Airport codes have gotten complicated with all the abbreviations flying around. But every once in a while you spot one that just makes you grin. I was scrolling through a flight tracker last year and saw a plane headed to FUN. That’s a real airport code — Funafuti International in Tuvalu. And I thought, okay, whoever assigned that one knew exactly what they were doing.
The Codes That Accidentally Spell Things
Some airports ended up with codes that spell actual words, and the results range from hilarious to mildly unfortunate. Fukuoka Airport in Japan has the code FUK, which gets a reaction from basically every English-speaking traveler who sees it on a departure board. Fresno Yosemite International is FAT. I’m not making this up.
There’s also FRH for French Lick Municipal in Indiana, which — okay, that one’s less funny. But the point is these weren’t chosen for comedic effect. They just followed the standard naming conventions and landed on something memorable by accident. Probably should have led with this: nobody at IATA is sitting around trying to be clever. The cleverness is entirely unintentional, which honestly makes it funnier.
Codes That Weirdly Fit Their Cities
Then you get the ones that feel almost too perfect. Miami’s code is MIA, which every millennial immediately associates with “Missing In Action” or just being absent. “Sorry I went MIA this weekend” — yeah, you literally flew to Miami, that tracks on multiple levels.
Jacksonville is JAX, which sounds like it belongs on an energy drink can. Austin is AUS. These aren’t accidents exactly — the codes do derive from the city names — but the fact that they double as cool-sounding abbreviations gives them extra personality. I’ve always thought AUS works perfectly for Austin’s whole vibe.
The Ones with Secret Backstories
My favorite category. Chicago O’Hare is ORD, which confuses everyone. It’s not from “O’Hare” at all — it’s from Orchard Field, the airport’s original name before they renamed it in 1949 after a Medal of Honor recipient. The code stuck even after the name changed. Nashville’s BNA comes from Berry Field Nashville, named after a Tennessee National Guard officer. You’d never guess that from looking at a boarding pass.
I started collecting these little stories a few years ago, and honestly it’s turned into one of my favorite travel party tricks. Someone mentions they’re flying through ORD and I get to drop the Orchard Field factoid. Works every time. Or at least, nobody’s told me to stop yet.
International Gems
The fun doesn’t stop at US borders. Amsterdam’s AMS and Sydney’s SYD are straightforward, sure. But there’s a reason Phuket International Airport uses HKT instead of… well, other combinations the city’s English spelling might suggest. That’s what makes the whole code system endearing — even the international assignments have little stories, diplomatic considerations, and sometimes just someone at IATA going “yeah, let’s maybe not use those letters.”
