Definition
A VFR corridor is a defined airspace passage that extends through Class B airspace, with specific vertical and lateral boundaries, allowing aircraft to transit the area under visual flight rules without an ATC clearance and without establishing communication with ATC.
Plain English
It's a marked 'tunnel' of regular airspace cut through the middle of busy Class B airspace, so VFR pilots can fly straight through without having to talk to air traffic control or get permission.
Context Anchor
Seen on VFR charts and in chart supplements for busy airport areas where published VFR routes help pilots pass through or around complex airspace.
Derivation
“Corridor” originally means a passageway, like a hallway. That fits the aviation meaning: a VFR corridor is a defined passage through airspace, not a general open area.
Why Pilots Care
It provides a safe, predictable way for VFR pilots to cross otherwise restricted airspace around busy airports without the workload of an IFR clearance.
Analogy
Think of Class B airspace as a controlled building you normally need a pass to enter. A VFR corridor is a public hallway cut through the middle of it -- you can walk through freely, but you have to stay in the hallway.
Intuition Check
Do not read “corridor” as just any commonly used path. In this context, it means a published airspace passage with specific boundaries and altitudes.
Example Sentence 1
Rather than request a Class B clearance, the pilot planned the flight through the VFR corridor and monitored the common traffic frequency while transiting.
Example Sentence 2
Before departure the student reviewed the sectional chart to locate the VFR corridor that would allow a direct route past the busy airport.