Definition
The 48 adjoining states and the District of Columbia, treated as a single geographic area for air traffic, flight planning, and operational purposes. CONUS does not include Alaska, Hawaii, or any U.S. territories.
Plain English
The lower 48 states plus Washington D.C. — basically the main block of the United States, leaving out Alaska, Hawaii, and the territories.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA publications, weather products, procedures, and notices when the area covered is limited to the main connected United States.
Derivation
Short for 'Continental United States.' 'Continental' comes from the Latin continens, meaning 'holding together' — referring to land that forms one connected mass. That's the clue: CONUS is the connected, contiguous part of the country.
Why Pilots Care
Determines which regulations, weather services, and flight rules apply, since requirements often differ for flights outside the contiguous states.
Intuition Check
Do not assume CONUS means all U.S. land on the North American continent. In FAA use, CONUS normally means the 48 connected states and the District of Columbia, excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories.
Example Sentence 1
The advisory applies to all CONUS airports but not to operations in Alaska or Hawaii.
Example Sentence 2
CONUS airports were listed separately on the briefing.