Under what circumstance must you include the destination airport in an approach clearance?

Including the destination airport in an approach clearance is particularly important at airports without a control tower. This is because, in a non-towered environment, the communication and coordination necessary for approaching, landing, and taxiing are typically more challenging and require clear identification. The absence of a control tower means there is no centralized authority to manage the arrival and departure of aircraft, which makes it essential for pilots to communicate their intentions and destination clearly to maintain situational awareness and avoid confusion with other pilots in the vicinity.

In contrast, during IFR departures, clearances from controlled environments typically include only the initial departure information, and controllers will handle the routing after takeoff. Similarly, flying above 10,000 feet does not necessitate including the destination airport in clearance since pilots usually receive instructions relevant to their current altitude and routing rather than specific destination identification. For all VFR flights, while it’s good practice to state position reports, the necessity of including a destination airport in approach clearances is not universally required as it is in the case of non-towered airports. Therefore, the context of operations at non-towered airports makes it essential to include the destination for clarity and safety.