BA Airline Code, British Airways
BA is the IATA airline code for British Airways, based in the United Kingdom. Its ICAO code is BAW and its radio callsign is "Speedbird".
What airline is BA?
BA is the IATA airline code for British Airways, based in the United Kingdom. Its ICAO code is BAW and its radio callsign is "Speedbird".
With 549 scheduled routes in the open dataset, it is one of the most connected carriers in the world, ranked number 23 by routes. You will see BA as the two-character prefix on its flight numbers, for example BA123.
| IATA airline code | BA |
|---|---|
| ICAO airline code | BAW |
| Radio callsign | Speedbird |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Alliance | oneworld |
| Scheduled routes | 549 (ranked #23) |
| Most routes at | LHR London |
| Status | Active |
What is the airline code for British Airways?
The IATA airline code for British Airways is BA, and its ICAO code is BAW. The two-character IATA code prefixes the carrier's flight numbers, for example BA123.
IATA airline codes are two characters and can reuse letters over time, so a retired airline's code may later be assigned to another carrier. ICAO codes are three letters and are more stable, which is why flight plans use them.
Where the BA code comes from
BA has stood for British Airways since the airline was formed in 1974 by merging BOAC and BEA, two carriers whose own codes disappeared in the process. It is the rare case where a merger produced initials that fit perfectly, and the code's home base, London Heathrow, is the busiest international airport in Europe.
More on how these identifiers work in what an IATA code is and airline callsigns.
What are British Airways's hub airports?
British Airways (BA) concentrates its network on LHR (London), LGW (London).
Which airport does British Airways serve most?
British Airways (BA) appears on more routes at LHR, London, than at any other airport in the open route dataset.
The airports British Airways appears at most often in that dataset, most routes first:
Routes flown by British Airways
The busiest pairs British Airways (BA) is listed as operating in the open route dataset (codeshare-only listings excluded), with distance and typical flight time:
Route and carrier data comes from the OpenFlights open dataset, regenerated here on . It is a historical snapshot of scheduled connections, not a live schedule, and it includes codeshare listings, so some carriers shown may no longer operate the route or exist. How we build this · Data and sources.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ICAO code for British Airways?
British Airways uses the ICAO airline code BAW and the radio callsign "Speedbird". Flight plans and air traffic control use BAW, while tickets and schedules use BA.
What is the radio callsign for British Airways?
Air traffic control refers to British Airways by the radio callsign "Speedbird".
What country is British Airways based in?
British Airways (BA) is based in the United Kingdom.
What is the abbreviation for British Airways?
The two-character IATA abbreviation for British Airways is BA, and its three-letter ICAO code is BAW.
How many routes does British Airways fly?
The open route dataset lists 549 route entries for British Airways, codeshare listings included, which ranks the carrier number 23 by that count. The route table below shows only the pairs British Airways is listed as operating.
Is British Airways in an airline alliance?
British Airways (BA) is a member of oneworld, the global airline alliance founded in 1999. Membership means shared lounges, frequent flyer recognition and connecting networks across the member carriers.