Airport Codes: The Meaning Behind the Strange Three-Letter Ones

Travelers who wonder about the meaning behind the bizarre three-letter airport codes of many of our nation's major air centers can have their minds eased here. That is, the mysteries behind many of these strange airport codes will be revealed in this article! Some of the most asked questions concerning airport codes are the following: Why does Chicago O'Hare International Airport have the ORD designation? What's with the GEG designation for the airport in Spokane, Washington? Do they make bakery products at the air center that serves the residents of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Florida, given that it's PIE? Does Portland, Oregon, have a hidden letter in its name, given that PDX comes up for this Oregon city?

Many of these unusual three-letter mysteries that are put on travelers' luggage tags are based on the original names of the airports or what installation previously occupied the space where the current air hubs are now. These three-letter designations have survived over time even while the official names of the airports may have changed. This helps to keep confusion and costly changes to aviation-related publications in check, as well as to honor tradition, war heroes, and aviation pioneers.

ORD: Before becoming one of the world's great crossroads, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport was the site of an aircraft factory known as Orchard Place; and thus, the "ORD" designation for Orchard. Later, it became a commercial airfield, known as Orchard Field. In 1949, the name was changed to O'Hare Field, to honor local war hero Edward "Butch" O'Hare. The O'Hare legacy continues on to this day.

CVG: Cincinnati's international air hub isn't in Cincinnati nor even in the state of Ohio! It's located in Kentucky near the city of Covington, whose three letter abbreviation is CVG.