The International Day of the Air Traffic Controller is October 20 every year. It marks the founding of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations (IFATCA) on October 20, 1961, and it's a day to thank the controllers who keep flights safely apart around the world.
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Why October 20?
On October 20, 1961, air traffic controller associations from several countries came together to form IFATCA, the international federation that represents controllers worldwide. The anniversary became the International Day of the Air Traffic Controller, a yearly moment to recognize a job most travelers never see.
The job, by the numbers
According to the FAA, its air traffic controllers handle an average of more than 44,000 flights a day across the United States. More than 14,000 FAA controllers work in airport towers, approach control facilities (TRACONs) and en route centers, around the clock, every day of the year.
Six ways to celebrate
1. Leave a note on your facility's thank-you wall
Every U.S. tower, TRACON and center has a free wall on Thank ATC. Search your home airport and write a few kind words. It takes about 30 seconds.
2. Thank every facility from your last flight
Type where you flew from and to, and we'll show the tower, approach control and centers that likely handled your flight. Thank them all at once with one tap.
3. Share a thank-you card
After you post, you get a shareable card with your message. Share it with friends and family so more people know who's behind every safe flight.
4. Pilots: say it on frequency
When the frequency is quiet, a brief "thanks for the help today" when you switch goes a long way. Keep longer thoughts for the wall.
5. Teach someone what controllers do
Watch arrivals from an airport viewing area with your kids, or share how a flight gets handed from controller to controller. Appreciation starts with knowing they're there.
6. Make an optional thank-you donation
If you'd like to do more, you can make a thank-you donation in a facility's honor. It's never required.
Not just one day
Controllers are working every holiday, every storm and every red-eye. The thank-you walls on Thank ATC are open all year, so you can say thanks after any flight, whether it was today or years ago.
Common questions
When is Air Traffic Controller Day?
The International Day of the Air Traffic Controller is October 20 every year. In 2027 it falls on a Wednesday.
Why is it on October 20?
It marks the founding of IFATCA, the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations, on October 20, 1961.
How can I thank an air traffic controller?
Leave a free note on the thank-you wall of the tower, approach control or center that handled your flight. You can find them by airport or by typing your route.
Can I bring gifts or food to an air traffic control facility?
Controllers who work for the FAA are federal employees with strict rules about gifts, so a written thank-you is the simplest way to show appreciation. If you'd like to bring something, contact the facility first.