When is a flight plan automatically closed upon landing?

The closure of a flight plan upon landing is an important aspect of air traffic management, particularly when flying into an airport with a functioning control tower. When an aircraft lands at such an airport, the air traffic control (ATC) takes responsibility for the flight following established protocols.

ATC operations at towered airports include monitoring arrivals and ensuring safety on the ground. Once the aircraft has landed and communicated with the tower, the flight plan is automatically closed by the system. This is because the presence of a control tower means there are dedicated personnel managing the airspace and arriving aircraft, who ensure that the flight has completed its planned route.

In contrast, if a flight were to land somewhere without a control tower, such as a non-towered airport, the pilot would need to cancel the flight plan manually to formally close it. Similarly, cruising altitude and exceeding estimated time of arrival are related to flight operations but do not serve as triggers for automatic closure of a flight plan upon landing. Understanding this process highlights the role of ATC in maintaining organized air traffic, especially at airports equipped with control towers.