IATA Coding Systems


IATA codes are an integral part of the travel industry, and essential for the identification of an airline or a logistics company, its destinations and its traffic documents. They are also fundamental to the smooth running of hundreds of electronic applications which have been built around these coding systems for passenger and cargo traffic purposes

  • Airline Designators:
    Airlines as well as railway, bus and ferry companies, computer reservations systems (CRSs) and ULD owners/leasing companies may be assigned an IATA airline codes. 
  • Baggage tag issuer code:
    This code is available for airlines that do not qualify for IATA codes but operate at airports with automated baggage sortation systems.
  • Location identifiers(e.g. GVA = Geneva):
    Bus, rail or ferry locations may be eligible for an IATA code if requested by an airline or CRS.
  • Accounting or prefix codes: This code is meant for transport documents (e.g. the accounting code 076 at the beginning of a ticket number identifies it to be a traffic document of Middle East Airlines).
    The same number can be used for cargo documentation and is known as an "airline prefix".
  • 3PL code for logistics companies
    This code allows logistics companies which don't qualify for an IATA three numeric airline prefix code to be uniquely identified and recognized by the cargo industry with a unique IATA logistics document code. More on 3PL Code

For more information on Coding Systems, please contact airline coding.
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