Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What is an IATA airport code?
An IATA airport code is the three-letter identifier that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) assigns to an airport; IATA's code search page describes its search engine as an official source for the codes assigned by IATA. [1]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- An airport code is three letters; an airline code is two letters. [1]
- IATA describes its airline and airport code search as an official source for the codes assigned by IATA. [1]
- IATA's page also points to its Airline, Airport and Location Coding Databases and lists a City Code Directory (CCD) under Related Links. [1]
- An asterisk beside a code marks a Controlled Duplicate: two carriers share the code but operate different, non-overlapping types of service. [1]
What does an IATA airport code identify?
A three-letter IATA airport code names an airport. The search works in both directions: a traveller can find out the three-letter code of an airport, or identify which airport uses a particular code, and an airport query returns up to five search results. [1]
The code is assigned by IATA. IATA presents its code search engine as an official source for the codes assigned by IATA. [1]
For more detail on the terms used across this site, see the frequent flyer glossary.
How is an airport code different from a city code or an airline code?
IATA's search page presents separate airline and airport lookups. A traveller can search a two-letter airline code to find out which airline it belongs to, or search a three-letter airport code to find which airport uses it; the airline search and the airport search are separate tools on the same page. [1]
| Code | Format or where held | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|
| Airport code | Three letters [1] | An airport [1] |
| Airline code | Two letters [1] | An airline [1] |
| Intermodal location code | Held with airline and airport codes in IATA's Airline, Airport and Location Coding Databases [1] | An intermodal location [1] |
IATA's page also links to a City Code Directory (CCD) alongside its airline and airport code search. [1] IATA points readers who need more than the search results to its Airline, Airport and Location Coding Databases, which cover airline, airport and intermodal location codes. [1]
Where can I check an airport code?
IATA's airline and airport code search returns the three-letter code of an airport you name or identifies which airport uses a code you enter, with up to five results per airport query. [1]
For anything beyond those results, IATA directs readers to its Airline, Airport and Location Coding Databases for airline, airport and intermodal location codes. [1] The same page also lists IATA's Ticketing Handbook, Reservations Handbook and Airport Handling Manual under Related Links. [1]
Exceptions and limits
- The search returns limited results. Airport queries return up to five results per query and airline queries up to two, and IATA points readers who need more to its Airline, Airport and Location Coding Databases. [1]
- A shared airline code is a defined case. Codes marked with an asterisk in the search tool are Controlled Duplicates, where two carriers hold the same code but operate different, non-overlapping types of service. [1] The note refers to carriers. [1]
- IATA also points to other references. The page links to its Airline, Airport and Location Coding Databases for airline, airport and intermodal location codes, and lists a City Code Directory (CCD) under Related Links. [1]
- The search covers codes assigned by IATA. IATA presents the search as an official source for codes assigned by IATA. [1]
Frequently asked questions
How long are IATA airport and airline codes?
IATA's search tool treats them as two separate lookups: the airline search returns a two-letter code, and the airport search returns a three-letter code. [1]
How do I find the airport code for an airport?
Use IATA's airport code search, which either returns the three-letter code of an airport you name or identifies the airport that uses a code you enter. A single query returns up to five results. [1]
What does an asterisk next to a code mean?
It marks a Controlled Duplicate, a case in which two carriers share the same code but operate different, non-overlapping types of service. [1]
What other references does IATA list on the code search page?
The Related Links list includes the City Code Directory (CCD), Ticketing Handbook, Reservations Handbook and Airport Handling Manual. [1]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026.
- IATA airline and airport code search, checked 18 October 2026