An e-ticket carries three identifiers that do different jobs. The PNR, or booking reference, is the short alphanumeric code that opens your booking. The 13-digit ticket number is the financial document behind it, issued by the airline. Coupon status shows what has happened to each flight segment: OPEN FOR USE, CHECKED IN, USED, EXCHANGED, REFUNDED or VOID.
Updated July 2026 · HappyFares
Most people scroll straight past everything on an e-ticket except the flight time. The rest of that page decides whether you get money back, so it is worth ten minutes.
What is the difference between a PNR and a ticket number?
They look similar and behave completely differently. The PNR, also called the booking reference or record locator, is usually a six-character mix of letters and numbers created by the reservation system. It holds the names, the flight segments, contact details and special requests for everyone on that booking, which is why a family of four normally shares one PNR.
The ticket number is per passenger, not per booking. It is 13 digits long: the first three are the airline’s accounting code allotted under the IATA numbering scheme, and the remaining ten are the document number, with the last digit acting as a check digit. If a ticket has more than four flight segments, the airline issues linked conjunction tickets with consecutive numbers.
One Indian quirk worth knowing: several low-cost carriers do not issue a traditional IATA ticket document at all. You get a booking reference and an itinerary instead, and every refund, change or claim is tracked against the PNR. If your itinerary has no 13-digit number anywhere, that is usually why.
What does coupon status actually mean?
Each flight segment on a ticket has its own coupon, and each coupon carries a status that changes as your journey progresses. The airline’s system, not the airline’s call centre, is the source of truth here.
- OPEN FOR USE: the segment is valid and unflown. This is the status that has refund value
- AIRPORT CONTROL: control has passed to the departure airport system, usually on the day of travel
- CHECKED IN: you have checked in but not yet boarded
- USED or FLOWN: the flight has been taken
- EXCHANGED: the coupon was reissued onto a new ticket after a change
- REFUNDED: the value has been processed back
- VOID: cancelled before it ever became live, typically on the day of issue
This matters more than people expect. A coupon stuck in AIRPORT CONTROL or wrongly showing USED after a missed flight will block a refund until the airline resets it. Coupons are also meant to be used in sequence, so skipping the first leg of a return itinerary can leave later coupons cancelled by the airline under the fare rules.
What do the fare basis, baggage and endorsement lines tell you?
Below the flight details sits a row of short codes that carry the actual terms of your ticket. The fare basis code usually begins with your booking class letter and continues with a string that encodes the rule set behind the fare: whether it is one way or return, seasonal, advance purchase, promotional or a special category. Two passengers on the same flight in the same cabin can hold very different fare basis codes, and very different change rules.
The baggage line follows one of two systems. Something like 1PC means one checked piece under the piece concept, common on long-haul and many international sectors. A line reading 15K or 15KG means a weight allowance. NIL or 0PC means the fare includes no free checked bag at all, which is normal on hand-baggage-only fares.
The endorsements or restrictions box is where the airline writes what you can and cannot do. Short entries such as NON-REF, NON-END or CHNG FEE tell you the fare is non-refundable, cannot be endorsed to another airline, or attracts a change fee. On an Indian ticket the tax breakdown normally shows carrier-imposed charges separately from the statutory lines, with GST usually appearing under the K3 tax code.
Which parts matter when you need a refund or a change?
For a refund, the airline or your agent works from the ticket number and the coupon status, so quote both when you write in. Even on a strictly non-refundable fare, statutory taxes and airport user charges on an unused ticket are refundable under DGCA’s rules, so a no-show usually leaves something to claim rather than nothing.
For a change, the fare basis and endorsement box decide the cost. A reissue creates a new ticket number, moves the old coupons to EXCHANGED and carries the residual value across, which is why your reference numbers may change mid-journey. Keep the old document number, because refund trails sometimes run through it.
If a coupon shows USED and you never flew, do not raise a refund request first. Ask the airline to correct the coupon status, get that confirmed in writing, and then claim. Doing it the other way round tends to end in an automatic rejection.
How do you check an e-ticket is genuine and complete?
Run through a short list the day you receive it, while there is still time to fix things at no cost.
- Your name matches your photo ID or passport, spelling and order included
- A ticket number is present, or the carrier is one that works on booking references only. An itinerary with neither can be an unticketed hold, not a confirmed seat
- Airport codes are right for cities with more than one airport, and the date is correct for overnight departures just after midnight
- The operated by line is checked, since your flight may be run by a partner airline with its own baggage rules
- The PNR opens on the airline’s own website or app, not only in the agent’s email
That last check is the one most people skip, and it is the one that catches problems early.
Common Questions
Is the PNR the same as the ticket number?
No. The PNR is a short booking reference that opens the reservation and is usually shared by everyone travelling together. The ticket number is a 13-digit document number issued per passenger. Airlines can ask for either, but refunds and reissues are generally tracked against the ticket number.
Why does my low-cost carrier booking have no 13-digit ticket number?
Several Indian low-cost carriers do not issue traditional IATA ticket documents. Their booking reference does the same job, and add-ons such as baggage, seats and meals sit against that reference. Quote the PNR plus your travel date when you contact the airline.
What does OPEN FOR USE mean on my e-ticket?
It means that flight segment is still valid and has not been flown, checked in or refunded. Coupons with this status carry value, which is why refund teams look at it first. If a segment you have not flown shows anything else, get it corrected before claiming.
Can I travel with only the PNR and no printout?
Usually yes, since check-in runs on your ID plus the booking reference. Keep a copy on your phone anyway, because entry to many Indian terminals still involves showing a booking or boarding pass along with your ID at the gate.
Does a no-show ticket have any refund value?
Often some. The airline may forfeit the fare under its rules, but statutory taxes and airport user charges on unused travel are refundable under DGCA requirements. Apply through the airline or the agent who issued the ticket, and quote the ticket number.
My ticket shows USED but I did not fly. What should I do?
Write to the airline with your ticket number, PNR and any proof that you were not on board, and ask for the coupon status to be corrected. Once it reads OPEN FOR USE or REFUNDED as appropriate, the refund or reissue can move ahead normally.
Booking your next flight? Compare fares, baggage allowances and change rules side by side on HappyFares, so you know what your ticket actually includes before you pay.
Fare rules, tax treatment and refund timelines change: verify the current specifics with your airline, DGCA, or the airport before you travel.
