Why Chicago is ORD and not CHI.

The three letters on your bag tag are assigned by the airline body IATA. Many date from early days: Chicago O'Hare was once Orchard Field, hence ORD. Almost all Canadian airports start with Y, a legacy of old radio stations. Pilots and controllers instead use four-letter ICAO codes: Frankfurt is FRA to passengers, EDDF in the cockpit.

Useful: Always check the code when booking: SJU and SJO are over 2,000 km apart.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

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