Amadeus DAN Command: How to Encode City & Airport Names

A complete guide to the DAN command in Amadeus — how to encode city or airport names into their Amadeus location codes, with options to narrow the search by country or state.

Every booking starts with a location. A customer names a city or an airport — Paris, London, San Francisco — but the Amadeus system works with three-letter codes. Before you can open availability, check a schedule, or price a route, you need the code for the city or airport involved. The DAN command is the Amadeus entry that handles this. It encodes a city or airport name into its corresponding Amadeus location code, and it offers options for searching by partial name, country, or state. This guide explains what DAN does, the syntax for each variation, and when it should be used.

What Does the DAN Command Do?

DAN is the Amadeus GDS command used to encode city or airport names.

Category: Encoding & Decoding.

It is commonly used to convert a location name into its corresponding Amadeus location code. DAN is the natural counterpart to DAC, which decodes a code back into its location name.

Encode a City or Airport Name

Return the matching code for Paris:

DANPARIS

This returns the matching code for Paris. In most cases the system returns the city code (PAR), which covers all airports serving the city.

Partial Search Using Wildcards

Search for city or airport names beginning with the specified letters:

DANSIN*

This searches for city or airport names beginning with SIN, using the asterisk as a wildcard for the remaining characters. Use it when you are unsure of the full spelling or when you want to see all locations that start with a specific prefix.

Narrow the Search by Country or State

Search for a city or airport in a specific country:

DANLONDON/GB

This searches for a city or airport in Great Britain. Adding /GB helps narrow the search by country — essential when a name like London exists in several countries, such as London, Ontario in Canada.

You can also narrow by state using the same format — for example /USTX for Texas. This is useful when several cities share the same name across different US states.

Select a Specific Line from the Displayed List

Select the entry shown on line 4 of the results:

DAN4

When the search returns multiple matches, the system displays them in a numbered list. Enter DAN followed by the line number to select the required location — in this case line 4.

This is important because many location names exist in more than one country or state. Always confirm which line matches the customer’s actual destination before continuing with the booking.

Important Notes

Use DAN when you know the city or airport name but need its Amadeus code.
Adding /GB, /USTX, or similar helps narrow the search by country or state.
If multiple results are displayed, use DAN followed by the line number to select the required location.
DAN is part of the Amadeus encoding and decoding toolkit — the same command family used for airlines, hotels, car rentals, aircraft types, and states.

When to Use DAN

Use DAN during the encoding and decoding step whenever you need to find the Amadeus code for a city or airport. Typical scenarios include:

Finding the location code for a city the customer names over the phone.
Identifying the correct code for an unfamiliar destination.
Confirming the code for a city that exists in several countries or states.
Finding the code for a city or airport when you know only part of its name.
Selecting the correct location from a list of partial matches.
Preparing to open availability with AN by confirming the city or airport code first.
Verifying a location code provided by a colleague, supplier, or corporate client.

How DAN Fits Into Your PNR Management Workflow

A typical session using DAN might look like this:

Retrieve the PNR with RT or begin a new booking.
When a location name needs to be converted to a code, enter the DAN entry — for example DANPARIS or DANLONDON/GB.
If multiple results are shown, select the correct one with DAN4 or the applicable line number.
Note the code and open availability with AN.
Check flight details with DO if needed.
Sell the segment with SS once the correct location is confirmed.
Continue with pricing using FXP and save the PNR with ER or ET.

How DAN Relates to Other Encoding and Decoding Commands

DAN → encodes city or airport names into their Amadeus codes.
DAC → decodes city or airport codes into their names.
DNA → encodes and decodes airline names, two-character codes, ticket codes, and alliance names.
DNH → encodes and decodes hotel company codes and displays master chain hotels.
DNC → encodes and decodes car rental company codes.
DNE → encodes and decodes aircraft types.
DNS → encodes and decodes state and province names and codes.

The distinction matters: DAN handles city and airport name encoding, DAC handles city and airport code decoding, DNA handles airlines, DNH handles hotels, DNC handles car rentals, DNE handles aircraft types, and DNS handles states and provinces. Use DAN whenever the question is about finding a location code from a name.

Important: DAN returns the location code only — it does not confirm which airline operates a specific route, nor does it show schedules or availability. To check flights, use AN for availability, DO for flight details, TN for timetables, or SN for schedules.

City codes often cover multiple airports — for example, LON covers Heathrow, Gatwick, and several other London airports, while PAR covers both Charles de Gaulle and Orly. When booking, confirm which specific airport the customer wants and use the airport code rather than the city code where the booking requires precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the DAN command do in Amadeus?

DAN encodes a city or airport name into its corresponding Amadeus location code.

What does DANPARIS mean?

It returns the matching code for Paris — usually the city code PAR.

What does DANSIN* mean?

It searches for city or airport names beginning with SIN, using the asterisk as a wildcard for the remaining characters.

What does DANLONDON/GB mean?

It searches for a city or airport named London in Great Britain, narrowing the results by country. This is essential when London, Ontario in Canada might otherwise appear in the list.

What does DAN4 mean?

It selects the location shown on line 4 of the displayed list of partial matches.

How is DAN different from DAC?

DAC decodes a code into its location name. DAN encodes a location name into its code.

Conclusion

The DAN command is the city and airport name encoding tool in Amadeus. Use DANPARIS to find the code for a named city, DANSIN* to search using a partial name, DANLONDON/GB to narrow the search by country, and DAN4 to select a specific line from a list of results. It removes the need for external reference lists and is essential at the very start of every booking, when the customer names a location and you need the code before opening availability. Remember that DAN only handles codes — for availability use AN, for flight details use DO, for timetables use TN, and for schedules use SN. Paired with the other encoding and decoding commands — DAC for decoding, DNA for airlines, DNH for hotels, DNC for car rentals, DNE for aircraft types, and DNS for states and provinces — DAN completes your reference data toolkit and keeps every booking accurate from first entry to final ticket.