PNR, e-ticket, EMD and Order: the records behind a flight
Understand the difference between airline reservations, e-tickets, ticket coupons, ancillary EMDs, payment and modern Orders.
A booking can have several different records
The passenger may receive one email, but behind it can sit a reservation record, one or more flight tickets and separate ancillary documents. ONE Order aims to simplify these records as the industry transitions toward Order-based fulfilment.
PNR
The Passenger Name Record contains reservation information such as passenger identity, itinerary and booking-related details. It is not itself proof of ticket issuance or payment settlement.
See glossary →E-ticket
An electronic ticket supports flight entitlement in traditional ticketed models, with coupons corresponding to flight travel. A booking can exist before the e-ticket is issued.
See the journey →EMD
The Electronic Miscellaneous Document is an IATA-standard document used for optional services and certain non-flight charges. EMD-A and EMD-S have different associations to a flight ticket.
Read IATA's explanation →Order
In IATA's ONE Order direction, an integrated Order provides a customer-centric reference supporting fulfilment, delivery and accounting without relying on separate legacy documents in the same way.
Explore the migration →Payment authorization / capture
Authorization indicates the payment instrument or provider has approved a transaction under its terms; capture or settlement are distinct steps. Payment success and booking success are not identical.
Learn payment controls →Boarding pass / DCS
The boarding pass is a travel-processing artefact produced during check-in. It does not replace the underlying reservation, ticket or Order state that establishes entitlement.
Meet the DCS →Worked example: booking made, ticket not issued
A traveller selects a flight and receives a booking reference. The reservation has been created but payment handling experiences an uncertain response. The customer may see an itinerary while the ticket has not yet been issued. A support agent cannot safely assume that the existence of a PNR means the traveller has a valid issued ticket.
The correct investigation depends on the airline's architecture, but the fundamental questions are stable: Does the reservation exist? Is payment confirmed? Is an e-ticket required and issued? Are ancillary services represented by their expected fulfilment documents? Is the trip reflected correctly for airport processing?
What are ticket coupons?
In a traditional airline itinerary, the e-ticket holds coupons associated with flight transportation. Their status changes as travel is processed or serviced. The ticket number, individual coupon state and PNR reference answer different questions. Treating them as one field produces misleading support and reconciliation logic.
What is the difference between an EMD-A and EMD-S?
IATA describes EMD-A as associated to an e-ticket, while EMD-S is stand-alone. For a beginner, the useful picture is a paid seat or other service that might need a service document associated with travel, versus a separately documented service. The exact document and fulfilment sequence depends on product and airline policies.
How does ONE Order change the conceptual model?
ONE Order is IATA's initiative to simplify the customer record across reservation, delivery and accounting. It does not mean that every airline has already removed PNRs, tickets or EMDs. During migration, systems may maintain legacy documents for interoperability with airport, interline, settlement or operational partners. Engineers should document that coexistence explicitly.
Knowledge check: can a PNR exist before an e-ticket is issued?
Yes. A PNR is the reservation record, whereas the e-ticket is a separate entitlement document in traditional ticketed airline workflows.