What concept uses time dilation to enable travel to distant planets?

The concept that uses time dilation to enable travel to distant planets is associated with time travel. In the realm of theoretical physics, time dilation occurs as a result of the effects of relativistic speeds, as described by Einstein's theory of special relativity. As an object approaches the speed of light, time for that object slows down relative to an observer at rest. This means that while a traveler might experience only a short duration of time on their journey, much more time may elapse for those remaining on Earth.

This principle is often explored in science fiction narratives and theoretical discussions about how humans might travel to distant stars or planets. By leveraging the effects of time dilation, one could theoretically make such journeys more feasible from a temporal perspective, allowing one to potentially leave Earth, travel immense distances, and return without aging as much as those who stayed behind.

While space travel and concepts like quantum leap and chrono-navigation relate to movement through space and time, they do not specifically involve the relativistic effects that time dilation entails. Thus, the most relevant option that encapsulates the use of time dilation for interstellar travel is time travel.