Definition
A pre-planned, charted path that guides an aircraft from the en route portion of a flight toward the destination airport, typically connecting an en route waypoint or fix to an approach or to the airport environment. Arrival routes are published as part of Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs) and similar procedures, and they specify the course, altitudes, and fixes to be flown.
Plain English
A set path on the chart that takes you from your cruising route down toward the airport you're landing at.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument procedure charts, especially Standard Terminal Arrival Route charts used when approaching a busy airport area.
Why Pilots Care
Using the published arrival route keeps traffic organized, maintains safe separation, and lets controllers manage the flow of many arriving planes at busy airports.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as just any path used while arriving. In this context, an arrival route is a published or assigned instrument path that the pilot is expected to follow.
Example Sentence 1
After crossing the final en route waypoint, the crew transitioned onto the published arrival route and began their descent toward the airport.
Example Sentence 2
The pilot reviewed the arrival route on the STAR chart to confirm altitudes and speeds before entering the terminal area.