(Posted 22nd August 2026)
What is IATA?
IATA (International Air Transport Association) focuses mainly on passenger travel, airlines, and the commercial side of the aviation industry.
The three-letter airport codes you commonly see on tickets, reservation systems, and flight schedules are IATA codes:
DXB – Dubai
DEL – Delhi
LHR – London
What is ICAO?
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) is responsible for developing and coordinating international standards related to aviation safety, flight operations, air navigation, and air traffic management.
ICAO codes are usually four letters, such as:
OMDB – Dubai International Airport
VIDP – Delhi Airport
EGLL – London Heathrow Airport
But here’s the interesting part!
An airport can have two different codes:
IATA
Mainly used for passengers, tickets, reservations, and commercial travel.
ICAO
Mainly used by pilots, airlines, air traffic control, flight operations, navigation, and aviation safety.
So, both codes can identify the same airport, but they serve different purposes and users.
