What are IATA codes?

IATA codes, also known as IATA location identifiers or IATA location codes, are three-letter codes assigned by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to identify airports, cities, and other air transport-related locations worldwide. These codes are used for various purposes, such as airline ticketing, flight scheduling, and baggage handling. Each code represents a specific airport and helps to streamline communication and operations within the aviation industry.

To avoid confusion, airlines and freight forwarders always use IATA airport codes to represent airports in their air freight quotation. For example, the IATA code for John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City is JFK, while the IATA code for London Heathrow Airport is LHR.

As for traveling, IATA airport codes are often used in airline reservation systems, online flight search engines, and other travel-related platforms. They help travelers to easily identify airports and choose flights based on their preferred departure and arrival locations.

How are IATA codes assigned?

The IATA usually uses part of the city name to code the first airport in a city. In this case, the three-letter airport code will also be used as the location identifier of the city. For example, the IATA city code of Shanghai is SHA, which is also the airport code of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, the first civil airport in Shanghai.

IATA codes can also be based on the name of the airport itself, like DFW, which is the IATA code of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

Most IATA codes are based on the name of the airport or the city it serves, while others are based on older names or historical references. For example, the IATA code for Chicago O'Hare International Airport is ORD, which is derived from its former name, Orchard Field.

What is the difference between IATA airport codes and IATA city codes?

IATA airport codes and IATA city codes are both part of IATA codes.

IATA airport codes specifically identify individual airports. They are used to streamline communication and identification processes within the aviation industry. For example, "LAX" represents Los Angeles International Airport.

On the other hand, IATA city codes are also three-letter codes, but they represent cities rather than specific airports. These codes help identify the location of airports within a particular city. For instance, "NYC" represents the city of New York, which encompasses multiple airports such as John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA). If there is only one airport in a city, the IATA city code will be the same as the IATA airport code.