The ICAO (IPA pronunciation: [aɪ'keɪˌjo]) airport code or location indicator is a four-letter alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. These codes are defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization, and published in ICAO Document 7910: Location Indicators. Not to be confused with the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the “International Phonetic Alphabet”. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ... An airport code is an acronym used to identify a specific airport. ... Generally speaking, the term alphanumeric refers to anything that consists of only letters and numbers. ... In communications, a code is a rule for converting a piece of information (for example, a letter, word, or phrase) into another form or representation, not necessarily of the same type. ... The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency of the United Nations, codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. ...

The ICAO codes are used by air traffic control and airline operations such as flight planning. They are not the same as the IATA codes encountered by the general public, which are used for airline timetables, reservations, and baggage handling. ICAO codes are also used to identify other locations such as weather stations, International Flight Service Stations or Area Control Centers, whether or not they are located at airports. Air Traffic Control Towers (ATCTs) at Amsterdams Schiphol Airport (Netherlands) Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. ... A Tarom Boeing 737-300 and a United Airlines Boeing 777-200 taxi side by side at London Heathrow Airport. ... An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier or simply a location identifier [1], is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). ... An Airbus A380 of Emirates Airline An airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight. ... A timetable is an organized list or schedule, usually set out in tabular form, providing information about a series of arranged events: in particular, the time at which it is planned these events will take place. ... Reservation may refer to: Reservation, a tract of land set apart for a special purpose: an area for indigenous peoples to live in: Indian reservation Indian reserve (in Canada) Reservation, an area where hunting animals is not permitted. ... Luggage is any number of bags, cases and containers which hold a travellers articles during transit. ... A technician examines a weather stations anemometer. ... A Flight Service Station (FSS) is an air traffic facility which provides pilot briefings regarding current weather and possible hazards along a route of flight. ... This temporary flight restriction map from the Federal Aviation Administration shows the boundaries of the regions controlled by the Area Control Centers within and adjoining the continental United States, as well as the IATA airport code of each such Center operated by the United States. ...

Unlike the IATA codes, the ICAO codes have a regional structure, are not duplicated and are comprehensive. In general, the first letter is allocated by continent and represents a country or group of countries within that continent. The second letter generally represents a country within that region, and the remaining two are used to identify each airport. The exception to this rule are larger countries that have single-letter country codes, where the remaining three letters identify the airport.

In the contiguous United States and Canada, most, but not all, airports have been assigned three-letter IATA codes which are the same as their ICAO code without the leading K or C. e.g., YYC and CYYC (Calgary International Airport, Calgary, Alberta), IAD and KIAD (Dulles International Airport, Chantilly, Virginia). These codes are not to be confused with radio or television call signs, even though both countries use four-letter call signs starting with those letters. The International Air Transport Association is an international trade organization of airlines headquarted in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... Calgary International Airport, (IATA: YYC, ICAO: CYYC), is an airport that serves Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the surrounding region; It is located 17 km from the downtown core. ... Calgary is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. ... Aerial photo Washington Dulles International Airport (IATA airport code IAD, ICAO airport code KIAD) serves the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. ... Chantilly is an unincorporated community located in western Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia. ... Call sign can refer to different types of call signs: Airline call sign Aviator call sign Cosmonaut call sign Radio and television call signs Tactical call sign, also known as a tactical designator See also: International Callsign Allocations, Maritime Mobile Service Identity This is a disambiguation page — a navigational...

However, because Alaska, Hawaiʻi and other United States territories have their own 2-letter ICAO prefix, the situation there is similar to other smaller countries and the ICAO code of their airports is typically different from its corresponding 3-letter FAA/IATA identifier. For example, Hilo International Airport (PHTO vs ITO) and Juneau International Airport (PAJN vs JNU). Hilo International Airport, formerly General Lyman Field, is an airport of the State of Hawaii in Hawaii County two miles east of the unincorporated town of Hilo in the United States. ... Juneau International Airport (IATA: JNU, ICAO: PAJN) is a public airport located in southern Juneau, Alaska. ...

ZZZZ is a special code which is used when no ICAO code exists for the airport and is normally used in Flight plans. Flight plans are plans filed by pilots with the local Aviation Authority (e. ...

A list of airports, sorted by ICAO code, is available. List of airports by ICAO code: A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z See also: List of airports by IATA code The complete list is too large for one article. ...

