Currently there are generally considered to be nine freedoms of the air . Although these operations are called "freedoms", they are not necessarily available to an airline. Most nations of the world exchange first and second freedoms through the International Air Services Transit Agreement. The other freedoms, to the extent that they are available, are usually exchanged between countries in bilateral or multilateral air services agreements. The eighth and nineth freedoms (cabotage) have been exchanged only in limited instances. (U.S. law currently prohibits cabotage operations.) In addition, airlines are often required to have an operating license to exercise the rights that are available.

First Freedom
The right to fly across the territory of a foreign country. without landing (e.g. United Airlines flies from the United States (A) over Ireland (B) en route to Germany.)

Second Freedom
The right to land in a foreign country for technical or non-traffic purposes, such as for re-fueling or maintenance. (e.g. American Airlines flies from the United States (A) and lands to refuel in Ireland (B) enroute to Germany.)

Third Freedom
The right to deplane traffic in a foreign country that was enplaned in the home country of the carrier. (e.g. United Airlines carries passengers from the United States (A) to France (B).)

Fourth Freedom
The right to enplane traffic in the foreign country that is bound for the home country of the carrier. (e.g. American Airlines carries passengers from the United Kingdom (B) to the United States (A).)

Fifth Freedom
The right to enplane traffic at one foreign point and deplane it in another foreign point as part of continuous operation also serving the airline's homeland (e.g. Northwest Airlines has "fifth freedom" rights to carry traffic between Tokyo (B) and Hong Kong (C), on services which stop at Tokyo (B) en route between Los Angeles (A) and Hong Kong (C).

Sixth Freedom
This term is applied to Fifth Freedom traffic carried from a point of origin in one foreign country to a point of destination in another foreign country via the home country of the airline. (e.g. KLM, carries sixth-freedom traffic between New York (A) and Cairo (C), carrying passengers traveling from New York (A) to Amsterdam (B) and on to Cairo (C).)

Seventh Freedom
This term is applied to an airline's operating turn around service and carrying traffic between points in two foreign countries without serving its home country (e.g., Lufthansa operates between New York (A) and Mexico City (C) without serving Germany (B)).

Eighth Freedom
This term is used to refer to "consecutive or fill-up" cabotage in which an airline picks up traffic at one point in a foreign country and deplanes it at another point in that same foreign country as part of a service from the home country of the airline (e.g., Singapore Airlines enplanes traffic at Wellington (A) and deplanes it in Aukland (B) as part of its service between New Zealand and Singapore (C))..

Ninth Freedom
This term is used to refer to "pure" cabotage in which an airline of one country operates flights and carries traffic solely between two points in a foreign country (e.g., Air France operates flights between Berlin (A) and Frankfurt (B))