Runway
Photograph ©2022 by Brian Cohen.

So You Think You Know Airport Codes? Test Your Knowledge. Part Twelve.

...and the airport codes just keep on coming.

So you think you know airport codes? Well, you are about to find out.

This is the twelfth of a series of articles here at The Gate with which you could have some fun at testing your knowledge pertaining to airport codes — and although the first eleven articles had been increasing in difficulty, subsequent articles will continue to do so as they delve into airports which are smaller and lesser known…

So You Think You Know Airport Codes? Test Your Knowledge. Part Twelve.

Delta Air Lines bankruptcy emergence “fly by” Salt Lake City
Photograph ©2007 by Brian Cohen.

…but first, here is a little history about airport codes…

The International Civil Aviation Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations, established by States in 1944 to manage the administration and governance of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, which is also known as the Chicago Convention.

Airport codes designated by the International Civil Aviation Organization are comprised of four letters. The first letter generally designates a specific region; while the second letter may designate a more finite region in many areas.

For example, K is used for the continental United States — such as KATL for Atlanta and KLAS for Las Vegas — but P is used for Alaska, Hawaii, and other territories of the United States in the northern Pacific Ocean. Examples include PANC for Anchorage, PHNL for Honolulu, and PGUM for Guam.

S represents all of South America — for example, SAEZ is Buenos Aires. Y represents all of Australia — for example, YSSY for Sydney.

International Air Transport Association

Atlanta TRACON
Photograph ©2017 by Brian Cohen.

The International Air Transport Association represents, leads, and serves the airline industry to improve understanding of the air transport industry among decision makers and increase awareness of the benefits that aviation brings to national and global economies. Advocating for the interests of airlines across the globe, we challenge unreasonable rules and charges, hold regulators and governments to account, and strive for sensible regulation.

Codes for airports and railway stations are comprised of three letters as designated by the International Air Transport Association. The three letters can simply represent the geographic location of the airport or railway station — or they could be based on the history or founding of the airport or railway station.

In the United States and Canada, International Air Transport Association codes are typically based on International Civil Aviation Organization codes. In the United States, the only difference between the codes is the addition of the letter K — for example as mentioned before, ATL for Atlanta is KATL and LAS for Las Vegas is KLAS. In Canada, the only difference between the codes is the addition of the letter C — for example, YYZ for Toronto is CYYZ and YVR for Vancouver is CYVR.

For most other airports around the world, International Civil Aviation Organization codes and International Air Transport Association do not resemble each other — for example:

  • JNB for Johannesburg is FAJS
  • FCO for Rome is LIRF
  • NRT for Tokyo is RJAA
  • EZE for Buenos Aires is SAEZ
  • AKL for Auckland is NZAA

Airport Codes

Hilton Copenhagen Airport Hotel
Photograph ©2008 by Brian Cohen.

Here are 50 additional airport codes which continue this series of articles:

  1. OGS
  2. SQL
  3. EEN
  4. ALM
  5. AKN
  6. AST
  7. WMH
  8. TPL
  9. OTZ
  10. OWD
  11. OME
  12. RQO
  13. FTW
  14. FKL
  15. BZF
  16. CGI
  17. OTM
  18. MRK
  19. AKO
  20. BCT
  21. GAL
  22. FMS
  23. GVT
  24. IGM
  25. GCW
  26. OSH
  27. UPP
  28. AGC
  29. GNF
  30. HHI
  31. HNS
  32. PUB
  33. PBV
  34. UTM
  35. TVF
  36. ADW
  37. BLF
  38. CDV
  39. KAL
  40. HPV
  41. HNH
  42. EII
  43. ABL
  44. AHM
  45. ANV
  46. BDR
  47. CGX
  48. IAB
  49. FID
  50. RBW

Final Boarding Call

Delta Air Lines Sky Club Concourse B Atlanta airport
Photograph ©2016 by Brian Cohen.

The articles are not meant to be an exhaustive list of airport codes — but they will highlight at least 600 of them, including:

You could test your knowledge of airport codes off the top of your head…

…or you could simply refer to this article which was posted here at The Gate back on Saturday, June 6, 2020 and find the answers using the tools which are highlighted there — but really: what is the fun in that?

All photographs ©2007, ©2008, ©2016, ©2017, and ©2022 by Brian Cohen.

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