I just noticed that the OPs name is totally airport codes:

MID - Merida
ORO - Yoro Airport (Honduras)
SAN - San Diego.

and it works backwards

NAS - Nassau
ORO - well, Yoro
DIM - Dimbokro, Ivory Coast

+1. The airport codes are the best way to communicate, not only for the Rochesters and Portlands of the world, but also for the many parts of the world that have two or more airports in the same metro area. If I say DCA, I mean DCA. If I say WAS, it means I'm less picky. Using the codes can also be important where there isn't a ubiquitous city code - e.g. "Looking for an award ticket to SAN or SNA, but do not want LAX or BUR."

I generally *don't* use airport codes to talk about stuff to do in a city - that seems a little nerdy - unless the locals do it too *and* I don't think it sounds dumb. (I'm sorry, I can't bring myself to tell anyone I'm going to "PHX", even though the whole city seems to market itself that way.)

No, it's a university. The country is spelled differently.

It's actually a college in Chicago.

and a college town in central Missouri.

LOL I'm way late on this thread but just wanted to comment as I use the codes in my signature.

Sorry.. not trying to be elitist, but I'm proud of all the travel I've done this year and yes it's a LOT easier to abbreviate. If these codes didn't exist, I'm sure we would invent another way to do it.. and at least this way, we're all on the same page.

Oh and yes I do have to google some of the airport codes that people mention here, but I think it's fun because I like learning about new airports. I spend a lot of time waiting there so why not learn something about ones I haven't been to?

It's basically shorthand, no more, no less. Like auto enthusiasts describing MPG or hockey fans describing a goalie's GAA. There is nothing preventing anyone from spelling out a city's name, and once you get outside of major North American airports and global hubs, that's what I tend to do anyway.

I find airport codes far easier and faster to type than to type out the cities or airport names, especially if I am describing longer or more complex itineraries. However, when I am describing my travels within a particular city, I will usually type out the city name, especially where there are airports that serve more than 1 city, such as RDU, MSP, or where there is more than 1 airport that serves the city, such as NY or DC.

It's interesting to follow a thread, where posters complain over other's common knowledge of airport codes in well known metro areas in a discussion forum dedicated to travel in general and to flying in particular.


Almost bragging about only knowing only one airport code and one single zip code in the world, both of which not are even from their own home area, but from an other continent. Surely it's just a coincidence that the airport and zip codes are well known from a TV series some decades ago.

Well I'm not a "guy", but come on now, seriously, using airport codes make those who do so elitists, and "pisses" you off?

It's very easy to find the location by using the IATA code.

Didn't even know about that page. Thank you!

For a non-American at the beginning was more difficult to browse through the various DYKWIA, FYI, AFAIK etc.

Just a slight detour here. The FAA is creating many new RNAV arrival and departure routes requiring many new nav fixes. One near AUS is ELOEL ... as in LOL!

ABQ is much faster than Albuquerque!

Pretty easy one to figure out though.

ABQ gets around the old question of "one 'R' or two" quite nicely