In 2026, a Passenger Name Record (PNR) remains active and searchable in most global distribution systems for a specific duration tied to the journey's completion. For Indian Railways, a PNR is valid for up to 9 months from the date of generation, but it typically becomes "inactive" or archived within 5 to 7 days after the journey is completed. For airlines, the PNR is usually accessible for roughly 48 to 72 hours post-arrival via the "Manage Booking" tool on the airline's website. If you need to verify your status or retrieve travel details months after your trip, you generally have to contact the carrier’s customer service directly or check your historical email confirmations. It is important to note that once a PNR is purged from the active database, the alphanumeric code may be recycled and assigned to a new traveler after a cooling-off period, typically one year.