What is PNR? Passenger Name Record
A Passenger Name Record (PNR) is the booking record in an airline or GDS reservation system that holds the passengers, itinerary, contact details and ticketing information for a trip.
Every PNR is identified by a six-character record locator (also called a booking reference or confirmation code). A record locator in a GDS is often different from the airline’s own locator for the same booking, so platforms usually store both.
What a PNR contains
The mandatory elements are traditionally summarised as passenger names, itinerary segments, a contact element, a ticketing arrangement (time limit or ticket number) and a received-from field naming who made the change. Optional elements include special service requests (SSRs) such as meals or wheelchair assistance, other service information (OSIs), loyalty numbers, remarks and pricing records.
PNR versus ticket
A PNR is a reservation, not proof of payment. Payment and entitlement are represented by an electronic ticket and, for extras, an EMD. A PNR can exist without a ticket — which is why ticketing time limits and automated cancellation of unticketed bookings matter in any booking engine.
In the NDC world, the airline-held order plays the role of the PNR, and ONE Order aims to replace PNRs and tickets with a single order record.