Small Transport
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Situational Awareness; Troubleshooting; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
General None Reported / Taken
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Chart Or Publication
Our flight departed from ZZZ enroute to EWY. Clearance was issued as follows: 'CLEARED TO EYW AIRPORT [via SID] FLY TOWER ASSIGNED HEADING THEN AS FILED MAINT 3000FT (ZZZ..ZZZZZ..MTH..EYW..KEYW)'. Established level at our cruise altitude of 14;000 ft. and on our cleared route we were handed off to MIA Center (ZMA). ZMA cleared us Direct to EYW and we proceeded on the new route. During our descent ZMA issued the cross a fix not on our route at 10;000 ft. We believed we heard GINGA as the controller pronunciation had the hard G sound. Looking at the chart the closest intersection with this sound was GIGIH. However; as we now know the fix was JANKA to the South. We requested clarification of the intersection 4 times from ZMA and received no response. Believing the clearance was to a GIGIH we started out turn to the West and continued our decent to meet the restriction. ZMA asked if we wanted to arrive from the North to EYW and we responded we had no preference. ZMA then issued at turn to heading 180 and we continued our descent to 10;000 ft. ZMA handed us off to Navy Key West Approach and the flight continued without incident. Upon landing and researching the charts in more detail we discovered the similar sounding intersections of GIGIH and JANKA in the EYW area; neither of which were on our flight plan. It is my opinion no violations occurred; and all altitude restriction were accomplished as published; however; the Safety of Flight is highest priority at our company and the crew felt this issue should be submitted as an ASAP report to further pilot education and professionalism. Similar sounding intersection names not on our flight plan. Controller pronunciation and being unable to confirm the waypoint.The ability to confirm the proper waypoint spelling with ATC.
Small Transport Captain reported a track deviation due similar sounding waypoint names located in the same area.