Near Minsk National Airport
Photograph ©2017 by Brian Cohen.

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

How could only three letters cause so much consternation?

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

This is the eleventh 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 ten 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 Eleven.

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. VGT
  2. VCT
  3. YIP
  4. DUJ
  5. SUE
  6. TEB
  7. AOO
  8. HOM
  9. HVR
  10. MSQ
  11. PGO
  12. UIN
  13. DSI
  14. CDH
  15. HKY
  16. GLR
  17. CLF
  18. AIO
  19. BKL
  20. DNV
  21. GXY
  22. WVL
  23. TSM
  24. PNC
  25. PDT
  26. QKB
  27. SDY
  28. JHW
  29. MMU
  30. RUT
  31. CEF
  32. DRT
  33. GCN
  34. SGY
  35. PCT
  36. MNZ
  37. AEL
  38. PSG
  39. LCI
  40. VDZ
  41. MWH
  42. ILE
  43. HYG
  44. AXN
  45. OLD
  46. LAF
  47. BRW
  48. CKV
  49. MIE
  50. OTK

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, and ©2017 by Brian Cohen.

  1. If there is one more round, I will probably score zero. I only can name 3 of 50. Those are GCN, BRW, and TEB.

    GCN had commercial jet airline service in the past but now is mainly small planes carrying tourists to see the big gorge in the ground. I consider that to be slightly hazardous.

    I considered flying to BRW once in order to use an Alaska Airlines frequent flyer award. I wanted to fly cross country to Seattle. I booked a flight to OME, instead of BRW, then on the way back stopped in Seattle for the main part of the trip.

    I have never been to TEB. However, if I was a billionaire fat cat, I would have my own big jet, like a Gulfstream G550 or Boeing BBJ, and likely fly to this New York airport.

    2L0, 5V8, and JGP…
    The most obscure airport that I’ve been a passenger to or from is 2L0, Pineville Municipal Airport, Pineville, LA near Alexandria, Louisiana. No airline has ever served the airport. The most obscure airport that I’ve visited by car is 5V8, Kadoka (South Dakota) Municipal Airport. The runway is grass. It is not fenced in when I visited more than 10 years ago. I drove on the grass in a small circle beyond the road but not too close to the runway and then drove away in case I did anything illegal. I’ve also been a passenger to JGP, which is a helicopter pad on a parking garage in Houston that was once served by Executive Airlink, which used Bell 222 and Bell 206 Long Rangers from JGP and other helipads to IAH (Houston Intercontinental).

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