--- title: "Passenger name record (PNR)" description: "A PNR is the airline's record of a booking. What it holds, where the data comes from, who can see it and what bookers should check." canonical: https://engine.com/glossary/passenger-name-record updated: 2026-11-02 author: "Engine Editorial" --- # Passenger name record (PNR) A passenger name record (PNR) is an airline's record of a passenger's travel requirements, holding the information needed to process and control the reservation for each journey booked. Also called: PNR, PNR data Not to be confused with: the record locator, which is one field inside the PNR. Updated November 2, 2026 by Engine Editorial ## What is a passenger name record (PNR)? A passenger name record is the file an airline keeps for a booked trip. This cheat sheet covers how to think about one and what to check when you book. The detail is further down. ### How to think about it - **It lives in the airline's systems.** Every time a reservation is made, the details go into the airline's reservation system. Airlines create a PNR for each itinerary booked. - **Contents vary by airline.** It generally includes the traveler's name, contact details, itinerary, seat, number of bags, travel agency and payment information. Not every airline collects the same set. - **Most of it comes from the booking.** A PNR is usually information the traveler, or someone booking for them, supplied when making the reservation. - **Governments can see it.** U.S. law requires airlines flying to, from or through the U.S. to give Customs and Border Protection access to PNR data. ### Before you book - **Use the name on the ID.** Enter the traveler's name exactly as it appears on their driver's license, ID card or passport, not a nickname. - **Check every detail before paying.** Recheck the dates, times and departure and destination airports on the final payment page. - **Know you can ask for the record.** Anyone can request the PNR data that DHS holds about them through a Freedom of Information Act request. ## How it works on Engine On Engine, travelers and bookers enter traveler details, eligible airline loyalty information, required company fields and payment during [flight booking](https://engine.com/features/flight-booking). After booking, [Trips](https://engine.com/features/trip-management) shows itinerary details for each reservation and lets you print itineraries. ## Book work flights in one place Engine supports round-trip, one-way and multi-city flight booking, with company travel policies applied to cost, cabin and approvals. Free to use. [Get started](https://engine.com/sign-up) ## Questions ### What does PNR stand for? Passenger name record. It is the airline's record of a passenger's travel requirements for each journey booked, kept in its reservation and departure control systems. ### Is a PNR the same as a record locator? No. The record locator is one data element inside the PNR. The EU's list of PNR data puts the PNR record locator first, followed by items like reservation date, names and itinerary. ### What information is in a PNR? It can include the reservation and travel dates, names, contact information, forms of payment, the full itinerary, frequent flyer details, the travel agency, seat and baggage information, and a history of changes to the record. ### Why do governments collect PNR data? CBP says it uses PNR data received in advance to decide which travelers need additional inspection at the port of entry. The EU's PNR directive covers its use against terrorism and serious crime. ### How long does U.S. Customs keep PNR data? Five years in active status, with names and contact details masked after the first six months. After that it can be kept for up to ten more years in dormant status. ## Go deeper - [Engine flight booking](https://engine.com/features/flight-booking) - [What info you need to book a flight](https://engine.com/blog/what-info-do-you-need-to-book-a-flight) - [Airline reservation system](https://engine.com/glossary/airline-reservation-system) - [Itinerary](https://engine.com/glossary/itinerary) ## Sources 1. legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives), "Directive (EU) 2016/681 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the use of passenger name record (PNR) data, Article 3," https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudr/2016/681/article/3, accessed November 2, 2026. 2. legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives), "Directive (EU) 2016/681, Annex I: Passenger name record data as far as collected by air carriers," https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudr/2016/681/annex/I, accessed November 2, 2026. 3. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, "Frequently Asked Questions: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Receipt of Passenger Name Record Data," https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2020-May/PNR-FAQs-(508-compliant).pdf, accessed November 2, 2026. 4. Engine, "What Info Do You Need to Book a Flight For Business Travel?," https://engine.com/blog/what-info-do-you-need-to-book-a-flight, accessed November 2, 2026. 5. Engine, "Business Flight Booking With Engine," https://engine.com/features/flight-booking, accessed November 2, 2026. 6. Engine, "Managing Business Trips With Engine," https://engine.com/features/trip-management, accessed November 2, 2026.