Airport codes: how are they selected?
As you watch your luggage disappear down the conveyor belt with a label displaying three letters like LAX, SYD, or JNB, have you ever wondered how those codes were chosen? In this article, Artemis Aerospace delves into the origins of airport codes and explores the stories behind some of the more surprising ones.
Airport coding originated in the 1930s in the United States when pilots began using a two-letter code to identify locations. As air travel grew rapidly, new airports emerged, and cities without a National Weather Service identity made the system impractical. To solve this, airports started choosing their own three-letter codes, which offered a total of 17,576 permutations. The current system, regulated by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), was not established until the 1960s. IATA codes are crucial for the smooth operation of the airline industry as they are used for booking, baggage handling, and passenger and freight movement.
In addition to IATA codes, there are also International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) codes, consisting of four letters, which serve as the international standard for air traffic service providers. However, IATA codes are more familiar to most travelers, and they can be derived in various ways. Some are straightforward, such as codes named after cities like SYD for Sydney or NAP for Naples, while others are a combination of letters from the name, like AHN for Athens or BCN for Barcelona.
Some airport codes are more puzzling, like Newark Liberty International Airport's code EWR. Since all codes beginning with N are reserved for the US Navy, three other letters from Newark were used instead, and the addition of "Liberty" in 2002 did not factor into the designation at all. Similarly, Chicago O'Hare Airport's code ORD is derived from its original name, Orchard Field Airport, rather than O'Hare.
The letter X appears in many airport codes like LAX for Los Angeles or DXB for Dubai, which can be traced back to the transition from two-letter to three-letter codes, where it was easier to add an X to the name. Some airport codes are amusing, such as Derby Field Airport in Nevada known as LOL, Omega Airport in Namibia designated OMG, or Sioux City, Iowa, with the handle SUX. In fact, the airport officials in Sioux City have embraced their memorable code and even sell branded merchandise with the slogan "Fly SUX."
As you embark on your next adventure, remember that the airline code on your luggage tag plays a crucial role in ensuring you arrive at the right destination, whether you're flying from AAR (Aarhus) or ZRH (Zurich).
