Definition
A Preferential Departure and Arrival Route (PDRR) is a route established by Air Traffic Control between two specified airports that is used for both departure and arrival traffic. It is one type of preferential route used by ARTCCs (Air Route Traffic Control Centers) to manage traffic flow efficiently between busy terminals.
Plain English
It is a standard route that ATC uses both for flights leaving one airport and for flights arriving at another, when those two airports are commonly connected. Using the same route in both directions makes traffic easier to manage.
Context Anchor
You may see PDRR in clearance delivery, flight planning, or air traffic control messaging before an instrument departure.
Why Pilots Care
Using a preferred route can save time, reduce fuel burn, or avoid weather, but it must be approved by ATC before departure.
Intuition Check
Do not assume a PDRR is an in-flight route change. It is a reroute issued before departure.
Example Sentence 1
When filing IFR from the regional airport to the major hub, the dispatcher used the published PDRR to avoid a clearance amendment.
Example Sentence 2
After receiving the PDRR approval, the crew reprogrammed the FMS and taxied to the runway.