Definition
An ATC authorization permitting an aircraft to make intermediate stops at specified airports without having to refile a flight plan, while still operating under the original clearance to the final destination.
Plain English
ATC is letting you fly your filed route to your final destination, with planned stops along the way, without having to file a new flight plan at each stop.
Context Anchor
Used in radio communication when a pilot needs permission to pass through airspace or an area controlled by ATC.
Derivation
Cleared comes from the idea of making a path clear or free to use. In aviation, it does not just mean the way is physically open; it means ATC has officially given permission for that movement.
Why Pilots Care
Entering controlled airspace without this clearance violates regulations and risks loss of separation from other traffic.
Intuition Check
Do not read “cleared through” as “cleared for everything ahead.” It means permission to pass through the specific area ATC named, under the specific instructions ATC gave.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot was cleared through ATC from Denver to Cheyenne to Rapid City, with planned stops at each airport along the route.
Example Sentence 2
Once the military training area became available, the flight received clearance to proceed through it at 6000 feet.