PNR meaning and lifecycle. A passenger name record, also called a booking file, is a digital document with details of the itinerary for a passenger or a group of passengers traveling together. It's an essential part of the flight booking process that precedes and enables ticketing.

In the travel industry, a PNR (Passenger Name Record) is most commonly referred to by travelers as a Reservation Code, Confirmation Number, or Booking Reference. On your itinerary or boarding pass, it is often labeled as a Record Locator. This unique alphanumeric string—typically 6 characters long (e.g., AB12CD)—is the digital "key" that stores your entire travel history, including flight segments, hotel bookings, car rentals, and special meal requests. While "PNR" is the technical term used by airline staff and travel agents working in Global Distribution Systems (GDS), the term Booking Code is frequently used in mobile apps. It is important to distinguish this from your "Ticket Number," which is a 13-digit sequence; the PNR is the code you need to "Manage My Booking" or check in online. In some regions, you may also hear it called a File Key or a Locator, but "Confirmation Code" remains the most universally understood term when speaking to customer service representatives or hotel receptionists.