Plan a flight · Mon 6:09 am MDT (12:09 UTC)

Albuquerque International Sunport to Chicago Midway International ABQ → MDW

972 nautical miles (1,119 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 060°, about 049° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 17 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 64-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:26 pm CDT (17:26 UTC). For planning, not a briefing: the legal preflight briefing comes from Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF) or the FAA's own tools. Airlines fly this pair: 892 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The route the straight line, the warnings crossed, restrictions, pilot reports and the airports along the way · click a mark for its words

Green, blue, red and purple airport dots are the flying conditions reported there now (VFR, marginal VFR, IFR, low IFR); grey means no report. Red areas are SIGMETs, orange areas AIRMETs, hatched red areas temporary flight restrictions. Map tiles: OpenFreeMap, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Warnings the route crosses SIGMETs and AIRMETs whose area the line passes through or comes within 25 nm of

AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the first 149 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 30 to 89 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 308 to 824 nm out.

A SIGMET warns of weather hazardous to all aircraft; an AIRMET of weather that matters to small aircraft and to flying without instruments. "From 60 to 180 nm out" is measured along the route from ABQ.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

urgent BE20 at 500 ft, 25 nm southeast, 3:34 am MDT (09:34 UTC): remarks: low-level wind shear 500FT a 10-knot loss of airspeed zkc fd dl. 298 nm along the route, 25 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LBL UUA /OV LBL/TM 0934/FL005/TP BE20/RM LLWS 500FT +/-10KT ZKC FD DL
```
Report
an urgent report filed through LBL
Where
over LBL
Time
09:34 UTC
Height
at 500 ft
Aircraft
BE20
Remarks
low-level wind shear 500FT a 10-knot loss of airspeed zkc fd dl
urgent B763 at 2,000 ft, 29 nm south, 5:57 am MDT (11:57 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 576 nm along the route, 29 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
FOE UUA /OV 130003/TM 1157/FL020/TP B763/WV LLWS
```
Report
an urgent report filed through FOE
Where
wind from 130° at 3 knots
Time
11:57 UTC
Height
at 2,000 ft
Aircraft
B763
Wind
low-level wind shear
CRJ7 at 28,000 ft, 16 nm southeast, 5:25 am MDT (11:25 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: zkc fd dl. 377 nm along the route, 16 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DDC UA /OV DDC090024/TM 1125/FL280/TP CRJ7/TB LGT/RM ZKC FD DL
```
Report
a routine report filed through DDC
Where
24 nm east (090°) of DDC
Time
11:25 UTC
Height
at 28,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ7
Turbulence
light
Remarks
zkc fd dl
PC12 at 22,000 ft, 1 nm northwest, 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): light rime icing, -9 °C, remarks: no icing at FL200 zkcfdc xj. 536 nm along the route, 1 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MHK UA /OV MHK/TM 1200/FL220/TP PC12/TA M09/IC LGT RIME/RM NEG ICING AT FL200 /ZKCFDC XJ
```
Report
a routine report filed through MHK
Where
over MHK
Time
12:00 UTC
Height
at 22,000 ft
Aircraft
PC12
Temperature
−9 °C
Icing
light rime
Remarks
no icing at FL200 zkcfdc xj

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed

The eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 9 forecast points nearest it (ABQ, TCC, AMA, GCK, SLN, MKC, DSM, BRL, JOT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

Height	Average wind	Head- or tailwind	Temperature	Ground speed	Time en route	Arrival
3,500 ft	240° at 38 kt	−38 kt		158 kt	6 h 09 min	1:18 pm CDT (18:18 UTC)
5,500 ft	240° at 30 kt	−30 kt	22 °C	150 kt	6 h 29 min	1:38 pm CDT (18:38 UTC)
7,500 ft	240° at 25 kt	−25 kt	15 °C	145 kt	6 h 42 min	1:51 pm CDT (18:51 UTC)
9,500 ft	240° at 23 kt	−23 kt	11 °C	143 kt	6 h 48 min	1:57 pm CDT (18:57 UTC)
11,500 ft	240° at 24 kt	−24 kt	6 °C	144 kt	6 h 45 min	1:54 pm CDT (18:54 UTC)
13,500 ft	240° at 26 kt	−27 kt	2 °C	147 kt	6 h 37 min	1:46 pm CDT (18:46 UTC)
15,500 ft	240° at 29 kt	−29 kt	-2 °C	149 kt	6 h 31 min	1:40 pm CDT (18:40 UTC)
17,500 ft	240° at 31 kt	−32 kt	-6 °C	152 kt	6 h 24 min	1:33 pm CDT (18:33 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	250° at 32 kt	−32 kt	-7 °C	152 kt	6 h 24 min	1:33 pm CDT (18:33 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	250° at 44 kt	−44 kt	-20 °C	164 kt	5 h 56 min	1:05 pm CDT (18:05 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	250° at 64 kt	−64 kt	-30 °C	184 kt	5 h 17 min	12:26 pm CDT (17:26 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	260° at 65 kt	−63 kt	-37 °C	183 kt	5 h 19 min	12:28 pm CDT (17:28 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	270° at 61 kt	−58 kt	-48 °C	178 kt	5 h 28 min	12:37 pm CDT (17:37 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 UTC; temperatures above 24,000 ft are below zero. Heights are above sea level; a height is left out when the forecast has no wind for it over most of the line (the ground is higher). Ground speed is the airspeed less the headwind; the time en route is for the straight line and ignores climb, descent and routing around weather.

