Plan a flight · Mon 1:59 am EDT (05:59 UTC)

Albany International to Chicago Midway International ALB → MDW

622 nautical miles (716 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 269°, about 282° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 19 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 3-knot headwind), arriving about 6:18 am CDT (11:18 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ALB is IFR, wind from the north (350°) at 5 knots; MDW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots. 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: 1,437 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 592 nm of the route.
AIRMET ZULU 1C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the first 30 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 168 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 168 nm of the route.

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 ALB.

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

urgent B39M at 35,000 ft, 5 nm east, 11:15 pm EDT (03:15 UTC): remarks: no inj/dmg zob. 286 nm along the route, 5 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DKK UUA /OV DKK280040/TM 0315/FL350/TP B39M/TB MTN WVE ACTN +/-5KTS/RM NO INJ/DMG ZOB
```
Report
an urgent report filed through DKK
Where
40 nm west (280°) of DKK
Time
03:15 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
mountain wve actn a 5-knot loss of airspeed
Remarks
no inj/dmg zob
A333 descending, 4 nm south, 1:44 am EDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 424 nm along the route, 4 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0544/FLDURD/TP A333/SK TOPS 025
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
05:44 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
A333
Sky
tops 2,500 ft
B739 descending, 4 nm south, 12:54 am EDT (04:54 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 424 nm along the route, 4 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0454/FLDURD/TP B739/SK BASES 011
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
04:54 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B739
Sky
bases 1,100 ft
A320 descending, 4 nm south, 11:27 pm EDT (03:27 UTC): overcast above 1,400 ft. 424 nm along the route, 4 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0327/FLDURD/TP A320/SK 014 OVC
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
03:27 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
A320
Sky
at 1,400 ft overcast
B738 at 1,800 ft, 39 nm south, 1:18 am EDT (05:18 UTC): overcast from 1,800 ft to 2,700 ft, remarks: during the climb. 444 nm along the route, 39 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0518/FL018/TP B738/SK OVC018-TOP027/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
05:18 UTC
Height
at 1,800 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,800 ft, tops 2,700 ft
Remarks
during the climb
B738 at 1,300 ft, 39 nm south, 12:45 am EDT (04:45 UTC): overcast from 1,300 ft to 3,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. 444 nm along the route, 39 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0445/FL013/TP B738/SK OVC013-TOP030/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
04:45 UTC
Height
at 1,300 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,300 ft, tops 3,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent
LJ45 at 10,000 ft, 48 nm south, 12:31 am EDT (04:31 UTC): no turbulence, clear, remarks: ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14. 523 nm along the route, 48 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
FWA UA /OV OLK/TM 0431/FL100/TP LJ45/SK CLR/TB SMOOTH/RM GROUND FOG AT FWA. FV10SM ON FINAL RY 14
```
Report
a routine report filed through FWA
Where
over OLK
Time
04:31 UTC
Height
at 10,000 ft
Aircraft
LJ45
Sky
clear
Turbulence
smooth
Remarks
ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 02:00–09:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed

The westbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: even thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 7 forecast points nearest it (ALB, SYR, BUF, CLE, FWA, MKG, 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
4,500 ft	320° at 11 kt	+6 kt		114 kt	5 h 27 min	6:26 am CDT (11:26 UTC)
6,500 ft	340° at 13 kt	+3 kt	11 °C	117 kt	5 h 19 min	6:18 am CDT (11:18 UTC)
8,500 ft	340° at 12 kt	+3 kt	9 °C	117 kt	5 h 19 min	6:18 am CDT (11:18 UTC)
10,500 ft	330° at 12 kt	+4 kt	5 °C	116 kt	5 h 22 min	6:21 am CDT (11:21 UTC)
12,500 ft	330° at 13 kt	+6 kt	1 °C	114 kt	5 h 27 min	6:26 am CDT (11:26 UTC)
14,500 ft	320° at 17 kt	+9 kt	-3 °C	111 kt	5 h 36 min	6:35 am CDT (11:35 UTC)
16,500 ft	320° at 20 kt	+12 kt	-7 °C	108 kt	5 h 46 min	6:45 am CDT (11:45 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	310° at 23 kt	+15 kt	-10 °C	105 kt	5 h 55 min	6:54 am CDT (11:54 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	310° at 28 kt	+20 kt	-22 °C	100 kt	6 h 13 min	7:12 am CDT (12:12 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	320° at 37 kt	+21 kt	-37 °C	99 kt	6 h 17 min	7:16 am CDT (12:16 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	310° at 43 kt	+31 kt	-43 °C	89 kt	6 h 59 min	7:58 am CDT (12:58 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	300° at 44 kt	+34 kt	-50 °C	86 kt	7 h 14 min	8:13 am CDT (13:13 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 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
ALB	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	120/9	270/8 10°	L/V 5°	260/9 1°	260/34 -10°	250/42 -22°	240/57 -35°	240/70 -42°	240/65 -50°
SYR	used from 49 nm out; 36 nm from the line	280/13	350/18 10°	340/10 6°	300/15 1°	280/17 -12°	270/16 -23°	280/25 -38°	250/40 -42°	240/53 -50°
BUF	used from 148 nm out; 48 nm from the line	320/10	010/16 10°	360/10 6°	340/13 2°	330/22 -11°	300/25 -23°	320/31 -38°	300/29 -44°	280/36 -50°
CLE	used from 296 nm out; 73 nm from the line	340/7	010/16 13°	350/18 8°	350/20 3°	340/31 -10°	340/46 -21°	340/54 -37°	330/62 -44°	340/65 -49°
FWA	used from 444 nm out; 81 nm from the line	300/17	320/20 16°	330/20 10°	340/15 3°	310/27 -8°	320/37 -20°	330/52 -36°	330/65 -43°	330/60 -50°
MKG	used from 543 nm out; 75 nm from the line	260/22	290/16 15°	300/11 10°	290/5 3°	300/26 -9°	300/32 -20°	320/48 -36°	320/61 -45°	310/74 -53°
JOT	used from 592 nm out; 38 nm from the line	250/23	270/22 15°	250/16 10°	240/9 4°	280/22 -7°	280/29 -19°	300/29 -34°	290/50 -43°	300/64 -52°

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	Wind	Visibility	Ceiling	Elevation	Reported
ALB Albany, NY	departure	IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet Weather: light drizzle, mist	from the north (350°) at 5 knots	5 mi	600 ft	284 ft	1:51 am EDT (05:51 UTC)
ITH Ithaca, NY	118 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower	IFR Sky: a broken layer at 500 feet Weather: mist	calm	1 mi	500 ft	1,099 ft	05:56 UTC
PEO Penn Yan, NY	148 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,900 feet, scattered clouds at 11,000 feet	from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	988 ft	05:53 UTC
BUF Buffalo, NY	217 nm out, 20 nm north of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 12,000 feet, a broken layer at 14,000 feet	from the south (170°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	14,000 ft	726 ft	05:54 UTC
CYQS St Thomas,	326 nm out, 19 nm north of the line	no report just now				776 ft
YIP Detroit, MI	434 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet	from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	1,100 ft	715 ft	05:53 UTC
ARB Ann Arbor, MI	444 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower	reported, no category	calm		none	839 ft	05:53 UTC
AZO Kalamazoo, MI	523 nm out, 11 nm north of the line, tower	marginal VFR Weather: mist	from the south (170°) at 4 knots	5 mi	none	873 ft	05:53 UTC
SBN South Bend, IN	563 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower	marginal VFR Weather: mist	calm	3 mi	none	798 ft	05:54 UTC
MDW Chicago, IL	destination	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet	from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	619 ft	12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,099 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, 6:18 am CDT (11:18 UTC)

Wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for MDW

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet

The forecast for ALB, the departure

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility 4 miles, light drizzle, mist, a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,400 feet
At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light drizzle, mist, overcast at 500 feet
From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 5 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 3,000 feet
From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
From Mon 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 3,000 feet

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 ALB 6:18 pm EDT (22:18 UTC), at MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MDW is before sunrise there (6:59 am CDT (11:59 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 Northeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · 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: Albany International, Chicago Midway International.