---
title: "HNL is which airport? Honolulu"
description: "HNL is Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, United States. Where the code comes from, and the codes it gets mixed up with."
url: https://atoneplace.net/airport/hnl/
site: "At One Place"
---

# What airport is HNL?

**HNL is: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport**

Honolulu, United States

## Why the code is HNL

HoNoLulu, using the consonants.

The airport authority or a contemporaneous record states this directly.

## The airport

- **IATA code:** HNL
- **ICAO code:** PHNL
- **Airport:** Daniel K. Inouye International Airport
- **City:** Honolulu, United States
- **Code origin:** Documented

The ICAO code starts with P, the prefix for the Pacific rather than the K that covers the contiguous United States — the same reason Alaska's airports begin with PA. Honolulu has a reef runway built on coral fill out in the water, constructed that way to keep noise off Waikiki.

## The other code, PHNL

Every airport has two codes. The three-letter IATA code, HNL, is the one on your boarding pass and your luggage tag, and it is assigned for commercial use. The four-letter ICAO code, PHNL, is the one pilots and controllers use, and it is assigned geographically: the first letter or two identify the region, so every airport in the same part of the world shares a prefix. That is why PHNL looks nothing like HNL.

## Common questions

### What airport is HNL?

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, in Honolulu, United States.

### Why is Honolulu's airport called HNL?

HoNoLulu, using the consonants.

### What is the difference between HNL and PHNL?

HNL is the IATA code, used commercially — tickets, timetables, luggage tags. PHNL is the ICAO code, used operationally by pilots and air traffic control, and assigned geographically by region.

## Related pages

- [United States](https://atoneplace.net/country/united-states/)
- [The flag of United States](https://atoneplace.net/flag/united-states/)
- [Airport codes in United States](https://atoneplace.net/airport/in/united-states/)
- [What airport is JFK?](https://atoneplace.net/airport/jfk/)
- [What airport is LAX?](https://atoneplace.net/airport/lax/)
- [What airport is ORD?](https://atoneplace.net/airport/ord/)
- [What airport is ATL?](https://atoneplace.net/airport/atl/)
- [What airport is MCO?](https://atoneplace.net/airport/mco/)
- [What airport is DFW?](https://atoneplace.net/airport/dfw/)
- [What airport is EWR?](https://atoneplace.net/airport/ewr/)
- [What airport is SFO?](https://atoneplace.net/airport/sfo/)

## Sources

- OurAirports — OurAirports (https://ourairports.com/data/) [Public domain]