The letters in the postcode area name refer to the Fylde coastal plain.

Its five post towns are Blackpool, Fleetwood, Lytham St Annes, Poulton-le-Fylde, Thornton-Cleveleys.

FY6 covers the town of Poulton-le-Fylde and some rural areas to the east, as well as much of the Over Wyre region.

The approximate coverage of the postcode districts: Some regions of the FY5 postcode area such as Little Bispham and Anchorsholme are generally considered to be suburbs of Blackpool due to being in that town's unitary authority area, despite having the Thornton-Cleveleys post town.

The same applies to a small section of the FY8 area adjacent to Blackpool Airport, which has the Lytham St Annes post town but is generally considered to be in Blackpool, including for the 2011 census.