IFR Enroute High Altitude Charts

FAA IFR enroute high altitude charts for flight at or above 18,000 ft MSL

IFR enroute high altitude charts are the FAA navigation charts you fly in Class A airspace, from 18,000 ft MSL up through FL600. They plot the jet route and high-altitude RNAV (Q) route structure, VOR and VORTAC NAVAIDs with frequencies, selected airports, mileages, time zones, and special-use airspace. Pilot Mall stocks the full conterminous U.S. high altitude set, current to the latest FAA 56-day cycle, so you always launch with the edition you are required to carry. Free U.S. shipping over $100.

How to choose the right high altitude chart

The conterminous United States is covered by six high-altitude chart pairs, numbered H1/2 through H11/12. Each pair covers a band of the country, so you pick by the region your route crosses rather than buying the whole set. Match your chart to where you fly:

H1/2: western United States coverage band.
H3/4: south-central and southwestern coverage band.
H5/6: north-central coverage band.
H7/8: central and south-central coverage band.
H9/10: northeastern coverage band.
H11/12: southeastern coverage band.

Flying below 18,000 ft MSL on Victor airways instead? You need the IFR enroute low altitude charts. Pair your enroute charts with IFR terminal procedures and approach plates for the full instrument flight workflow, and browse the complete FAA charts hub for everything else in the cockpit. Headed north? See Alaska charts for high-latitude coverage.

What IFR enroute high altitude charts are and who needs them

An IFR enroute high altitude chart is the FAA chart you navigate by when operating at or above 18,000 ft MSL, which is the floor of Class A airspace and the home of the jet route system. Below 18,000 ft MSL you switch to low altitude charts and their Victor airways; above it, these are the only enroute charts approved for Class A operations. The high altitude chart deliberately leaves out the low-level airway clutter so the structure you actually fly in the flight levels reads cleanly. Jet pilots, turboprop crews climbing into the flight levels, and instrument-rated pilots planning high-altitude routings all carry these charts.

High altitude chart coverage by region

Chart pair	General coverage band	Use it for
FAA H1/2 IFR Enroute High Altitude	Western U.S.	High-altitude routings across the western states
FAA H3/4 IFR Enroute High Altitude	South-central and southwest	Jet routes through the lower-central and southwest
FAA H5/6 IFR Enroute High Altitude	North-central U.S.	High-altitude flight across the upper Midwest
FAA H7/8 IFR Enroute High Altitude	Central and south-central	Routings through the nation's central corridor
FAA H9/10 IFR Enroute High Altitude	Northeastern U.S.	Dense jet route structure of the Northeast
FAA H11/12 IFR Enroute High Altitude	Southeastern U.S.	High-altitude flight across the Southeast

The six pairs together cover the conterminous United States. Use the FAA coverage index to confirm which chart your route falls on, since some routings cross the seam between two charts and call for both. Looking for area or terminal-area low charts instead? The IFR enroute low altitude charts collection holds the Victor-airway and area charts for flight below 18,000 ft MSL.

How to choose and order your charts

Start with your route, not the whole country. Plot your planned flight on the FAA coverage index, count how many bands it crosses, and order only those pairs. Crews flying a consistent region carry one or two pairs; pilots who range coast to coast may keep more on hand. Because these are 56-day FAA cycle charts, always fly the current edition and replace each pair when a new cycle is published. Round out the rest of the flight bag once your enroute charts are set: add IFR terminal procedures publications for departures, arrivals, and approaches, keep current Chart Supplements aboard, and stock plotters and nav tools from cockpit supplies. For the VFR side, see VFR sectional charts and FAA VFR publications.

Why buy your FAA charts from Pilot Mall

Genuine FAA AeroNav products: every chart is an official FAA-published edition, not a reprint.
Current cycle stock: we carry the latest 56-day cycle so you fly the edition you are required to carry.
Aviation only: we sell pilot gear and nothing else, so our team knows charts, cycles, and coverage.
Trusted for 25-plus years: thousands of pilots rely on Pilot Mall for charts and cockpit equipment.
Free U.S. shipping over $100: stock up on the charts your routes need and ship free.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an IFR enroute high altitude chart?

An IFR enroute high altitude chart is an FAA navigation chart used for flight at or above 18,000 ft MSL in Class A airspace. It maps the jet route and high-altitude RNAV system pilots fly in the flight levels, leaving off the low-level Victor airways so only the high-altitude route structure remains.

What is the difference between high altitude and low altitude enroute charts?

High altitude charts cover flight at or above 18,000 ft MSL and show jet routes and high-altitude RNAV routes. Low altitude charts cover flight below 18,000 ft MSL and show Victor airways. Most pilots flying in the flight levels carry high altitude charts; those operating down low use the low altitude set.

At what altitude do you use a high altitude enroute chart?

You use a high altitude enroute chart when navigating at or above 18,000 ft MSL, the floor of Class A airspace. That range runs from FL180 up to FL600 and is where the jet route system and high-altitude RNAV routes are flown, so any IFR flight climbing into the flight levels needs one.

How many IFR enroute high altitude charts cover the United States?

Six chart pairs, numbered H1/2 through H11/12, cover the conterminous United States. Rather than buy all six, plot your route on the FAA coverage index and order only the pairs your flight crosses. Alaska is covered separately by its own high-altitude charts.

What are jet routes on a high altitude enroute chart?

Jet routes are the published airways flown at or above 18,000 ft MSL, up to FL450. They are established using VOR and VORTAC NAVAIDs spaced not more than 260 nautical miles apart and are identified with a J prefix, forming the backbone of the high-altitude route structure these charts depict.

How often are FAA IFR enroute high altitude charts updated?

FAA IFR enroute high altitude charts are revised on the standard 56-day chart cycle. Each new edition supersedes the prior one, and pilots are required to navigate with the current edition, so replace your charts each cycle to keep your cockpit legal and accurate.