The forecast points as issued

Point	From	3,000	6,000	9,000	12,000	18,000	24,000	30,000	34,000	39,000
ABQ	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line			220/19 9°	220/35 3°	230/50 -8°	240/64 -19°	230/83 -26°	230/85 -36°	230/80 -48°
TCC	used from 99 nm out; 65 nm from the line		240/20	230/22 13°	230/27 6°	230/40 -7°	240/55 -18°	240/74 -27°	240/68 -37°	250/64 -49°
AMA	used from 198 nm out; 107 nm from the line		230/32	230/28 14°	230/27 7°	230/38 -6°	230/50 -17°	250/69 -28°	260/62 -37°	270/65 -49°
GCK	used from 248 nm out; 62 nm from the line		240/40 22°	240/40 14°	240/38 7°	230/39 -7°	230/45 -20°	250/73 -28°	260/74 -36°	260/64 -49°
SLN	used from 397 nm out; 63 nm from the line	230/49	240/41 22°	230/26 15°	220/21 7°	240/38 -8°	240/44 -21°	260/77 -29°	270/70 -36°	270/63 -48°
MKC	used from 546 nm out; 66 nm from the line	240/49	240/21 20°	220/19 13°	230/21 6°	260/26 -7°	250/37 -19°	270/66 -31°	270/65 -38°	280/60 -48°
DSM	used from 695 nm out; 78 nm from the line	250/47	260/25 20°	240/19 11°	240/31 5°	250/26 -9°	260/38 -20°	260/47 -34°	270/58 -37°	270/61 -47°
BRL	used from 744 nm out; 40 nm from the line	250/32	250/19 17°	260/15 11°	270/16 3°	290/23 -7°	260/42 -20°	270/52 -34°	280/63 -39°	290/64 -48°
JOT	used from 893 nm out; 33 nm from the line	250/25	260/22 14°	250/17 9°	270/21 5°	280/28 -8°	280/36 -20°	270/41 -35°	280/57 -42°	290/65 -50°

The weather now: both ends and the airports along the way public airports with a weather report within 25 nm of the line, one for each stretch

Airport	Where	Conditions	Elevation
ABQ Albuquerque, NM	departure	no report just now	5,354 ft
SAF Santa Fe, NM	40 nm out, 17 nm northwest of the line, tower	no report just now	6,348 ft
CAO Clayton, NM	189 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line	no report just now	4,969 ft
EHA Elkhart, KS	258 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line	no report just now	3,621 ft
GCK Garden City, KS	327 nm out, 17 nm north of the line, tower	no report just now	2,890 ft
SLN Salina, KS	486 nm out, 1 nm west of the line, tower	no report just now	1,288 ft
MHK Manhattan, KS	536 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line, tower	no report just now	1,066 ft
STJ St Joseph, MO	625 nm out, 3 nm north of the line, tower	no report just now	826 ft
TRX Trenton, MO	685 nm out, 5 nm east of the line	no report just now	757 ft
MLI Moline, IL	853 nm out, 22 nm northwest of the line, tower	no report just now	589 ft
LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL	953 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower	no report just now	679 ft
MDW Chicago, IL	destination	no report just now	619 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,348 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At MDW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:26 pm CDT (17:26 UTC)

MDW has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.

Daylight

Sunset at ABQ 6:34 pm MDT (00:34 UTC), at MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC)).

Each restriction opens the FAA's own page with the exact area, heights and times. Ordinary notices to air missions (closed runways, lights out) are not shown: the FAA's notice search is not open to sites like this one at this time.

Radar and forecast charts for the regions crossed government pictures, the latest each time the page loads

Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Sources: the Aviation Weather Center's data service (SIGMETs, AIRMETs, graphical AIRMETs, pilot reports, winds and temperatures aloft, observations and terminal forecasts), the National Weather Service radar, the Weather Prediction Center's charts, the FAA's temporary flight restriction list and shapes, and the FAA's airport file for the positions, elevations and magnetic variation. Fetched when the page is viewed and kept a few minutes. Each leg is the straight line between its two airports; airways, terrain and airspace are not considered. The airports in detail: Albuquerque International Sunport, Chicago Midway International.