What is a IATA 2 of 5 barcode?
IATA 2 of 5 is a variant of Industrial 2 of 5 associated with the International Air Transport Association. It has been used in the airline industry for air cargo management and older baggage and ticketing applications.
Like Industrial 2 of 5, it encodes digits in the bars only, with two of every five bars wide. The difference is in the start and stop patterns, which are shorter in IATA 2 of 5. A scanner set to read Industrial 2 of 5 may therefore not read IATA 2 of 5 unless that variant is enabled.
Modern airline bag tags and cargo labels widely use other symbologies, such as Interleaved 2 of 5 for bag tags and Code 128 or 2D codes elsewhere. Use IATA 2 of 5 only when a specific airline or cargo system asks for it.
What data can IATA 2 of 5 hold?
Digits 0-9 only, any length. Spaces are removed. An optional modulo 10 check digit can be added.
Recommended size
Keep a quiet zone of at least 10 times the narrowest bar on each side. Allow enough width for the bar-only encoding, and follow any size rules set by the airline or cargo system you are labeling for.
More Linear Codes barcodes
How to Create a Barcode in 3 Steps
Choose a barcode type
Select a category on the left (e.g. Linear Codes), then the exact type like Code-128.
Enter data & customise
Type your data — we check it live and add check digits. Adjust size, font and colors.
Download or print
Get PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF or EPS, or print a full sheet of labels in one click.
Why Use QRCodeChamp Barcode Generator
125+ barcode types
Linear, 2D, GS1, postal, healthcare and payment codes.
Live validation
Friendly errors with one-click fixes and automatic check digits.
Print-ready PDF
Exact mm sizes, label sheets (Avery, A4, 4×6 thermal).
Bulk barcodes
Paste a list or generate number sequences.
Choose the Type of Barcode You Need
Not sure which barcode to use? Start with what you need it for — we’ll pick the right type.
Frequently Asked Questions
The data characters are the same, but the start and stop patterns differ. Scanners treat them as separate symbologies, so enable the IATA variant if it does not read.
Standard IATA bag tags use Interleaved 2 of 5 for the 10-digit license plate number. IATA 2 of 5 is a separate, older format, so check your system's requirements before choosing it.
No. It encodes digits only. Use Code 128 if your cargo or reference number contains letters.