skyway

skyway — noun

1. A skyway is a planned route through the air that planes travel along to reach di

1.nounB1
Definition

A skyway is a planned route through the air that planes travel along to reach different airports, much like a highway system above the ground.

Example

The pilot guided the plane along the busy skyway between London and Paris.

collocation: along the skyway

Air traffic controllers monitor every aircraft that enters their assigned skyway.

collocation: assigned skyway

Common collocations
  • along the skyway
  • assigned skyway
  • busy skyway
  • northern skyway
  • close the skyway
  • enter a skyway
Synonyms
  • air lane

    very similar but less common; more technical in aviation charts

  • flight path

    more general term used both by professionals and ordinary people

  • air corridor

    suggests a restricted or controlled zone, often used in military contexts

Grammar Patterns

fly along a skyway

the [adjective] skyway

skyway between [places]

Usage Note

This sense is most common in technical or professional aviation contexts. In everyday speech, people usually say 'flight path' or 'air route' instead of 'skyway'.

Common Mistakes

The birds followed the skyway south for winter.
The birds followed the migration route south for winter.
'skyway' refers specifically to planned aircraft routes, not natural paths used by birds.

2. A skyway is a road or bridge that is built high above the ground on tall support

2.nounB1
Definition

A skyway is a road or bridge that is built high above the ground on tall supports, allowing cars and trucks to travel without crossing city streets at ground level.

Example

The Chicago Skyway carries thousands of commuters into the city every morning.

capitalised as proper noun: Chicago Skyway

Drivers on the skyway enjoyed a clear view of the harbour as they crossed the bridge.

Common collocations
  • elevated skyway
  • drive on the skyway
  • build a skyway
  • close the skyway
  • skyway system
  • aging skyway
Synonyms
  • elevated road

    more general and descriptive; used in many English-speaking regions

  • viaduct

    a bridge-like structure with multiple arches, often for trains as well as cars

  • flyover

    chiefly British; refers to a road that crosses over another road

Grammar Patterns

drive on a/the skyway

build a skyway

skyway system

Usage Note

Often capitalised when part of a specific road's official name, such as the Chicago Skyway or the Detroit Skyway. This sense is chiefly American; in the UK, 'elevated motorway' or 'flyover' is more common.

Common Mistakes

The skyway connects the two buildings on the fourth floor.
The skyway takes cars over the city streets below.
a skyway in this sense is for vehicles, not pedestrians; sense 3 covers the pedestrian walkway.

3. A skyway is a covered walkway built high above the ground that connects two or m

3.nounB2
Definition

A skyway is a covered walkway built high above the ground that connects two or more buildings, so people can move between them without going outside or crossing streets.

Example

The hospital and the parking garage are linked by a glass skyway on the third floor.

collocation: linked by a skyway

Vikram walked through the climate-controlled skyway to get from his office to the bank.

Common collocations
  • glass skyway
  • skyway system
  • use the skyway
  • connected by a skyway
  • climate-controlled skyway
  • walk through the skyway
Synonyms
  • skywalk

    nearly identical meaning; 'skywalk' may be more common in tourist areas like the Grand Canyon

  • pedestrian bridge

    more general; can be outdoors or indoors, at any height

  • elevated walkway

    descriptive term for any walkway raised above ground level

Grammar Patterns

use the skyway

walk through the skyway

skyway connecting [building A] and [building B]

Usage Note

This sense is most common in North American cities with cold winters, where enclosed overhead walkways let pedestrians move between buildings without going outside. In other regions, people more often say 'footbridge', 'pedestrian bridge', or 'elevated walkway'.

Common Mistakes

I took the skyway to cross the river.
I took the skyway from the hotel lobby to the shopping mall.
a skyway connects buildings, not opposite sides of a river or valley.

Word family

  • sky
    nounA1
  • way
    nounA1
  • skywalk
    nounC1
  • skywalking
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Skyway', 'air lane', 'flight path', 'air corridor', and 'airway' all refer to routes in the sky used by aircraft, but they differ in context and formality. 'Skyway' is less common than the others and has a slightly more poetic or technical feel — you might see it on aviation charts but rarely hear it in everyday conversation. 'Air lane' is its closest synonym, used mainly in official air-traffic documents. 'Flight path' is by far the most general and widely understood term, suitable for both professional and casual use. 'Air corridor' implies a restricted zone, often controlled by the military or an international agreement. 'Airway' is a standard term in aviation for a formally designated route with navigational aids. For example, a pilot might say 'we are flying along airway J80', while a passenger might ask 'what is our flight path today?', and a news report might mention 'planes were rerouted through a different air corridor due to military exercises'.

air laneflight path ↗air corridorairway ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • skyway system
  • skyway route

Phrases

  • build a skyway
  • close the skyway
  • use the skyway
  • connect by skyway

Prepositions

  • along the skyway
  • on the skyway
  • through the skyway
  • between [places]

Etymology

Old NorseOld EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining 'sky' (from Old Norse 'ský', meaning cloud or heaven) with 'way' (from Old English 'weg', meaning path or road). The word was first used in the early 1900s to describe air routes for planes, and later extended to elevated roads and pedestrian walkways.