Anyone who’s traveled before knows how quickly plans can change in an airport. That’s why it’s important to be up-to-speed on the IATA (International Air Transport Association) and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) codes associated with major airlines around the world. Keep reading to learn more about airline abbreviations and airline call signs that you may encounter in your travels.
North American Airline Abbreviations
Canada, Mexico, and the United States make up several of the biggest airlines in the world. In particular, Delta and American Airlines carry the most passengers and have the largest fleets in the world. Here are codes for some of North America’s major airlines.
Airline | Country | IATA/ICAO Codes |
Alaska Airlines | USA | AS / ASA |
American Airlines | USA | AA/AAL |
Air Canada | Canada | AC/ACA |
Aeromexico | Mexico | AM / AMX |
Continental Airlines | USA | CO / COA |
Delta Airlines | USA | DL / DAL |
FedEx | USA | FX / FDX |
Hawaiian Airlines | USA | HA / HAL |
Northwest Airlines | USA | NW / NWA |
Polar Air Cargo | USA | PO / PAC |
Southwest Airlines | USA | SW / SWA |
United Airlines | USA | UA / UAL |
United Parcel (UPS) | USA | 5X / UPS |
Virgin Atlantic | USA | VS / VIR |
VivaAerobús | Mexico | VB / VIV |
WestJet | Canada | WS / WJA |
Central and South American Airline Abbreviations
Airlines in Central and South America transport customers both domestically and internationally. Take a look at these codes of major airlines in Latin America.
Airline | Country | IATA/ICAO Codes |
Aerolineas Argentinas Airlines | Argentina | AR / ARG |
Avianca Airlines | Colombia | AV / AVA |
Azul Brazilian Airlines | Brazil | AD / AZU |
Boliviana de Aviación | Bolivia | OB / BOV |
Conviasa | Venezuela | V0 / VCV |
Copa Airlines | Panama | CM / CMP |
Gol Transportes Aéreos | Brazil | G3 / GLO |
Insel Air | Curaçao | 7I / INC |
LATAM Airlines | Chile | LA / LAN |
Línea Aérea Amaszonas | Bolivia | Z8 / AZN |
TAME | Ecuador | EQ / TAE |
Viva Air Colombia | Colombia | VH / VVC |
European Airline Abbreviations
Air France, British Airways, and Lufthansa are three of the largest airlines in the world. But Ryanair, an Irish airline, has carried more passengers than its larger competitors in the last few years. Here is a list of IATA and ICAO codes for major European airlines.
Airline | Country | IATA / ICAO Codes |
Aegean Airlines | Greece | A3 / AEE |
Aer Lingus Airlines | Ireland | EI / EIN |
Alitalia | Italy | AZ / AZA |
Air Europa | Spain | UX / AEA |
Air France | France | AF / AFR |
Austrian Airlines | Austria | OS / AUA |
Aeroflot Russian Airlines | Russia | SU / AFL |
British Airways | UK | BA / BAW |
Cargolux Airlines International | Luxembourg | CV / CLX |
Dalavia Far East Airways | Russia | H8 / KHB |
EasyJet | Austria | EC / EJU |
Finnair | Finland | AY / FIN |
Jet Story | Poland | JDI |
Royal Dutch Airlines | Netherlands | KL / KLM |
Ryanair | Ireland | FR / RYR |
Lufthansa Cargo | Germany | LH / DLH |
Norwegian Air Shuttle | Norway | DY / NAX |
Scandinavian Airlines | Sweden | SK / SAS |
Swiss International Airlines | Switzerland | LX / SWR |
Wizz Air | Hungary | W9 / WUK |
Middle Eastern Airline Abbreviations
The United Arab Emirates holds some of the biggest airlines in the region, including Air Arabia, Etihad Airways, and Emirates Sky Cargo. Keep reading to learn the codes for other Middle Eastern airlines flying today.
