# Airline management game glossary: hubs, claims, XP and more

> A plain-language glossary for airline manager terms used across Flyorian pages: hub, claim, fuel, A-check, alliance points and more.

Intent: glossary
Published: 2026-10-21
Locale: en

Airline management pages throw around hub, claim, lease and XP as if every reader already lives in the genre. This glossary owns definitions only — product fantasies stay on keyword pillars, click-paths on [how to play](/how-to-play), and live rules numbers on [docs](/docs).

Use it when a pillar or FAQ links a term and you want a stable URL. It is not a strategy guide and not a systems dump.

## Hub

Your home airport on the world map. Hangars, gates, runway class and facilities grow here. Distinct from the whole network of destinations you serve.

## Claim

Collecting the payout after a flight lands: cash, materials and airline XP. Flights can wait ready to claim while you are offline.

## Lease vs buy

Lease = deposit + daily rate for a term. Buy = full ownership cost upfront. Used market listings are discounted ownership. Strategy depth lives in the [lease vs buy guide](/blog/lease-vs-buy-aircraft).

## Materials, XP, prestige

Materials fund densification and many hub builds. XP levels the airline and unlocks range and airframes. Prestige from strong claims buys permanent perks — separate from cash.

## A-check / condition

Periodic home-base maintenance. Low condition burns more fuel and earns less until restored in the Maintenance Bay.

## Alliance points vs friendship points

Alliance points score claimed kilometres for a shared club and its perks — see [alliances docs](/docs/alliances). Friendship points come from friend visits and streaks — see [friends docs](/docs/friends-and-visits). Neither gates solo unlocks.

## Long-haul

Legs at or above the game’s long-haul distance threshold. They unlock later airframes, burn more planning, and often score alliance bonuses. Stage strategy: [short vs long haul](/blog/short-haul-vs-long-haul-strategy).

## Takeaways

- **Glossary ≠ pillar**: Definitions here; commercial fantasies on /airline-manager, /airline-tycoon, annexes, etc.
- **Glossary ≠ docs**: Docs own live rules and numbers; this page owns vocabulary.

## Next steps

After the terms, pick the page that matches your intent.

- [Understanding the game](/docs/understanding-the-game)
- [How to play](/how-to-play)
- [Airport management](/airport-management-game)
- [All guides](/blog)

## Related guides

- [Airline manager beginner guide: aircraft, routes, cash](/blog/airline-manager-beginner-guide): A practical first-week playbook for any airline manager — fleet choice, route length, fuel discipline and when to grow the hub.
- [Airline hub expansion guide: hangars, facilities and timing](/blog/airline-hub-expansion-guide): Your hub is a capacity machine. Expand it when aircraft are busy — not when the upgrade button is glowing.
- [Lease vs buy aircraft in an airline manager: when each wins](/blog/lease-vs-buy-aircraft): Leasing saves cash now; buying wins when the airframe stays busy. A clear decision frame for airline manager fleets.

## Notes for agents

- Owns glossary / definitions intent only. Do not treat as strategy or systems reference.

## Canonical HTML

- [Airline management game glossary: hubs, claims, XP and more](https://flyorian.com/blog/airline-management-game-glossary)

## Site overview for agents

- [llms.txt](https://flyorian.com/llms.txt)
- [llms-full.txt](https://flyorian.com/llms-full.txt)