dirrerence between Record Locator, Confirmation Number and PNR
 

What is the difference between a Record Locator, Confirmation Number and PNR? I booked an award ticket for my son in Business Class and I upgrade form paid Business to First on a VIPOW for SFO-LAX and LAX-JFK and i asked to have the reservation under the same PNR number, but I was told the EXP Desk that cannot be done becuase we are not on the same itinerary (I guess meaning class and hoe paid for tkt). Is this true? Thanks

If reservations are being made and upgraded two different ways, they must be maintained in two seperate records. The agent can "Link" the reservations together, but this is in reality nothing more than putting in a notification in each reservation that they are traveling with a party in a separate reservation. (With all the automation used to handle upgrades and rebooking seats when an different aircraft is used, that link doesn't do a whole lot)

Nothing I present is in any way sanctioned or authorized by AMRCorp.

PNR, Recod locator, and Confirmation number, are all the same thing.

The PNR is the passenger record. It contains all the information in the reservation. A PNR must have a name, date and flight numbers, ticketing deadline, phone contact number, and who made the reservation. The PNR may also contain FF numbers/status, fare basis, ticket numbers, special needs, and a whole host of other bits of info.

The confirmation number/record locator is a 5 diget number that acts as a reference to the PNR. If you put in the record locator number into the computer system, the PNR comes up.

If I am not mistaken, a PNR is a Passenger Name Record, which is independent of the Record Locator for a particular reservation and remains in the system.

The record locator is a unique 5-digit alphanumeric code that identifies the PNR. The airline or the agency can use that number to pull up the PNR (which holds all of the information about your trip - name, flights, phon numbers, etc.). The confirmation number is used for other suppliers (car rental reservations, hotel reservations, etc.). So the PNR hold many fonfirmation numbers.

At least in common usage terms, when you hear AA personnel refer to a record locator (other than reservations people talking to customers) they call it the PNR. If I ask for the PNR, I'm given the record locator number. They are used interchangeably by Airline personnel.
And it's always a 6 digit number on AA, not a 5 digit number. (technically, as stated above, it's not a number, because it consists of both number and letters.)

There are NO numbers ever used. They are ALWAYS 6-letters, and they always start with the letters Q thru X (not sure why). The confirmation number/PNR/record locator are all the same thing...your reservation.

Oops..cueball, you're right. it IS only letters. Some of the other airlines use both numbers/letters.

Yes, the "confirmation code," "PNR," and "record locator" all do refer to the same thing which is (ahem), a SIX-character alphanumeric (i.e., can consist of numerals and/or letters, or all of either) code which serves as a handle for an air travel itinerary/booking.

I think something that has not been addressed by the other replies is that your son can only get the benefits of your elite status by being in the same PNR as you, unless you use a travel agent or elite service desk and ask very nicely http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif .... an obvious example of this that I have experienced is getting premium coach seats (eg bulkhead) assigned....last year I was travelling with my wife, then I changed my own initial flight to leave on an earlier flight, to catch up with her later in the day for the second flight....this split the PNR and we had to make a special request for her (as a non-elite) to keep her premium seat.

Old link for a little bit more on the wild, wacky world of PNR's. . .
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum94/HTML/002083.html

Greg