Definition
A Class E airspace area established in the form of a corridor, the centerline of which is defined by radio navigational aids. Airways are typically 8 nautical miles wide (4 NM either side of centerline) and extend from 1,200 feet above the surface up to but not including 18,000 feet MSL. Low-altitude airways in the contiguous United States are designated with the prefix 'V' (Victor airways) and are based on VOR navigation.
Plain English
An airway is a published highway in the sky. It runs in a straight line between navigation stations on the ground, and pilots use it as a known route to fly from one place to another.
Context Anchor
Seen on enroute charts, in flight planning, and in air traffic control clearances.
Derivation
From 'air' + 'way,' built on the same idea as 'highway' or 'waterway' — a defined route through a medium. The word makes the concept concrete: it is a way through the air, marked and shared, not just open sky.
Why Pilots Care
Airways keep IFR traffic organized, provide ATC separation, and ensure navigation guidance and terrain clearance along the route.
Analogy
An airway is like a highway route, but in the sky. It gives pilots a published path to follow, though it is not a physical lane or wall.
Intuition Check
Do not read “airway” as any open space where an airplane can fly. In FAA use, an airway is a specific published route corridor in the air.
Example Sentence 1
After departure, we picked up Victor 23 and followed the airway east toward our first checkpoint.
Example Sentence 2
Airways are shown on enroute charts as blue lines connecting navigation fixes.