The standard international abbreviation is Intl., with Int'l as a close second. Readers still say "international" when they see either one, and both appear in company names, airport names, shipping options and phone settings where space is short.
In ordinary sentences, most style guides want the word spelled out. Save the short forms for names, labels, tables and forms. In acronyms, the word usually shrinks to a single letter I, as in IB for International Baccalaureate.
Quick facts
Main abbreviation
Intl. (with a period)Also common
Int'l (apostrophe for missing letters)All caps form
INTL on signs, tickets and screensIn acronyms
Just the letter IPeriod or no period
Intl. in the US; Intl is common in British useAvoid
Int. alone, which can mean interest, interior or internal
Which abbreviation of international to use
| Form | Where it fits | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Intl. | Company names, addresses, product labels | Bluewater Trading Intl. Ltd. |
| Int'l | Signs, headlines, casual business writing | Int'l Food Fair this weekend |
| INTL | Departure boards, tickets, buttons, menus | INTL ARRIVALS |
| I | Acronyms and initialisms | ISS, International Space Station |
Pick one form and use it the same way all through a document. If a company or airport writes its own name a certain way, follow that.
Why there are two common forms
English has two habits for shortening words. One keeps the first few letters and adds a period: Intl. drops everything after "intl" except the period that marks the cut. The other marks missing letters with an apostrophe, the way "can't" stands for "cannot": Int'l keeps the start and the final L. Neither is wrong. Intl. is more common in formal names, while Int'l shows up in signs and quick notes. Learn more about these two habits in how to abbreviate.
The international abbreviation in daily life
- Airports: board and ticket listings often shorten names, such as "Los Angeles Intl," the airport known by the code LAX.
- Shipping: checkout pages offer "Intl shipping" for orders leaving the country.
- Phones and plans: "Intl calling" or "Int'l roaming" on a bill means calls or data used abroad.
- Business names: "Intl." appears in the legal names of many firms with offices in more than one country.
- School and work: "Intl. Student Office" or "Intl. Relations 101" on a campus map or schedule.
A phone bill line: "Intl long distance, 14 min." This means 14 minutes of calls to numbers outside the country, often billed at a different rate.
Abbreviation for international inside acronyms
When international is part of a longer name, the whole name usually becomes an acronym and the word becomes one letter.
- IB: International Baccalaureate, a school program.
- ISS: International Space Station.
- ISBN: International Standard Book Number, printed on the back of books.
- IPA: International Phonetic Alphabet, used in pronunciation guides.
Programmers have their own shortcut, i18n, for internationalization. The 18 counts the letters between the first i and the last n. It is a number based nickname rather than a true abbreviation.
Capitals, periods and spacing
- Capitalize it as you would the full word. In a name, write Intl.; in the middle of a lowercase phrase, intl. is fine.
- In American writing, keep the period after Intl. Many British writers leave it off, since the short form ends with the same letter as the full word.
- Do not add a period after Int'l. The apostrophe already marks the gap.
- Do not use Int. on its own. It is also short for interest, interior, internal and integer, and readers may guess wrong.
Questions people ask
What is the most common abbreviation for international?
Intl. leads, with Int'l close behind. Both are correct, and when you read either one out loud you still say international.
Is it Intl or Int'l?
Either works. Intl. is more common in formal names and addresses, while Int'l is popular on signs and in headlines. Choose one and use it consistently.
Does Intl need a period?
American writers usually add one: Intl. In British English it is often written without one. Int'l never needs a period because the apostrophe marks the missing letters.
Can I abbreviate international in an essay?
It is better to spell it out in sentences. Use the short form only inside a name that is officially written that way, or in tables and notes where space is tight.
What does INTL mean on a flight board?
It means international, such as international arrivals or departures. It points travelers to flights crossing a national border.