Understanding Airport Codes: IATA vs ICAO

If you’ve ever booked a flight or looked at your boarding pass, you’ve encountered airport codes. But did you know there are actually two different coding systems used in aviation? Let’s explore the fascinating world of airport identifiers.

What Are Airport Codes?

Airport codes are unique identifiers assigned to airports worldwide. They serve as a standardized way to identify airports in flight schedules, baggage handling, air traffic control, and countless other aviation operations.

IATA Codes: The Passenger-Friendly System

What is IATA?

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is a trade association of the world’s airlines. IATA codes are the three-letter codes you see on your boarding pass and flight information displays.

Examples of IATA Codes:

LAX - Los Angeles International Airport
JFK - John F. Kennedy International Airport
LHR - London Heathrow Airport
NRT - Narita International Airport (Tokyo)
CDG - Charles de Gaulle Airport (Paris)

How IATA Codes Work:

Always 3 letters
Designed to be memorable and passenger-friendly
Often based on the city name or airport name
Used primarily for commercial aviation and passenger services

ICAO Codes: The Technical Standard

What is ICAO?

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a United Nations agency that sets international aviation standards. ICAO codes are used primarily by air traffic control and flight planning systems.

Examples of ICAO Codes:

KLAX - Los Angeles International Airport
KJFK - John F. Kennedy International Airport
EGLL - London Heathrow Airport
RJAA - Narita International Airport (Tokyo)
LFPG - Charles de Gaulle Airport (Paris)

How ICAO Codes Work:

Always 4 letters
First letter(s) indicate the region/country
More systematic and globally standardized
Used primarily for air traffic control and flight planning

// Example: Parsing ICAO codes by region
const parseICAOCode = (code) => {
  const regions = {
    'K': 'United States',
    'C': 'Canada', 
    'EG': 'United Kingdom',
    'LF': 'France',
    'RJ': 'Japan'
  };
  
  for (let prefix in regions) {
    if (code.startsWith(prefix)) {
      return regions[prefix];
    }
  }
  return 'Unknown region';
};

console.log(parseICAOCode('KLAX')); // "United States"
console.log(parseICAOCode('EGLL')); // "United Kingdom"

More systematic and technical approach
Used by air traffic control, flight planning, and weather services

Regional Patterns in ICAO Codes

ICAO codes follow geographic patterns that help identify regions:

North America

K* - Continental United States (KLAX, KJFK)
C* - Canada (CYYZ for Toronto Pearson)
M* - Mexico and Central America

Europe

E* - Northern Europe (EGLL for Heathrow)
L* - Southern Europe (LFPG for Charles de Gaulle)

Asia-Pacific

R* - Western Pacific (RJAA for Narita)
V* - South Asia (VHHH for Hong Kong)
Y* - Australia (YSSY for Sydney)

Other Regions

F* - Africa
S* - South America
O* - Middle East

Why Two Systems?

You might wonder why we need two different coding systems. Here’s why both exist:

IATA Codes Are For:

Passengers - Easy to remember and recognize
Marketing - Airline schedules and booking systems
Baggage - Luggage tags and tracking
Commercial operations - Ticketing and reservations

ICAO Codes Are For:

Air Traffic Control - Precise identification in radio communications
Flight Planning - Navigation and route planning
Weather Services - Meteorological reports
Technical Operations - Maintenance and operational records

Interesting Facts

Code Conflicts and Solutions

Some airports have IATA codes that don’t match their ICAO codes
When cities have multiple airports, creative solutions are needed
Some famous airports “bought” their codes from smaller airports

Special Cases

YYZ (Toronto Pearson) - The “Y” prefix is a Canadian convention
ORD (Chicago O’Hare) - Named after the original Orchard Field
SIN (Singapore Changi) - Sometimes codes are surprisingly straightforward

Reserved Codes

Certain letter combinations are reserved for special purposes
Some codes are retired and never reused
New airports must work within the existing system constraints

Using Airport Codes Effectively

For Travelers:

Learn the codes for your frequently visited airports
Use IATA codes when booking flights
Check both codes when researching airports online

For Aviation Professionals:

Understand both systems for comprehensive communication
Use ICAO codes for technical and operational purposes
Be aware of regional patterns for quick identification

The Future of Airport Codes

As aviation continues to grow globally, the challenge of assigning meaningful codes becomes more complex. Both IATA and ICAO continue to evolve their systems to accommodate new airports while maintaining the integrity of existing codes.

The dual coding system, while sometimes confusing, serves the aviation industry well by providing both passenger-friendly identifiers and technical precision for safe operations.

Want to explore airport codes in action? Visit our interactive airport map at airport.ayamap.com to see both IATA and ICAO codes for airports worldwide.