How to use it
- Type in the Airport, code or city box: an IATA code such as IST, an ICAO code such as LTFM, or part of a name or city such as Istanbul.
- Read the IATA, ICAO, Name, City, Country, Latitude, Longitude, Elevation (ft) and Size columns. The count above the table gives the number of matches.
- To list every airport of one country, choose it in the Country list. The table is sorted by name.
IATA and ICAO codes explained
An IATA code is a three-letter code for an airport. Airlines and reservation systems use it on tickets, baggage tags and timetables, for example IST for Istanbul Airport. IATA describes its codes this way: "Airlines and CRSs may request the assignment of a unique three-letter code to identify a location like an airport."
An ICAO code is a four-letter code for an airport. Air traffic control and flight plans use it, for example LTFM for the same airport. ICAO describes its list this way: "Location Indicators (Doc 7910) is a listing of four-letter location indicators and, where available, corresponding three-character International Air Transport Association (IATA) location identifier codes for aerodromes and other geographical locations throughout the world."
- Not every airport has an IATA code. ICAO's list gives the IATA code only "where available", and this list has 25 airports without one.
- The city shown is the one in the source file, and it can differ from the name you know. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport is listed under the city Pendik, Istanbul.
How to search
Capital letters and accents do not matter. Turkish letters are handled as well: istanbul, İSTANBUL and Istanbul give the same results, and the dotted and dotless I count as the same letter. Accents are ignored too, so felix finds Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport in Abidjan.
- An exact IATA or ICAO code comes first: IST gives Istanbul Airport at the top of the list.
- Then come names that start with what you typed, and then every airport whose code, name or city contains it.
- Type at least two characters. The list shows up to 100 airports; the number above it is the full count of matches.
What this list covers
The list is a copy of the airport file of OurAirports (ourairports.com/data), downloaded on 2026-11-10. It holds 8,819 airports in 236 countries and territories, each with the codes, name, city, position and elevation that the file gives.
- 8,799 airports have an IATA code, and 25 have none.
- 8,328 airports have a four-character ICAO code: 8,164 with letters only and 164 with a digit, such as 07FA. 406 airports have no ICAO code in the file, and 90 have a three-character value that is not an ICAO code, so it is left out.
- Size, as the file classes it: 1,175 large, 3,421 medium and 4,228 small airports.
- Elevation is missing for 240 airports.
Example: IST, Istanbul Airport
Type IST in the search box. Istanbul Airport is the first row, and its values, read from the data file, are:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| IATA and ICAO | IST and LTFM |
| Name | İstanbul Airport |
| City | Istanbul |
| Latitude / longitude | 41.27 / 28.73 |
| Elevation | 325 ft |
| Size | Large |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between IATA and ICAO codes?
An IATA code has three letters and is used on tickets, baggage tags and timetables. An ICAO code has four letters and is used by air traffic control and in flight plans. Many airports have both, such as IST and LTFM for Istanbul Airport.
Why does an airport have no IATA code?
An IATA code is assigned when an airline or a reservation system asks for one. An airport that no airline or reservation system has asked for has no IATA code, but it can still have an ICAO code.
Is the list complete?
No. It holds the 8,819 airports of the OurAirports file this tool uses, which is a selection rather than every airstrip in the world. An airport missing from the list is not necessarily closed or nonexistent, and the file is refreshed twice a year.
Why is the city of an airport different from the name I know?
The city is the one written in the source file, and the file does not always use the name people use. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, for example, is listed under the city Pendik, Istanbul.
Why does some ICAO code contain a digit?
Some airports have a four-character identifier with a digit in the source file, such as 07FA. The tool shows those as they are, but it leaves out three-character values, because an ICAO code always has four characters.
Are the words I type sent to a server?
No. The airport list loads with the page, and the search runs in your browser, so what you type is not sent anywhere.
Sources
Figures and text last checked on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.