How long do airlines keep PNR?

PNR data derived from flights to, from, or through the United States will be kept by CBP for a period of five years in an active status. After the first six months, the PNR will be “depersonalized,” with names, contact information, and other PII masked in the record.



In 2026, the retention of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data is strictly governed by international security agreements and data privacy laws like the GDPR. Most commercial airlines keep "active" PNR data for about 6 months after the completion of the travel for customer service and billing purposes. However, for security and law enforcement, this data is often archived for much longer. Under the 2026 EU-US PNR Agreement, data is moved to a "dormant" database after 6 months, where identifying details (like names and contact info) are masked or "depersonalized." This masked data can be held for up to 5 years to help authorities track patterns related to terrorism or serious transnational crime. After the 5-year mark, the record is typically deleted or fully anonymized for statistical use only. Travelers can request a copy of their PNR data from the airline under modern "Right of Access" privacy regulations.

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In the US, PNR data obtained from commercial carriers is stored in the Automated Targeting System. Just as in the EU, PNRs are depersonalized after six months. In five years, records are moved to a dormant database where they remain available for another ten years — for security purposes only.

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The PNR Record Locator is the reservation number of the trip booked by the travel agency from the GDS system, which is typically different than the airline confirmation code. The airline confirmation number is what is required for the traveler to check-in to their flight.

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Passenger Name Record (PNR)

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PNR data can only be kept for a period of 5 years, and must be depersonalised after a period of 6 months so the data subject is no longer immediately identifiable. member states are required to establish a passenger information unit to handle and protect the data; this unit must include a data protection officer.

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PNR Creation ? Always create the basic PNR with the 5 mandatory elements (Name, Itinerary, Contact, TK element, Reference, End Transaction) and wait for the Airline locator. If the Airline PNR is not reflecting contact the Help-Desk.

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You only get the same PNR on the same ticket if flights are operated by the same airline. If you change airlines, each will have its own PNR anyway but they can still be on the same ticket.

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