Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 202
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Airspace Structure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
South of VXV; ATC cleared us direct to BUGME. The problem is both the First Officer and I thought we heard BKW (Beckley). Both these fixes arguably sound the same. We even read back; 'Company flight number; direct Beckley.' We then line selected BKW on the FMC and executed it. Approximately one to two minutes later; Center asked us where we were going; and said; 'Your course was way right of direct to BUGME. Turn to 360 and proceed direct BUGME; flight planned route.' We re-input BUGME and proceeded direct; then flight planned route. I'm not sure what we could have done differently. Both of us thought we heard 'Beckley.' We even read it back as Beckley. ATC is in my understanding required to correct us. But; we thought we were doing as instructed.
[Narrative 2 had no additional information]
A flight crew heard an ATC clearance to Beckley (BKW) but BUGME; 130 NM away on J91; was intended.