Plain English Meaning

The airspace over U.S. land — including Hawaii and U.S. territories — and out to 12 nautical miles from the coastline.

Full Definition

Airspace which overlies the continental land mass of the United States plus Hawaii and U.S. possessions. Domestic airspace extends to 12 nautical miles offshore.

Context Anchor

Seen in FAA airspace descriptions, flight planning, and discussions that separate U.S. domestic procedures from procedures used farther offshore or in international areas.

Derivation

Domestic comes from the Latin domesticus, meaning 'belonging to the household.' In aviation it carries the same sense — airspace that belongs to the nation, as opposed to international or oceanic airspace beyond it.