Passenger Name Record (PNR)

A Passenger Name Record or PNR is a digital record that contains the 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.

Every PNR file includes a PNR number (also known as a record locator, booking reference, reservation code, or just PNR). It is a unique 6-character code that сan be found on e-tickets and boarding passes. This code gives passengers access to their flight details, allows them to manage their bookings, and enables online check in.

The mandatory elements of the PNR include

• phone number;
• data about the last person who has made changes in the PNR (typically, a passenger or travel agent);
• itinerary details;
• name of a passenger or passengers; and
• ticketing information.

Optional elements can include additional itinerary segments (e.g., another flight, hotel reservation, car rental, etc.), payment method, credit card number, passenger email address, frequent flier number, and so on.

For passengers flying to, from, or over the United States, PNRs must contain secure flight passenger data (SFPD) elements such as full name with the middle name or initial if it appears on the ID, date of birth, gender, and redress number issued by the TSA.