baggage collection, immigration/customs when applicable, ground transport, new check-in and security.
For travel agents, cargo and developers

A production airport-code dataset needs more than three letters and a name

For a one-off passenger lookup, code + airport + city may be enough. For booking engines, cargo, itinerary validation or analytics, the data needs stronger context and a refresh process.

Location typeAirport, metro area or intermodal point. Without it, a system can route a user to a code that is not a physical airport.
City / country relationshipNeeded for search grouping, multi-airport markets and geography-aware validation.
TimezoneCritical for schedule display and date rollover; never infer it solely from country.
CoordinatesUseful for maps, distance checks and detecting obviously incorrect location matches.
Change managementIATA’s database overview reports 125+ code assignments, 100+ recalls and 750+ changes over the preceding 12 months, which is why a production copy needs an update process.
Engineering rule: do not scrape the A–Z table on this traveler page into a production system. Use licensed/official reference data appropriate to your use case and keep a documented update cadence.
Airport code questions

Frequently asked questions about airport codes

What is an airport code?
For passenger travel, an airport code usually means the three-character IATA location identifier shown in booking systems, on tickets and on baggage tags. Aviation operations also use four-letter ICAO location indicators, and the FAA maintains U.S. location identifiers.
How do I look up an IATA airport code?
Search by the three-letter code, city, airport name or country in the lookup tool on this page. For final authoritative verification, use IATA's official Airline and Airport Code Search because IATA maintains and updates the official location-code data.
Are all three-letter IATA location codes airports?
No. IATA location identifiers can also represent metropolitan areas and eligible intermodal points such as rail, bus or ferry locations. Always read the location name returned with a code instead of assuming every three-letter code is a physical airport.
What is the difference between IATA and ICAO airport codes?
IATA codes are three characters and are the codes most passengers see on tickets, booking sites and baggage tags. ICAO location indicators are four letters and are widely used in operational aviation, flight planning and air traffic systems.
What is EWR airport code?
EWR is the IATA code for Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, serving the New York metropolitan area. Its ICAO code is KEWR.
What is ORD airport code?
ORD is the IATA code for Chicago O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois. Its ICAO code is KORD.
What is LHR airport code?
LHR is the IATA code for London Heathrow Airport. Its ICAO code is EGLL. London also has other airports with separate codes, so LHR should not be treated as a general code for every London airport.
What is MSP airport code?
MSP is the IATA code for Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport in Minnesota. Its ICAO code is KMSP.
What is IAD airport code?
IAD is the IATA code for Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, serving the Washington, D.C. region. Its ICAO code is KIAD.
What are the main airport codes in New York?
Common New York-area airport codes are JFK for John F. Kennedy International, LGA for LaGuardia and EWR for Newark Liberty. NYC is a metropolitan location code used by some travel systems rather than one physical airport.
What are the main airport codes in London?
Common London airport codes include LHR for Heathrow, LGW for Gatwick, LCY for London City and STN for Stansted. LON is a metropolitan location code, not one airport.
What are important airport codes in India?
Major examples include DEL for Delhi, BOM for Mumbai, BLR for Bengaluru, MAA for Chennai, HYD for Hyderabad, CCU for Kolkata, COK for Kochi and DXN for Noida International Airport. India has many more operational airports, so use an official source when you need a complete current list.
Is DXN a real operating airport code?
Yes. DXN is the IATA code for Noida International Airport in Uttar Pradesh. The airport began commercial passenger operations on June 15, 2026.
Why can an airport code look unrelated to the airport's current name?
Codes can survive airport renaming or reflect an older place name. A familiar example is ORD for Chicago O'Hare, whose code traces to Orchard Field. When the letters are not obvious, verify the code rather than guessing.
Can an IATA code represent something other than an airport?
Yes. IATA location identifiers can represent metropolitan areas and qualifying intermodal travel points in addition to airports. Check the location type and full name before using a three-letter code as a physical destination.
Is NYC an airport code?
NYC is a New York metropolitan location code used by travel systems to search the city market. It is not one physical airport. Common physical airport codes are JFK, LGA and EWR.
Are FAA and IATA airport codes always the same in the United States?
No. Many major U.S. airports display the same three letters in IATA and FAA contexts, but the FAA explicitly treats its location-identifier system as separate from IATA coding. Verify each system with its own authority when accuracy matters.
What airport code should I check on a baggage tag?
Compare the destination and transfer codes printed on the baggage tag with the airport codes on your itinerary before the bag leaves the counter. If a code is unexpected, ask the airline agent to explain the routing.
Can airport codes change?
Codes can be assigned, recalled or changed, although authorities value stability because code changes affect many systems. IATA says its reference databases are continuously updated; FAA policy treats its identifiers as permanent unless there is strong justification for a change.
Why should a developer not copy a static airport-code list?
A production dataset needs location type, city/country relationships, timezone, coordinates and a refresh process. IATA reports ongoing assignments, recalls and changes, so a static article can become incomplete for operational or commercial use.
Source hierarchy and freshness

Official sources used for this airport-code guide

This refresh prioritizes coding authorities and airport/aviation authorities over recycled code lists. External links appear after the explanation so you can understand what each authority controls before leaving the page.

IATA — passenger/commercial location identifiers

Used for the three-character location-code model, official search workflow, metropolitan/intermodal explanation and current database coverage/update information.

ICAO — operational location indicators

ICAO Doc 7910 covers four-letter location indicators and is published quarterly. The current store listing audited for this refresh is the June 2026 200th edition.

FAA — U.S. location identifiers

FAA JO 7350.9GG was audited for identifier permanence, naming changes, reassignment, metropolitan identifiers and the explicit separation between FAA and IATA identifiers.

AAI / Noida International — India update

AAI’s current corporate overview is used for the “AAI manages 137 airports” context. Noida International’s official announcement confirms DXN commercial operations began June 15, 2026.

IATA code search ↗IATA location database ↗ICAO designators ↗FAA Location ID Search ↗AAI current airport overview ↗Noida International Airport ↗
Internal links: the airport-guides.org post sitemap could not be retrieved by the current audit crawler on August 10, 2026. No internal URL was guessed or inserted. Add internal links only after the sitemap or published post URLs can be verified.
Last fact-check: August 10, 2026. Method: live SERP review + official IATA/ICAO/FAA/AAI source audit + current FAA JO 7350.9GG PDF review. Airport-Guides.org is an independent informational guide. For travel today, confirm the exact physical airport code, terminal and operating airline in the airline’s live itinerary.