What is the aviation term for an airline network centered on connecting hubs?

The aviation term for an airline network centered on connecting hubs is a hub-and-spoke system.

In this model, a hub airport acts as the central connecting point, while routes to smaller or regional airports form the spokes. Passengers from several origins can be combined onto larger flights between hubs, allowing an airline to serve more city pairs than direct routes alone would support.

Major network airlines use scheduled connection banks, in which many flights arrive and depart within coordinated time windows. This design can improve aircraft utilization and increase the number of connections available to passengers.

The alternative point-to-point model emphasizes direct flights between city pairs. In practice, airlines can combine both approaches, so the terms describe network structures rather than mutually exclusive airline types.