What Is Airport Slot? Definition & Meaning in Aviation
An airport slot is permission for an airline to land or take off at a particular airport at a particular time.
In plain language
At busy, capacity-limited airports slots are allocated in advance, and an airline that does not use them risks losing them. Where there are no formal limits, air traffic control still sequences flights.
Example
Large hub airports around the world need slots because their runways can only handle a limited number of movements per hour.
Why it matters
Slots limit how many flights an airport can handle. Where they apply, an airline cannot simply add flights, which is one reason extra capacity is hard to find in peak seasons.