Definition
A short code, usually three or four letters, assigned by the FAA or ICAO to uniquely identify an airport, navigation aid, weather reporting station, or other aviation location. Examples include KJFK for John F. Kennedy International Airport, ORD for Chicago O'Hare, and SEA for Seattle-Tacoma. These codes appear throughout flight planning, charts, weather products, NOTAMs, and ATC communications.
Plain English
A short letter code used as a quick, unique name for an airport or other aviation place, so it can be referred to clearly in writing or on a screen without spelling out the full name.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter LOCIDs in flight planning, airport information, weather reports, and notices about airport or airspace conditions.
Why Pilots Care
Using the correct LOCID prevents confusion when filing plans or receiving weather and NOTAM information for the exact facility intended.
Intuition Check
A LOCID is not a map position or a set of coordinates. It is an assigned identifying code for an aviation location or facility.
Example Sentence 1
She entered the location identifier KBOS into the flight planning software to pull up the weather and NOTAMs for Boston Logan.
Example Sentence 2
Check the NOTAMs for the LOCID before departure to see any runway closures.