Prefixes

Anthem: God Save the Queen Capital Georgetown Largest city Georgetown Official languages English Government Dependency of St. ... The Canaries is the nickname of Norwich City FC. The Canaries is also the nickname of Hitchin Town F.C.. Capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife Official language(s) Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 13th  7,447 km²  1. ... Area  â€“ Total   28 km² Population  â€“ Total (2005)  â€“ Density  75,276  2688. ...  Spain Area  â€“ Total    20 km² (8 mi²) Population  â€“ Total (2006)  â€“ Density  66,871  3,343. ... Motto: A Mare Labor(Latin) From the Sea, Work[] Anthem: La Marseillaise Capital (and largest city) Saint-Pierre Official languages French Government  - President of the General Council Stéphane Artano  - Préfet (Prefect) Yves Fauqueur Collectivité doutre-mera of France   - ceded by the UKe 30 May 1814   - Territoire d... Motto: Antes morrer livres que em paz sujeitos Rather die free than in peace subjugated Anthem: A Portuguesa (national) Hino dos Açores (local) Capital Ponta Delgada1 Angra do Heroísmo2 Horta3 Largest city Ponta Delgada Official languages Portuguese Government Autonomous region  -  President Carlos César Establishment  -  Settled 1439   -  Autonomy... Anthem Serbia() on the European continent() Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian written with the Cyrillic alphabet1 Government Parliamentary republic  -  President Boris Tadić  -  Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica Establishment  -  Formation 8th century   -  Independence c. ... Anthem: Oj, svijetla majska zoro Oh, the bright dawn of May Montenegro() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital (and largest city)  Podgorica Official languages Serbian (Ijekavian dialect)1 Government Republic  - President Filip Vujanović  - Prime Minister Željko Å turanović Independence from Serbia and Montenegro   - Declared June 3, 2006   - Recognised June 8, 2006  Area... The Gilbert Islands are a chain of 16 atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean, part of the nation Kiribati. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area  Ranked 1st  - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,855 km²)  - Width 808 miles (1,300 km)  - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km)  - % water 13. ... The Phoenix Islands are a group of eight atolls, plus two submerged coral reefs in the central Pacific Ocean, east of the Gilbert Islands and west of the Line Islands. ... Fort Yukon is a city located in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska. ... The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is a commonwealth in political union with the United States of America at a strategic location in the West Pacific Ocean. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Line Islands are a group of mostly atolls in the central Pacific Ocean, south of the Hawaiian Islands. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area  Ranked 1st  - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,855 km²)  - Width 808 miles (1,300 km)  - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km)  - % water 13. ... Point Lay is a census-designated place located in North Slope Borough, Alaska. ... Motto: Three Principles of the People (三民主義 San-min Chu-i) Anthem: National Anthem of the Republic of China Capital Taipei (de facto)  Nanjing (de jure)1  Largest city Taipei Official languages Mandarin (GuóyÇ”) Government Semi-presidential system  -  President Chen Shui-bian  -  Vice President Annette Lu  -  Premier Su Tseng-chang... “Okinawa” redirects here. ... Yoron (与論町; -chou) is a town located in Ooshima District, Kagoshima, Japan. ... Motto: Honra, Pátria e Povo(Portuguese) Honour, Homeland and People Anthem: Pátria Capital (and largest city) Dili Official languages Tetum, Portuguese1 Government Republic  -  President Xanana Gusmão  -  Prime Minister José Ramos Horta Independence from Portugal2   -  Declared November 28, 1975   -  Recognized May 20, 2002  Area  -  Total 14,609 km...

See also

• List of airports by ICAO code
• List of airports by IATA code
• Airspace class
• Class A airport
• ICAO airline designators - A list of codes

List of airports by ICAO code: A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z See also: List of airports by IATA code The complete list is too large for one article. ... List of airports by IATA code: A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z See also: List of airports by ICAO code The complete list is too large for one article. ... The world’s navigable airspace is divided into three-dimensional segments, each of which is assigned to a specific class. ... Class A Airports The airspace around some of the worlds busiest airports is classified as ICAO Class A. This protects the approach and departure paths not only from aircraft not under Air traffic control but keeps out all traffic not on active instrument flight plans. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with ICAO airline code. ...

External links

• International Civil Aviation Organization (official site)
• ICAO On-line Publications Purchasing (official site)
• ICAO 7910 - Location Indicators (online version provided by EUROCONTROL)
• Catalogue of ICAO Airfields
• ICAO airport code prefixes