IATA Vs ICAO: Demystifying Aviation Codes As Flyers Eagerly Wait For Navi Mumbai, Noida Airports

Last Updated:September 17, 2025, 16:50 IST

Aviation codes play an important role in how airlines, airports and air traffic controllers manage flights.

Navi Mumbai International Airport’s IATA code is NMI. (Photo Credit: X)

Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) and Noida International Airport (NIA) are set to become two of India’s newest international travel hubs. NMIA is expected to start operations by September-end while NIA is reportedly scheduled to open by December. These airports aim at making travel more convenient and improving connectivity across the country.

Once operational, travellers will be able to book tickets directly through airline websites or via popular travel platforms. NMIA has already been assigned the IATA code “NMI.” For NIA, the designation by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is “DXN.” These three-letter codes might appear familiar to passengers as they are commonly seen on boarding passes, flight tickets and baggage tags. But why are such codes assigned and what other codes are used in aviation?

These codes are not more than just a bunch of letters, they help airlines, airports and air traffic controllers to manage flights. Here’s a look at different types of aviation codes.

IATA Codes

The airport codes most travellers recognise are IATA codes as they are mainly used booking tickets, checking flight schedules, boarding passes and tagging luggage. Designed to make travel simpler for passengers, these three-letter codes are managed by the International Air Transport Association. According to Flightaware, in some cases, these codes are also given to non-airport locations like bus or train stations connected to air travel. Cities and metropolitan areas can also have IATA codes often related to their main airport code.

ICAO Codes

Another important set of airport codes is ICAO codes which use four letters. In this system, the first one or two letters usually indicate the country, while the remaining letters are unique to each airport. These codes are designed to support all kinds of flight operations including commercial, business and general aviation. Not only this, they are crucial for air traffic control, flight planning and communication between aviation authorities worldwide.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a United Nations body, manages the assignment and dissemination of these codes.

As per Flightaware, ICAO codes are also considered location codes but they are not limited to airports alone. They are also assigned to air traffic control facilities, weather stations and other aviation-related locations. Special codes like “ZZZZ” are used for airports without a designated ICAO code and “AFIL” marks the origin for flights already in the air.

LID Codes

LID codes, short for “local identifiers,” are less commonly known. These codes are specific to a country and are mainly used by air traffic control for operational purposes. Not every country uses LID codes but countries like US, Canada, Mexico, and Russia do assign them. In some airports, the LID code matches the IATA code, while in others, it is different which can cause some confusion. While English is the international language of aviation, Russia uses the Cyrillic alphabet for its LID codes, Flightaware mentioned.

Airports can have a combination of IATA, ICAO and LID codes but some smaller airports or helipads may not have any codes at all.

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