How airports are coded: IATA vs ICAO

What this quiz covers

Airport codes look similar until you need the right one in the right context—tickets, baggage tags, flight plans, METAR/TAF, or ATC. This quiz focuses on the practical differences between IATA (3-letter) and ICAO (4-letter) identifiers and the patterns behind them.

Each question uses 4 options and there’s no timer, so you can think through geography, prefixes, and common aviation conventions rather than rushing.

Skills you’ll practice

You’ll build confidence spotting which code set is being referenced and why, plus improve recognition of high-traffic airports and regional code logic. You can also choose your question count and difficulty before starting, making it easy to do a quick drill or a full mixed session.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Many mistakes come from mixing up city/airport branding with the official identifier, or assuming IATA and ICAO are always closely related. Another frequent trap is confusing similar-looking codes across nearby airports or assuming every country follows the same prefix logic.

How difficulty is balanced

The quiz blends straightforward “well-known airport” items with pattern-based reasoning and less obvious identifiers. Mixed difficulty means you’ll see a steady mix of easier recognition questions and tougher ones that reward careful deduction.

• Decide whether the prompt is asking for IATA (3 letters) or ICAO (4 letters)
• Watch for regional ICAO prefixes that hint at country/area
• Don’t rely only on airport nicknames or metro-area labels
• Double-check lookalike codes (e.g., swapped letters or similar city pairs)
• Use the no-timer format to reason from context instead of guessing