Garmin Pilot icon
Garmin Pilot Review: A Deep Dive for the Serious Aviator

by Garmin DCI

4.7
IOSWeather
If you need a comprehensive tool for flight planning and in-flight navigation, Garmin Pilot is a robust contender. Designed to help pilots of all certification levels, it integrates detailed weather, dynamic moving maps, and airport data into a single workflow. This app serves as a powerful electronic flight bag (EFB) solution that prioritizes actionable aeronautical information.

Detailed Review

Garmin Pilot positions itself as a professional-grade electronic flight bag application for iOS, aimed primarily at general aviation and professional pilots. Unlike consumer-grade weather or navigation apps, it functions as a certified tool that integrates directly with Garmin avionics panels and supports rigorous pre-flight and in-flight decision-making. Its core purpose is to consolidate critical flight data—from weather briefings to IFR charts—into a portable, interactive format, reducing reliance on paper and standalone devices in the cockpit. The application's functionality is built around several core modules. The pre-flight planning suite allows pilots to create detailed routes, automatically calculating fuel burn, weight and balance, and airspace restrictions. Its most significant feature is the depth of integrated weather data, pulling from sources like NEXRAD, METARs, TAFs, and winds aloft to present a holistic picture of en-route and destination conditions. During flight, the app provides a dynamic moving map with own-ship position, overlaying weather radar, terrain, and traffic (when connected to compatible hardware). Support for geo-referenced FAA charts, including IFR en-route and approach plates, is a critical feature for instrument-rated pilots conducting complex procedures. In real-world use, the interface is dense with information but logically organized for cockpit efficiency. Pilots can quickly switch between the map view, an interactive flight plan log, and weather briefings with a few taps. The ability to sync flight plans wirelessly to compatible Garmin avionics is a notable time-saver, eliminating manual data entry. For a VFR pilot on a cross-country trip, the visual representation of airspace and real-time weather overlay provides enhanced situational awareness. For an IFR pilot being vectored in marginal weather, having immediate access to the approach plate for the assigned runway is invaluable. However, the sheer volume of data and menu options presents a steep initial learning curve, requiring significant familiarization on the ground. As a relatively mature application in the aviation space, user feedback consistently highlights its reliability and data depth. Reviews indicate high satisfaction with the accuracy and presentation of meteorological information, which is often cited as superior to other EFB options. The seamless integration with Garmin's ecosystem of hardware, from portable GPS units to panel-mounted displays, is another frequently praised strength. Some critical feedback points to the subscription cost being a barrier for casual private pilots, and occasional mentions of the interface feeling cluttered on smaller iPhone screens compared to full-sized iPads. Overall, Garmin Pilot delivers a highly capable and professional aviation toolkit. Its primary strength lies in its authoritative data integration and robust hardware connectivity, making it a logical choice for pilots already invested in the Garmin ecosystem or those requiring deep weather analysis. The main limitations involve cost and complexity; it is arguably overkill for a student pilot's first solo but becomes an essential asset for any pilot regularly filing IFR flight plans or operating in environments where weather decisions are critical. It is a specialist tool that excels within its intended domain.

Key Features

  • Integrated Weather Overlay: Displays real-time NEXRAD radar, METARs, TAFs, and winds aloft directly on the moving map, enabling visual assessment of conditions along the route.
  • Interactive IFR/VFR Charts: Provides geo-referenced FAA terminal procedures and en-route charts, with own-ship position shown directly on the approach plate for situational awareness.
  • Flight Planning & Sync: Creates detailed flight plans with fuel/weight calculations and allows wireless transfer of the plan to compatible Garmin avionics in the aircraft panel.
  • Dynamic Moving Map: Shows aircraft position, terrain, airspace boundaries, and weather with traffic overlay when connected to a compatible ADS-B receiver or Garmin hardware.
  • Airport Directory & Tools: Includes comprehensive airport data (runways, frequencies, services) with tools like an interactive runway analysis calculator for performance planning.

Why Users Love It

Unmatched weather data depth and integration
Seamless sync with Garmin cockpit avionics

Perfect for: This app is perfect for active general aviation and professional pilots who require integrated weather, charting, and flight planning in a certified EFB.

Screenshots

Garmin Pilot screenshot 1Garmin Pilot screenshot 2Garmin Pilot screenshot 3Garmin Pilot screenshot 4Garmin Pilot screenshot 5Garmin Pilot screenshot 6

Ranking History

Track Garmin Pilot's performance in Weather over the last 30 days

Top 5
Top 10
Top 15
Below 15

Current Rank

#37

Best Rank

#37

All-time high

Average Rank

#37

30-day average

User Reviews

Gary L.E.
Feb 8, 2023

Garmin keeps coming up with new features for this program and generally it is bug free. The only downside is that it has gotten so complex that that needs high end iPad with a fast processor to make it run efficiently. Great Program - How Did I Ever Fly Without It! Garmin keeps coming up with new features for this program and generally it is bug free. The only downside is that it has gotten so complex that that needs high end iPad with a fast processor to make it run efficiently.

Daniel_Romero_RW
Feb 22, 2024

I love and prefer Garmin Pilot over the other options, but we need more , come one is not difficult and is important for the Pilots, Apple Watch App , Passenger App for flight following , Google maps integration with user waypoints and information, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!! Love this app , But!!! I love and prefer Garmin Pilot over the other options, but we need more , come one is not difficult and is important for the Pilots, Apple Watch App , Passenger App for flight following , Google maps integration with user waypoints and information, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!

Commodorr60
Dec 7, 2023

Such a help. It’s like another pilot on board Fantastic Such a help. It’s like another pilot on board

Eric Snouffer
Jul 28, 2023

I’ve been using the app on my iPad for years. Always reliable and the support is excellent. The support team is eager to listen to suggestions and is very approachable at airventure. Garmin Pilot is awesome I’ve been using the app on my iPad for years. Always reliable and the support is excellent. The support team is eager to listen to suggestions and is very approachable at airventure.

jsdnfgkjnasg;lkansdg
Mar 21, 2023

Great app, my school provides subscriptions for free which has really enhanced my training. The only thing I wish is that we could insert into the Chart books/section the respective airport's Chart Supplement page and the Cold Temperature Correction page/table. Those items are critical when flying instrument and preparing the approach, and being unable to have access to those documents within Garmin and in the same section as the Charts is an issue/hindrance I would be quite concerned about if I were to rely on GarminPilot when I actually am working as a commercial pilot one day. Great App, Minor things I wish we could add Great app, my school provides subscriptions for free which has really enhanced my training. The only thing I wish is that we could insert into the Chart books/section the respective airport's Chart Supplement page and the Cold Temperature Correction page/table. Those items are critical when flying instrument and preparing the approach, and being unable to have access to those documents within Garmin and in the same section as the Charts is an issue/hindrance I would be quite concerned about if I were to rely on GarminPilot when I actually am working as a commercial pilot one day.

App Details

Developer

Garmin DCI

Platform

ios

Rating

4.7

Last Updated

1/16/2026