Jewar Airport in Noida: Why is it called ‘DXN’?
A child dressed as a pilot at the arrivals area of Noida International Airport in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh. | Photo credit: PTI
Noida International Airport in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh landed for the first time on 15 June 2026 with an IndiGo flight from Lucknow.
This was followed by the first take off of the airport with a flight back to Lucknow.
The plane was carrying people from the Jewar area, whose land had been acquired by the state government for the first phase of the airport development.
The airport, codenamed ‘DXN’, is a move to improve air connectivity between western Uttar Pradesh, the National Capital Region and other parts of the country.
But why is Noida airport called DXN? What are the code names of other airports? who decides?
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Jewar Airport: Delhi-Noida connection
Located in the Jewar region of Western Uttar Pradesh, the airport falls under the National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi. According to former airport CEO Christoph Schnellmann, “The D in DXN stands for Delhi, which is the national capital, and the N stands for Noida, which shows our presence in Western UP. The X, we think, stands for connectivity in India and the world,” as reported by PTI in 2023. Interestingly, “Noida” itself stands for ‘New Okhla’.
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Who determines airport codes?
Each airport has two airport codes. The code, which is written on your boarding pass, ticket details and signage around the airport itself, is a three-letter code decided by the International Air Transport Association, or IATA, the global airline trade body. For example, “DXN” for Noida International Airport, “DEL” for Delhi International Airport and “MAA” for Chennai International Airport, a reminder that the city was formerly known as Madras.
All airports also have a four-letter code for pilots, air traffic controllers and flight planners. These are assigned by the International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO, a specialized body of the United Nations.
How are airport codes determined?
There are many ways passenger codes are decided. The first three letters of the airport name are usually used. In case of Noida, ‘X’ indicates connectivity and ‘D’ and ‘N’ indicate the two nearest cities. Some airports that were formerly military airports begin with “IX”, such as “IXC” for Chandigarh International Airport.
The behind-the-scenes code, or ICAO code, has a much stricter way of naming because it is used by officials and navigators.
The first letter of the code represents the global region. The second letter indicates a specific country or region, and the third and fourth letters identify the exact airport.
ICAO code of Noida airport is VIND. The “V” represents the globally recognized identifier for the South Asia region. “I” indicates North India flight information area. “ND” stands for Noida and Delhi.
Disputes over airport names
Bihar’s Gaya airport came under the spotlight in 2021 when a parliamentary committee termed its IATA code “GAY” as “offensive, embarrassing and inappropriate” for the holy site. Lawmakers argued that because Bodh Gaya is a deeply revered site in Buddhism and Hinduism, its airport code should not have links to homosexual terminology. This was rejected by IATA as airport codes are permanent assets under its Resolution 763.
Gaya Airport in Bihar | Photo credit: The Hindu
In 2025, MP Bhim Singh revived the dispute, leading Civil Aviation Minister Murlidhar Mohol to confirm that the code could not be changed as it posed no security threat.
Social media users often point out other airport codes such as “COK” for Cochin International Airport in Kerala. It was named after the old British spelling of the town “Cokchin”. Other interesting names include ‘DIE’ for Madagascar’s Arrachart Airport and ‘HEL’ for Helsinki Airport in Finland.
Published – 15 Jun 2026 12:46 IST