Definition
The 49 States located on the continent of North America, and the District of Columbia.
Plain English
The 48 lower states plus Alaska, together with Washington, D.C. It does not include Hawaii or any U.S. territories.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA guidance, chart notes, weather information, and rules that apply only within a defined U.S. geographic area.
Derivation
Continental comes from continent, meaning a large continuous land area. That helps here because Alaska is included: it is on the North American continent, even though it is not connected to the lower 48 states.
Why Pilots Care
Certain regulations, weather services, and navigation procedures apply differently outside the Continental United States, affecting flight planning for Alaska or Hawaii operations.
Intuition Check
Do not assume Continental United States means only the lower 48 states. In this FAA meaning, it includes Alaska because Alaska is on the North American continent, but it excludes Hawaii.
Example Sentence 1
The flight from Anchorage to Seattle stayed within the Continental United States.
Example Sentence 2
NOTAMs for the Continental United States were reviewed before the cross-country trip from Florida to Oregon.