What Passenger type code means
Airlines file many fares that apply only to certain travellers: children, infants, seniors, students, military personnel or residents of a country. The pricing engine needs to know who each passenger is to find the right fare, and the PTC is how it is told.
The basic codes are widely shared. Travelport's Universal API documentation lists ADT (adult), CHD (child), INF (infant without a seat), INS (infant with a seat) and UNN (unaccompanied child) among the common PTCs. Child ages are often added to the code, for example CNN08 for an eight-year-old. OpenTravel's XML schemas use the same style, giving ADT, CHD and INF as examples of passenger types.
Beyond the basics there are many specialised codes, including senior, youth, student and military types, and residency-based codes for local discounted fares. Travelport notes that some low-cost carriers use codes of up to five characters, and that minimum ages such as for senior fares vary by airline.
The default matters. If no PTC is given, systems generally assume an adult. Travelport says air requests by default treat all passengers as adults, and when a special PTC is requested the system returns the lowest applicable fare between ADT and the requested type. A child priced as ADT may therefore pay more than necessary, while a traveller priced under a type they do not qualify for creates a ticket the airline can later challenge with a debit memo.
In fare filing, PTCs appear in the fare rules and in negotiated fare records such as net fares, where every eligible passenger type must be coded.
How Passenger type code works
The PTC travels with the passenger from booking through pricing to the ticket.
- Capture traveller detailsThe booking flow records each passenger's age, and any eligibility such as residency or student status, alongside the name.
- Assign a PTCThe agent or booking engine assigns a PTC to each name, such as ADT, CNN with an age, or INF linked to an accompanying adult.
- Price by passenger typeThe pricing request includes the PTCs. The engine looks for fares filed for each type and falls back to adult fares where no special fare applies.
- Store the fare per passengerEach passenger's stored fare shows its own fare basis, taxes and passenger type in the PNR.
- Issue and auditTickets are issued per passenger, and airlines can audit whether the passenger type matched the traveller's real age or eligibility.
Passenger type code in practice
Common codes as documented by Travelport (exact lists and age bands depend on the system and airline):
| PTC | Meaning |
|---|---|
ADT | Adult |
CHD / CNN | Child (CNN is often followed by the age, e.g. CNN05) |
INF | Infant not occupying a seat |
INS | Infant occupying a seat |
UNN | Unaccompanied child |
SRC | Senior citizen |
YTH | Youth |
STU | Student |
MIL | Military |
Travelport also notes that an infant's name should follow an adult's name in the booking, so the system can link the lap infant to the right adult.
Who uses it
Advantages and limitations
Advantages
- Lets one booking hold travellers on different fares, such as two adults and a child.
- Gives airlines a precise way to target discounts at defined groups.
- Standard core codes such as ADT, CHD and INF work across most systems and APIs.
- Fallback to adult fares means a booking can still be priced when no special fare exists.
Limitations
- Code lists, age bands and naming differ between GDSs, airlines and low-cost carriers.
- Wrong PTCs can produce incorrect fares and later debit memos from airlines.
- Eligibility for special types, such as student or resident fares, may need documents the system cannot check.
- Special types do not always price lower than adult fares, so agents must compare results.
Frequently asked questions about Passenger type code
What does ADT mean on a flight booking?
ADT is the passenger type code for an adult. It is the default type in most airline pricing systems, so a passenger with no other code is priced as an adult. The age at which a traveller counts as an adult for fares is set by each airline's rules.
What is the difference between INF and INS?
Both are for infants. INF is an infant travelling on an adult's lap without a seat, usually at a reduced fare. INS is an infant occupying its own seat, which is normally priced closer to a child fare. The choice affects the fare, seating and safety device rules.
Why is CNN followed by a number?
CNN is a child passenger type, and the two digits give the child's age, such as CNN07 for a seven-year-old. Some fares depend on age bands, so including the age lets the pricing engine check eligibility. Worldspan historically used a C plus two digits instead.
What happens if the wrong passenger type code is used?
The fare will be wrong. Pricing a child as an adult can overcharge the customer, while pricing an adult as a child or student undercharges and can lead the airline to raise a debit memo for the fare difference. Agents should match each code to the traveller's actual age and eligibility.
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