Airline | Country | IATA/ICAO Codes |
Air Arabia | United Arab Emirates | G9 / ABY |
EgyptAir | Egypt | MS / MSR |
Emirates Sky Cargo | United Arab Emirates | EK / UAE |
Etihad Airways | United Arab Emirates | EY / ETD |
Iran Air | Iran | IR / IRA |
Libyan Airlines | Libya | LYW |
Pakistan Airlines | Pakistan | PK / PIA |
Royal Air Maroc | Morocco | AT / RAM |
Saudia | Saudi Arabia | SV / SVA |
Sama Airlines | Saudi Arabia | ZS / SMY |
Tunisair | Tunisia | TU / TAR |
Turkish Airlines | Turkey | TK / THY |
Uzbekistan Airways | Uzbekistan | HY / UZB |
African Airline Abbreviations
Ethiopian Airlines is the largest airline in Africa, followed closely by South African Airways. However, there are many ways to see the beautiful countries in Africa. Here are some codes you may need when booking a flight to or from Africa.
Airline | Country | IATA/ICAO Codes |
Arik Air | Nigeria | ARA |
Air Algérie | Algeria | AH / DAH |
Air Mauritius | Mauritius | MK / MAU |
Comair | South Africa | MN / CAW |
Ethiopian Airlines | Ethiopia | ET / ETH |
Kenya Airways | Kenya | KQ / KQA |
Mango | South Africa | JE / MNO |
South African Airways | South Africa | SA / SAA |
Asian and Oceanic Airline Abbreviations
Air China ranks in the top 10 largest airlines in the world. But it’s certainly not the only airline in Asia – and it’s not the only airline in China either. Here are some of the biggest airlines that you may use when visiting Asia or countries in Oceania.
Airline | Country | IATA / ICAO Codes |
Air Calendonie International | Caledonia | SB / ACI |
Air New Zealand | New Zealand | NZ |
Air India | India | AI / AIC |
All Nippon Airways | Japan | NH / ANA |
Air Tahiti Nui | Tahiti | TB / THT |
Air Pacific (Fiji Airways) | Fiji | FJ / FJI |
Air Hong Kong | Hong Kong | LD / AHK |
Air Niugini | Papua New Guinea | PX / ANG |
Air Nippon | Japan | EL / ANK |
Asiana Airlines | Korea | OZ / AAR |
Air China | China | CA / CCA |
Cathay Dragon | Hong Kong | KA / HAD |
Cathay Pacific Airways | Hong Kong | CX / CPA |
China Airlines | Taiwan | CI / CAL |
China Eastern Airlines | China | MU / CES |
China Southern Airlines | China | CZ / CSN |
Eva Airways | Taiwan | BR / EVA |
Garuda Indonesia | Indonesia | GA / GIA |
Japan Airlines | Japan | JL / JAL |
Japan Asia Airways | Japan | EG / JAA |
Korean Airlines | Korea | KE / KAL |
Malaysia Airlines | Malaysia | MH / MAS |
Miat-Mongolian Airlines | Mongolia | OM / MGL |
Nippon Cargo Airlines | Japan | KZ / NCA |
Philippine Airlines | Philippines | PR / PAL |
Qantas Airways | Australia | QF / QFA |
Royal Nepal Airlines | Nepal | RA / RNA |
Srilankan Airlines | Sri Lanka | UL / ALK |
Singapore Airlines | Singapore | SQ / SQC |
Shanghai Airlines | China | FM |
Thai Airways International | Thailand | TG / THA |
Vietnam Airlines | Vietnam | VN / HVN |
Airline Call Signs
Airline call signs are used by air traffic controllers and flight crews. They combine an airline’s call sign and two-character IATA code to identify incoming and outgoing flights over transmissions. The full call sign also includes the three-character ICAO code and its assigned flight number.
Here are some common airline call signs. Some are predictable, like AEROFLOT for Aeroflot Russian Airlines. Others, like SHAMROCK for Aer Lingus Airlines or JEDI for Jet Story, are a little more interesting.
