# What is a PNR, and what is a booking reference used for?

Source: https://kurumsal.pro/en/glossary/pnr/ — Last updated: 2026-11-04

A PNR (Passenger Name Record) is the record of a flight reservation in the airline's or a distribution system. It holds the passenger name, flights, contact details and ticketing time limit, and in everyday speech the short alphanumeric code used to retrieve it is also called the PNR.

## In short
- A PNR is the record of a flight reservation inside an airline system or a GDS.
- The record contains the passenger name, flight segments, contact details and the ticketing time limit.
- A PNR identifies a reservation, while a ticket number identifies an issued ticket; they are not the same thing.
- In Kurumsal.pro, employees and managers can search trips by PNR on the My Trips screen.
- The sales statement lists PNR and ticket number in separate columns, which makes reconciliation between agency and company easier.

**PNR (passenger name record):** A PNR (Passenger Name Record) is the record of a flight reservation in the airline system or a GDS. It holds the passenger name, flight segments, contact details and ticketing time limit, and is retrieved with a short booking reference.

A PNR (Passenger Name Record) is the record of a flight reservation inside an airline's system or a global distribution system (GDS). When a booking is made, the system opens a record and generates a short alphanumeric code to retrieve it. In everyday language both the record and that code are called the PNR; "booking reference" and "record locator" are other terms for the code.

## What information does a PNR contain?

A PNR holds the core information showing who is travelling and on which flights. The content varies with the airline and the system where the booking was made, but it usually includes the following:

- Passenger first name and surname (several passengers can share one record)
- Flight segments: date, flight number, cabin and booking class
- Contact details: phone and email
- The ticketing time limit, meaning the last moment by which the booking must become a ticket ([ticketing time limit](/en/glossary/ticketing-time-limit/))
- The agency or channel that created the booking
- A frequent-flyer number and special service requests, where present

A PNR is a reservation record; on its own it does not show that payment has been made. A paid, issued ticket is identified by a separate number.

## What is the difference between a PNR and a ticket number?

A PNR identifies the reservation and a ticket number identifies the issued ticket. One PNR can cover several passengers and several flights, while each passenger's ticket carries its own number. If a booking has been opened but the ticket has not yet been issued, there is a PNR but no ticket number.

| | PNR | Ticket number |
|---|---|---|
| What it identifies | The reservation record | The issued ticket |
| Scope | One or more passengers and flights | One passenger's ticket |
| When it appears | At the time of booking | After payment and ticketing |
| Format | Short alphanumeric code | Long numeric string |

In corporate travel this distinction matters for reconciliation: when agency and company discuss the same sale, the PNR is used to find the reservation and the ticket number to match the ticket that was invoiced.

## Where is the PNR used in Kurumsal.pro?

In the portal your agency offers its corporate clients, the PNR appears in three places. Each helps an employee or manager find a flight quickly or match records.

1. **My Trips screen:** The list is searched by file number, title or PNR, and a date range and product filter can be added. Managers with a wider data scope run the same search across the trips of the employees they are authorised for.
2. **Trip file and documents:** The e-ticket PDF for a flight item and the itinerary PDF for the whole trip are downloaded from the file. When the airline changes a time, a banner and a badge appear on the file.
3. **Sales statement:** In the company's sales statement, PNR and ticket number are separate columns, and the statement can be exported as Excel, CSV or PDF. For the full set of reports, see [corporate travel reporting](/en/corporate-travel-reporting/).

In the portal, one trip file (file number) groups several items such as flights, hotels and transfers. The PNR therefore belongs to the flight item, while the file number belongs to the whole trip.

## Is a PNR created for a cart sent for approval?

In Kurumsal.pro no provisional booking is made with the supplier when a cart is sent for approval; the PNR is created at the purchase step after the final approval. A seat or a price is not held while approval is pending. After the final approval, the purchase is made from the company wallet and the PNR is opened at that step. In a direct purchase, if the price has changed, the transaction is not completed until the employee explicitly accepts the new price.

On a flight booking, the THY Miles&Smiles number in the employee's profile is added to the reservation automatically. Details of flight search, fare packages and the extra services the airline offers are on the [corporate flight booking](/en/corporate-flight-booking/) page. For the distribution systems that generate PNRs, see the [GDS](/en/glossary/gds/) entry, and for how employees book on their own, see the [self-booking tool](/en/self-booking-tool/) page.

## Frequently asked questions
### What is the difference between a PNR and a ticket number?
A PNR is the record of a reservation and can cover several passengers or flights. A ticket number identifies one paid, issued ticket. If a booking exists but no ticket has been issued, there is a PNR but no ticket number.

### Where can I find the PNR code?
The PNR usually appears on the booking confirmation and the e-ticket. In Kurumsal.pro the e-ticket PDF of a flight item is downloaded from the trip file, and the trip file can be searched by PNR on the My Trips screen.

### Can I check in with a PNR?
Many airlines ask for the PNR and the passenger's surname for online check-in and booking management. Which details are needed, and when check-in opens, is set by each airline's own rules.

### Is a PNR created for a corporate cart sent for approval?
In Kurumsal.pro no provisional booking is made with the supplier for a cart sent for approval. The reservation is created at the purchase step once approval is complete, so do not assume that a seat or price is held while approval is pending.