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This guide explains how the systems differ and where to check current assignments. It is not a verified list of codes as they stood in November 2025: the available official lookup pages are current references, not a dated archive of that month’s assignments.
What are the airport codes for countries around the world?
Airport codes identify particular locations, not countries as a whole. IATA’s public search covers three-character airport and location identifiers. ICAO’s Doc 7910 reference covers four-letter location indicators for aerodromes and other geographic locations; it also gives corresponding three-character IATA identifiers where available. Neither system implies that every country has one code, or that every location appears in both systems.
For example, IATA’s official lookup identifies Faro Airport as FAO. That illustrates the IATA format; it is not a complete worldwide list. Check the authority’s lookup for the particular airport or location you need.
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What is the difference between IATA and ICAO codes?
IATA and ICAO identifiers are issued for different purposes. The same airport or airline may be represented in both systems, but the codes are not interchangeable and a one-to-one relationship should not be assumed.
| System | Authority and code form | What it identifies and where it is used | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA location identifier | IATA; three characters | Airports and, where relevant to intermodal airline travel, bus or ferry stations. Used in commercial travel contexts. | IATA code types and IATA code search |
| ICAO location indicator | ICAO; four letters | Aerodromes and other geographic locations in operational aviation references. | ICAO Designators and Indicators |
| IATA airline designator | IATA; two characters | Airline commercial and traffic purposes, including reservations, schedules, ticketing and cargo documentation. | IATA code types |
| ICAO airline designator | ICAO; three letters | Identifies an operator in flight plans; an associated telephony designator may be used in the radiotelephony call sign. | ICAO Designators and Indicators |
| ICAO aircraft type designator | ICAO designator; specific format depends on aircraft type | Commonly provided aircraft types for air traffic services. | ICAO Designators and Indicators |
ICAO lists aircraft type designators as a separate reference category, so a code seen in an aviation context may identify an aircraft type rather than an airport or airline.
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How do I find an airline’s two-letter code?
- Open IATA’s official code search.
- Choose the airline search and enter the carrier name or the code you want to verify.
- Check the returned result and any qualification attached to it before relying on the code.
IATA’s search is a public lookup for airline and airport codes, but it returns limited results per query. Its airline code is the commercial IATA designator; it is not the same as ICAO’s three-letter operator designator used for flight-plan identification.
One example of why results need context: IATA’s search for FS returns FlyArystan and Airfast Indonesia, with an asterisk on the latter. IATA describes an asterisk as marking a controlled duplicate, where two carriers use the same code for different, non-overlapping service types. Do not assume an identifier always maps to a single operator without checking the official result.
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Why does an airport have more than one code?
Different aviation code families serve different workflows. A location may have an IATA identifier used in commercial travel and an ICAO location indicator used in operational references. They have different lengths and issuing contexts; one should not be substituted for the other just because both refer to the same place.
IATA location identifiers may also cover certain bus or ferry stations when they are relevant to intermodal airline travel. Meanwhile, ICAO Doc 7910 covers aerodromes and other geographic locations. A location may not have a corresponding identifier in every system, and ICAO’s description says an IATA identifier is included where available.
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Where can I check whether a flight code is current?
- IATA airline or airport/location code: Start with the IATA free search. For structured, broader reference needs, IATA offers coding databases covering airline, airport and intermodal location data. IATA says these databases are continuously updated.
- ICAO location indicator, airline designator or aircraft type: Use ICAO’s designators and indicators reference. ICAO says Doc 7910 is published quarterly. Its API Data Service identifies Doc 7910 airport codes, Doc 8585 operator three-letter designators, and Doc 8643 aircraft type designators among its official reference datasets.
Assignments change. IATA’s coding-databases page, accessed on 2026-10-08, reports 125+ code assignments, 100+ recalls and 750+ changes over the prior 12 months; it does not specify the exact dates covered, so these figures should not be read as calendar-year 2025 totals. ICAO’s publication cadence and IATA’s update information are reasons to confirm a code against the issuing authority rather than rely on an undated list.
The title refers to November 2025, but the official lookup material cited here does not establish a dated November 2025 snapshot. To confirm what a code was at that time, a dated archive or edition would be needed.
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