Airline | Call Sign |
Aegean Airlines | AEGEAN |
Aer Lingus Airlines | SHAMROCK |
Aeroflot Russian Airlines | AEROFLOT |
Aerolineas Argentinas Airlines | ARGENTINA |
Aeromexico | AEROMEXICO |
Air Algérie | AIR ALGERIE |
Air Arabia | ARABIA |
Air Calendonie International | AIRCALIN |
Air Canada | AIR CANADA |
Air China | AIR CHINA |
Air Europa | EUROPA |
Air France | AIRFRANS |
Air Hong Kong | AIR HONG KONG |
Air India | AIRINDIA |
Air Mauritius | AIRMAURITIUS |
Air New Zealand | NEW ZEALAND |
Air Nippon | ALL NIPPON |
Air Niugini | NIUGINI |
Air Pacific (Fiji Airways) | FIJI |
Air Tahiti Nui | TAHITI AIRLINES |
Alaska Airlines | ALASKA |
Alitalia | ALITALIA |
All Nippon Airways | ANK AIR |
American Airlines | AMERICAN |
Arik Air | ARIK AIR |
Asiana Airlines | ASIANA |
Austrian Airlines | AUSTRIAN |
Avianca Airlines | AVIANCA |
Azul Brazilian Airlines | AZUL |
Boliviana de Aviación | BOLIVIANA |
British Airways | SPEEDBIRD |
Continental Airlines | CONTINENTAL |
Conviasa | CONVIASA |
Cargolux Airlines International | CARGOLUX |
Cathay Dragon | DRAGON |
Cathay Pacific Airways | CATHAY |
China Airlines | DYNASTY |
China Eastern Airlines | CHINA EASTERN |
China Southern Airlines | CHINA SOUTHERN |
Comair | COMMERCIAL |
Copa Airlines | COPA |
Dalavia Far East Airways | DALAVIA |
Delta Airlines | DELTA |
EasyJet | ALPINE |
EgyptAir | EGYPTAIR |
Emirates Sky Cargo | EMIRATES |
Ethiopian Airlines | ETHIOPIAN |
Etihad Airways | ETIHAD |
Eva Airways | EVA |
FedEx | FEDEX |
Finnair | FINNAIR |
Garuda Indonesia | INDONESIA |
Gol Transportes Aéreos | GOL |
Hawaiian Airlines | HAWAIIAN |
Insel Air | INSELAIR |
Iran Air | IRANAIR |
Jet Story | JEDI |
Japan Airlines | JAPANAIR |
Japan Asia Airways | ASIA |
Korean Airlines | KOREANAIR |
LATAM Airlines | LATAM CHILE |
Libyan Airlines | LIBYAN AIRWAYS |
Línea Aérea Amaszonas | AMASZONAS |
Lufthansa Cargo | LUFTHANSA |
Kenya Airways | KENYA |
Malaysia Airlines | MALAYSIAN |
Mango | TULCA |
Miat-Mongolian Airlines | MONGOL AIR |
Nippon Cargo Airlines | NIPPON CARGO |
Northwest Airlines | NORTHWEST |
Norwegian Air Shuttle | NORSHUTTLE |
Philippine Airlines | PHILIPPINE |
Pakistan Airlines | PAKISTAN |
Polar Air Cargo | POLAR |
Qantas Airways | QATARI |
Royal Air Moroc | ROYALAIR MAROC |
Royal Dutch Airlines | KLM |
Royal Nepal Airlines | ROYAL NEPAL |
Ryanair | RYANAIR |
Saudia | SAUDIA |
Sama Airlines | NAJIM |
Scandinavian Airlines | SCANDINAVIAN |
Srilankan Airlines | SRILANKAN |
Singapore Airlines | SINGAPORE |
Southwest Airlines | SOUTHWEST |
Swiss International Airlines | SWISS |
Shanghai Airlines | SHANGHAI AIR |
South African Airways | SPRINGBOK |
TAME | TAME |
Thai Airways International | THAI |
Tunisair | TUNAIR |
Turkish Airlines | TURKISH |
United Airlines | UNITED |
United Parcel (UPS) | UPS |
Uzbekistan Airways | UZBEK |
Vietnam Airlines | VIETNAM AIRLINES |
Virgin Atlantic | REDWOOD |
Viva Air Colombia | VIVACOLOMBIA |
VivaAerobús | AEROENLACES |
WestJet | WESTJET |
Wizz Air | WIZZAIR |
More International Resources
If you’re planning a trip to another country, we’ve got some helpful guides and articles for you to use. Check out a list of ways to say “hello” and “how are you?” in different languages. Or, if you’re looking for travel inspiration, read through these travel quotes that will make you want to pack your bags!