An approach path is a space in the air leading toward an airport runway, where pilots are directed to fly (and possibly to line up with other planes) on the way down to the ground. The actual space of an approach path generally gets narrower and lower the closer it gets to the runway.

The corridor follows aircraft toward the runway during descent. Its usual narrowing and lowering extent relates to decreasing distance from the landing point.

A departure path leads outward at the start of a flight. Approach and departure describe opposite phases of movement through the airport's surrounding airspace.