The aortic arch, arch of the aorta or the transverse aortic arch is the part of the aorta between the ascending and descending aorta. The arch travels backward, so that it ultimately runs to the left of the trachea.

The cerebral arterial blood supply is derived from the aortic arch through three major vessels: the innominate brachiocephalic artery, the left common carotid artery (CCA), and the left subclavian artery.