A cross-country solo flight must consist of: Flight of 50 nautical miles total point to point distance from the departure airport to another airport. There is also a long cross country required that must be: flight of 150 nautical miles total distance.

In the eyes of the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), "Solo Cross Country Time" is a specific type of flight time required for pilot certification that meets three criteria: you must be the sole occupant of the aircraft, the flight must include a landing at a point other than the point of departure, and—most importantly—that landing point must be at least a certain distance away. For a Private Pilot Certificate, the "cross country" portion must involve a landing at an airport that is more than 50 nautical miles (NM) straight-line distance from your original takeoff airport. If you fly to an airport 45 NM away and land, it counts as "Solo" and "Cross Country" for your total logs, but it does not count toward the specific "5 hours of solo cross-country" requirement for the Private Pilot checkride. In 2026, students must be careful to log these "50 NM+" flights precisely. For other ratings like "Sport Pilot," the distance requirement is lower (usually 25 NM), but for the standard Private Pilot license, the "50 NM" rule is the gold standard for what counts as a qualifying cross-country leg.