Definition
Specific routes published by Air Traffic Control between high-traffic city pairs that pilots are asked to file in their flight plans to help balance traffic flow, reduce controller workload, and minimize rerouting. They are listed in the Chart Supplement and other FAA publications and apply primarily to IFR operations.
Plain English
These are routes ATC would like you to use when flying between busy airport pairs. Filing one of these routes makes it more likely your flight plan will be accepted as filed, with fewer changes once you're in the air.
Context Anchor
A pilot may see ATC Preferred Routes while planning and filing a flight plan, especially for flights between busy airports or through busy airspace.
Derivation
“Preferred” comes from older words meaning “placed before” or “chosen ahead of others.” That helps here: the route is not just liked casually; it has been selected ahead of time by ATC as a good route for managing traffic.
Why Pilots Care
Filing one of these routes raises the likelihood of receiving the requested clearance without amendment, reducing delays and radio workload.
Intuition Check
“Preferred” does not mean the pilot’s personal favorite route. It means a route ATC has selected because it works well for traffic flow.
Example Sentence 1
Before filing IFR from Boston to Washington, she checked the Chart Supplement for the ATC Preferred Route between the two airports.
Example Sentence 2
Using the published ATC Preferred Route let the controller issue the clearance without changes.