Delta Confirmation Number Decoder Ring
Oct 24, 2018 | 8:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 2
Delta Confirmation Number Decoder Ring
We are asking our employees to enter Confirmation numbers when they submit flight receipts/expenses. Any way to decipher any of the confirmation number to make it more meaningful for reporting
Example Airline, fare, etc. etc.
Your Trip Confirmation #: HBX4T8
example what does the above mean ?
Example Airline, fare, etc. etc.
Your Trip Confirmation #: HBX4T8
example what does the above mean ?
Oct 24, 2018 | 8:44 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,394
Delta Confirmation numbers start with FGHJ, but other than that they don't mean anything other than to bring up a record for the airline. And they are recycled pretty quickly. The Locator won't be accessible on Delta.com or by phone reps usually just a few days after the trip is done.
Oct 24, 2018 | 8:45 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2017
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Posts: 3,360
There is no meaning. It is a random string of numbers and letters used to identify a record.
You may be looking for detail like fare construction but this would be much more annoying for a user to input.
You may be looking for detail like fare construction but this would be much more annoying for a user to input.
Oct 24, 2018 | 8:46 am
#4
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Welcome to FlyerTalk@Jason2018!
As far as I know, the Trip Confirmation Number (PNR) is just a randon six-character identifier that is supposed to be unique in the reservations system; there's nothing that can be gleaned or extrapolated from it as far as airline (this can be determined by the first three digits of the ticket number), or fare (this is a separate data element). I believe Concur has robust reporting that can be used to solve your issues.
As far as I know, the Trip Confirmation Number (PNR) is just a randon six-character identifier that is supposed to be unique in the reservations system; there's nothing that can be gleaned or extrapolated from it as far as airline (this can be determined by the first three digits of the ticket number), or fare (this is a separate data element). I believe Concur has robust reporting that can be used to solve your issues.
Oct 24, 2018 | 9:17 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 2
Delta Confirmation numbers start with FGHJ, but other than that they don't mean anything other than to bring up a record for the airline. And they are recycled pretty quickly. The Locator won't be accessible on Delta.com or by phone reps usually just a few days after the trip is done.
Oct 24, 2018 | 9:41 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,394
How I learned it originally is I called DL and I couldn't find my confirmation number, and the rep said all DL records start with F G H and J. And I checked my old flights and sure enough everyone was like that.
So you could just try to call everyone and play dumb and find out!
Oct 24, 2018 | 9:45 am
#8
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_name_record
There is no general industry standard for the layout and content of a PNR. In practice, each CRS or hosting system has its own proprietary standards, although common industry needs, including the need to map PNR data easily to AIRIMP messages, has resulted in many general similarities in data content and format between all of the major systems.
Oct 24, 2018 | 10:05 am
#9
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This sounds like a waste of time for both the employees and whoever is looking for something. As mentioned, there is no industry standard and is it the individual airline that generates their own records. And once you fly, the record locator is gone fairly quickly.
Oct 24, 2018 | 10:16 am
#10
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If the employer also requires submission of boarding passes, those show both the PNR and ticket number, although the ticket number changes each time the ticket is reissued (upgrades supported with instruments and confirmed in advance, schedule changes, some SDCs, etc.). Could there be concern that people are cashing in tickets and purchasing cheaper tickets that they actually use for the travel? [IIRC some pro sports referees got into big trouble for doing this.]
Oct 24, 2018 | 11:06 am
#12
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If the employer also requires submission of boarding passes, those show both the PNR and ticket number, although the ticket number changes each time the ticket is reissued (upgrades supported with instruments and confirmed in advance, schedule changes, some SDCs, etc.). Could there be concern that people are cashing in tickets and purchasing cheaper tickets that they actually use for the travel? [IIRC some pro sports referees got into big trouble for doing this.]
Oct 24, 2018 | 3:16 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 104
Most airlines confirmation numbers (or record locator) are sequential, not random. Starting with a letter but including both numbers and letters. But do not include the letter I or O since they could be easily confused with 1 and zero. 10 digits and 24 letters allows for a very large number of unique 6-character confirmation numbers before they would need to be reused.
HXEL28
HXEL29
HXEL2A
HXEL2B
...
HXEL2H
HXEL2J
...
HXEM1B
HXEM1C
When airlines and GDS systems send messages to each other, they always identify the airline that owns the booking:
HDQAA A23456 The booking with confirmation number A23456 is owned by American Airlines and was stored by the AA headquarters location.
MUC1A A12345 The booking with confirmation number A12345 is owned by Amadeus and was stored by the Munich computer center.
HXEL28
HXEL29
HXEL2A
HXEL2B
...
HXEL2H
HXEL2J
...
HXEM1B
HXEM1C
When airlines and GDS systems send messages to each other, they always identify the airline that owns the booking:
HDQAA A23456 The booking with confirmation number A23456 is owned by American Airlines and was stored by the AA headquarters location.
MUC1A A12345 The booking with confirmation number A12345 is owned by Amadeus and was stored by the Munich computer center.
Oct 24, 2018 | 3:22 pm
#15
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as stated the confirmation number is just a random collection of letters that mean absolutely nothing.
I just checked a VS miles redemption for a forthcoming DL flight and the VS confirmation starts with a D and in the DL system a G
BA / AA flights I have done in the last year have started with K,P,M,Q,R,G,V and N !
If you want staff to enter something to ease reporting then why not the airport pairs so
ATLJFK
SEASFO etc
Or the client / project code.
I just checked a VS miles redemption for a forthcoming DL flight and the VS confirmation starts with a D and in the DL system a G
BA / AA flights I have done in the last year have started with K,P,M,Q,R,G,V and N !
If you want staff to enter something to ease reporting then why not the airport pairs so
ATLJFK
SEASFO etc
Or the client / project code.