Newark Liberty International Airport is one of the most important hubs for the metropolis of New York. From October 3, 2022, this airport will no longer be listed under the NYC area code by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

There are numerous airports in and around New York. Newark (EWR) and John F. Kennedy (JFK) are of great importance for international air traffic. For domestic flights, La Guardia Airport (LGA) also plays an important role. There are also a few smaller airports such as Teterboro (TEB) or Stewart International (SWF), which, however, only play a negligible role in passenger traffic in direct comparison with their three major competitors.

Almost all commercial airports that have regular passenger flights have a code uniquely assigned by IATA. For example, the one for Vienna is "VIE" or that for Paris-Orly "ORY". Sometimes the abbreviations can also be confusing, as St. Petersburg is code-LED. This is historical, because during the Soviet era the city was called Leningrad.

In addition to the abbreviations for the airports, there are also so-called area codes. These can include several airports and, to put it simply, describe the region. For example, London bears the abbreviation "LON". The airports, which each have their own abbreviation, are then subordinate to this regional code. It's not very often that IATA removes existing airports from an area code.

From the beginning of October 2022, Newark Airport will no longer be assigned to the NYC area code. At first glance, this has no particular meaning for passengers, since the abbreviation of the respective airport is noted on their tickets anyway. Behind the scenes, however, it means that the previous obligations for IATA members to offer passengers options from/to the other two airports in New York are no longer applicable.

Some airlines offer the option of changing airports within the same area code for connecting flights. They are also accommodating with rebookings in that you can fly from Newark instead of JFK or La Guardia to the same destination, for example. Many US carriers do not charge a special fee as long as the area code remains the same. The fact that EWR is no longer regarded as an airport in the metropolis of New York could mean that one or the other provider will ask you to pay in the future. It can be assumed that this will only be relevant when it comes to stopovers or rebookings.