Tap the button, type a place, or tap the map.
Boundaries: the FAA’s published lower-altitude center boundaries (FAA ADDS public data), simplified for display. High-altitude boundaries differ slightly. Not for navigation.
The lower 48 states are divided among 20 air route traffic control centers, often called “Center” or ARTCCs. Each one handles flights cruising over a huge area, often several states. Alaska has its own center in Anchorage, and Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Guam are covered by combined facilities. Tap the map or enter a place to see which center is watching the sky over you, then thank its controllers.
What an air route traffic control center does
Centers handle airplanes between airports: climbing out, cruising across the country and starting the descent. Controllers there work from radar rooms, often far from any airport, and each center’s airspace is split into dozens of sectors stacked by altitude. Your flight usually talks to a tower, then an approach control, then one or more centers, then another approach control and tower on the way down.
All 20 centers and the states they cover
| Albuquerque Center (ZAB) | most of New Mexico and Arizona, plus parts of Texas |
| Atlanta Center (ZTL) | most of Alabama and Georgia, plus parts of North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina and Virginia |
| Boston Center (ZBW) | most of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine and New York |
| Chicago Center (ZAU) | parts of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan |
| Cleveland Center (ZOB) | most of Pennsylvania, plus parts of Ohio, Michigan, New York, West Virginia and Maryland |
| Denver Center (ZDV) | most of Colorado and Nebraska, plus parts of Wyoming, South Dakota, Kansas, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico |
| Fort Worth Center (ZFW) | most of Oklahoma, plus parts of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas |
| Houston Center (ZHU) | most of Louisiana, plus parts of Texas, Mississippi and Alabama |
| Indianapolis Center (ZID) | most of Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio, plus parts of West Virginia and Illinois |
| Jacksonville Center (ZJX) | most of South Carolina and Florida, plus parts of Georgia and Alabama |
| Kansas City Center (ZKC) | most of Missouri and Kansas, plus parts of Illinois and Oklahoma |
| Los Angeles Center (ZLA) | parts of California, Arizona and Nevada |
| Memphis Center (ZME) | most of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee, plus parts of Kentucky, Alabama, Missouri and Oklahoma |
| Miami Center (ZMA) | parts of Florida |
| Minneapolis Center (ZMP) | most of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan, plus parts of Nebraska |
| New York Center (ZNY) | most of New Jersey, plus parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland and New York |
| Oakland Center (ZOA) | parts of California and Nevada |
| Salt Lake City Center (ZLC) | most of Montana, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and Nevada, plus parts of Oregon and North Dakota |
| Seattle Center (ZSE) | most of Washington and Oregon, plus parts of Idaho and California |
| Washington Center (ZDC) | most of Delaware, District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina, plus parts of West Virginia and New Jersey |
Outside the lower 48: Anchorage Center (ZAN) · Honolulu Control Facility (ZHN) · San Juan CERAP (ZSU) · Guam CERAP (ZUA)
Thank your center
Center controllers rarely get thanked: passengers never see them, and many people don’t know they exist. Every center has its own free thank-you wall here. Pick yours above and leave a note. It takes 30 seconds.
Common questions
Which air traffic control center am I in?
Tap “Which center am I in?” or enter a ZIP code, city or airport on this page. The map shows all 20 FAA air route traffic control centers over the lower 48 states and highlights the one above you.
How many air traffic control centers are there in the U.S.?
The FAA runs 21 air route traffic control centers: 20 covering the lower 48 states and one in Anchorage, Alaska. Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Guam are covered by combined facilities that do the same job.
What is an ARTCC?
An air route traffic control center (ARTCC), usually just called “Center,” handles flights between airports, mostly while they climb, cruise and begin to descend. Each center covers a large area, often several states, split into dozens of sectors.
What’s the difference between a center, a TRACON and a tower?
A tower handles takeoffs, landings and ground movement at one airport. A TRACON (approach control) handles flights climbing out of and descending into the airports in a metro area, usually within about 30 to 50 miles. A center handles everything in between.
Can I thank the controllers at my center?
Yes. Every center has its own free thank-you wall on Thank ATC. Find yours on the map and leave a note. It takes about 30 seconds and needs no sign-up.