Garmin has expanded SmartCharts availability for Garmin Pilot Premium subscribers to Canada and Mexico, on both web and Apple mobile platforms. If you are a diehard Android user, this is another update that leaves you behind. The feature, first introduced in the United States and the Bahamas in May 2025, filters approach and departure charts down to only the data relevant to a pilot’s selected aircraft type, transition fix, and runway, stripping out extraneous information from standard terminal arrivals and standard instrument departures.
Pilots operating in the newly added regions also gain access to Continuous Descent Final Approach (CDFA) path guidance on the vertical profile view for non-precision approaches, along with cold weather corrections for temperature-restricted airports in Canada and the United States. Garmin also added a missed approach climb gradient table to approach charts and climb gradient values to departure charts in this release.
SmartCharts is included with Garmin Pilot Premium subscriptions covering the United States, Canada, or Latin America. The update is live now on Garmin Pilot Web; mobile users can update to version 26.8 through the App Store.
With winter flying season rapidly approaching, the timing of cold weather corrections for temperature-restricted airports could not be better. Missed approach and departure climb gradients are also a great addition and useful to both the IFR and VFR pilot, especially when flying in mountainous terrain.
One thing we need to mention is about approaches in general, but also CDFA. Once past minimums, you are technically in a visual segment from that point to the runway.
Following a magenta path both laterally and vertically from minimums to the runway does not guarantee a safe path. In most circumstances it will be just fine, but the criteria piece behind the construction of approaches does not provide any guarantees after minimums is reached. I like the situational awareness of this vertical profile, but it has to come with a note of caution to be looking outside of the flight deck for obstacles and hand-flying the aircraft.
I’m still waiting for Garmin to add Smart Charts to Android. I hope they add it in the near feature, because they seem to be letting Android languish.
I’m also still waiting for Garmin to not have it default to Category B, and to save what category I select. And they still haven’t fixed the bug where it asks if I want to reset my selections, but no matter what I select, it always resets my selections.
Waiting with you, Gary. It’s sad they’ve added smart charts for other countries before adding them to the Android version. Still waiting on adsb support too. But it’s okay, Garmin is happy to charge Android users the same as iOS users for the limited and bug ridden feature set… Ugh.
My airplane is in need of a panel upgrade, and my experimental will soon be at the point of needing an entire IFR panel. These decisions by Garmin means they won’t be getting that ~$75k from me.