Why Airport Codes Matter
Ever wondered why Los Angeles is LAX or why London Heathrow is LHR? IATA airport codes are three-letter identifiers that make global air travel possible. These codes appear on your boarding pass, baggage tags, and flight confirmations.
Top 20 Airport Codes You'll See Most Often
- LAX - Los Angeles International Airport (USA)
- LHR - London Heathrow Airport (UK)
- JFK - John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York (USA)
- CDG - Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris (France)
- DXB - Dubai International Airport (UAE)
- ATL - Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (USA)
- ORD - O'Hare International Airport, Chicago (USA)
- FRA - Frankfurt Airport (Germany)
- SIN - Singapore Changi Airport
- AMS - Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (Netherlands)
- MAD - Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (Spain)
- BCN - Barcelona-El Prat Airport (Spain)
- SFO - San Francisco International Airport (USA)
- IST - Istanbul Airport (Turkey)
- BOM - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai (India)
- SYD - Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (Australia)
- GRU - São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (Brazil)
- MEX - Mexico City International Airport
- YYZ - Toronto Pearson International Airport (Canada)
- ICN - Incheon International Airport, Seoul (South Korea)
Quick Tips for Remembering Codes
- Some codes are obvious: NYC (New York City area), PAR (Paris area)
- Others use old names: ORD comes from "Orchard Field"
- Canadian airports often start with Y: YYZ, YVR, YUL
Calculate distances between any of these airports using our free tool.