Operating carrier

An operating carrier is the airline that physically operates a flight, even when a ticket is sold by a different airline through an interline or codeshare agreement. The operating carrier provides the aircraft, crew, and handles all aspects of the actual transportation service.

For example, you might buy a codeshare flight from American Airlines, but one flight leg is actually operated by British Airways. In that case, British Airways is the operating carrier, and American Airlines is the marketing carrier.

When checking flight information or airport displays, you’ll often see notations like “Operated by [Airline Name]” to indicate when the operating carrier differs from the marketing or validating (in an interline flight) carrier.

Knowing who the operating carrier is matters because the onboard experience, such as baggage rules, seat layout, and service, will follow the operating carrier’s policies.

Travelers and travel agents should always check which carrier is operating the flight to avoid confusion, especially when managing check-ins or dealing with delays or cancellations.