The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 8:41 pm CDT (01:41 UTC)

Austin-Bergstrom International to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International AUS → MSY

385 nautical miles (443 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 090°, about 086° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 43 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 22-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:24 pm CDT (04:24 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now AUS is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 12 knots; MSY is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 6 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: 3,973 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

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

No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.

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 AUS.

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

  • B789 at 27,000 ft, 25 nm south, 7:30 pm CDT (00:30 UTC): moderate clear-air turbulence, remarks: zhu. 247 nm along the route, 25 nm south of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    LFT UA /OV LLA270030/TM 0030/FL270/TP B789/TB MOD CAT/RM ZHU
    Report
    a routine report filed through LFT
    Where
    30 nm west (270°) of LLA
    Time
    00:30 UTC
    Height
    at 27,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B789
    Turbulence
    moderate clear-air turbulence
    Remarks
    zhu
  • B39M at 27,000 ft, 13 nm south, 7:42 pm CDT (00:42 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. 118 nm along the route, 13 nm south of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    IAH UA /OV IH340035/TM 0042/FL270/TP B39M/TB LT CHOP DURC/RM ZHU
    Report
    a routine report filed through IAH
    Where
    IH340035
    Time
    00:42 UTC
    Height
    at 27,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B39M
    Turbulence
    lt chop during the climb
    Remarks
    zhu
  • B737 at 28,000 ft, 25 nm south, 5:52 pm CDT (22:52 UTC): light to moderate turbulence above 28,000 ft, remarks: below 26,000 ft zhu. 227 nm along the route, 25 nm south of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    BPT UA /OV BPT109042/TM 2252/FL280/TP B737/TB INTMT LGT-MOD FL280 /RM BLO FL260. ZHU
    Report
    a routine report filed through BPT
    Where
    42 nm east (109°) of BPT
    Time
    22:52 UTC
    Height
    at 28,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B737
    Turbulence
    intermittent light to moderate FL280
    Remarks
    below 26,000 ft zhu
  • E75L at 27,000 ft, 1 nm north, 7:20 pm CDT (00:20 UTC): remarks: zhu. 237 nm along the route, 1 nm north of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    LCH UA /OV LCH08510/TM 0020/FL270/TP E75L/TB CONS CHOP/RM ZHU
    Report
    a routine report filed through LCH
    Where
    LCH08510
    Time
    00:20 UTC
    Height
    at 27,000 ft
    Aircraft
    E75L
    Turbulence
    continuous chop
    Remarks
    zhu

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 4 forecast points nearest it (CLL, HOU, LCH, MSY). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
3,500 ft170° at 10 kt+3 kt117 kt3 h 17 min11:58 pm CDT (04:58 UTC)
5,500 ft170° at 9 kt+1 kt119 kt3 h 14 min11:55 pm CDT (04:55 UTC)
7,500 ft180° at 11 kt014 °C120 kt3 h 12 min11:53 pm CDT (04:53 UTC)
9,500 ft190° at 12 kt−2 kt11 °C122 kt3 h 09 min11:50 pm CDT (04:50 UTC)
11,500 ft220° at 10 kt−6 kt8 °C126 kt3 h 03 min11:44 pm CDT (04:44 UTC)
13,500 ft240° at 9 kt−8 kt4 °C128 kt3 h11:41 pm CDT (04:41 UTC)
15,500 ft260° at 10 kt−10 kt1 °C130 kt2 h 58 min11:39 pm CDT (04:39 UTC)
17,500 ft280° at 11 kt−11 kt-3 °C131 kt2 h 56 min11:37 pm CDT (04:37 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180280° at 12 kt−12 kt-4 °C132 kt2 h 55 min11:36 pm CDT (04:36 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240280° at 16 kt−16 kt-14 °C136 kt2 h 50 min11:31 pm CDT (04:31 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300310° at 30 kt−22 kt-30 °C142 kt2 h 43 min11:24 pm CDT (04:24 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340320° at 32 kt−21 kt-40 °C141 kt2 h 44 min11:25 pm CDT (04:25 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390320° at 33 kt−20 kt-53 °C140 kt2 h 45 min11:26 pm CDT (04:26 UTC)

Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
CLLused from 0 nm out; 49 nm from the line160/18190/18 16°200/19 12°220/14 7°260/18 -5°250/20 -13°290/29 -29°290/31 -40°300/22 -53°
HOUused from 99 nm out; 32 nm from the line160/18160/14 17°180/19 12°190/11 8°260/12 -4°260/14 -13°310/26 -30°310/30 -40°320/21 -52°
LCHused from 197 nm out; 9 nm from the line190/6180/8 18°170/13 12°220/12 7°290/10 -4°280/15 -14°320/30 -31°320/32 -40°320/39 -53°
MSYused from 296 nm out; 64 nm from the lineL/V020/6 18°L/V 12°300/11 7°330/15 -4°320/22 -16°330/38 -32°350/47 -42°340/56 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
AUS Austin, TX departure VFR Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 feet, a few clouds at 25,000 feet from the south-southeast (150°) at 12 knots 10+ mi none 541 ft 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC)
GYB Giddings, TX 39 nm out, 4 nm west of the line VFR from the south (170°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 484 ft 01:15 UTC
CLL College Station, TX 69 nm out, 24 nm north of the line, tower VFR from the southeast (130°) at 7 knots 10+ mi none 320 ft 00:53 UTC
DWH Houston, TX 109 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower VFR from the southeast (130°) at 7 knots 10+ mi none 152 ft 00:53 UTC
HPY Baytown, TX 138 nm out, 23 nm south of the line no report just now 33 ft
BPT Beaumont/Port Arthur, TX 188 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower VFR from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 14 ft 00:53 UTC
LCH Lake Charles, LA 227 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 5 knots 10+ mi none 14 ft 00:53 UTC
ARA New Iberia, LA 296 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 24 ft 00:53 UTC
PTN Patterson, LA 326 nm out, 21 nm south of the line VFR calm 10+ mi none 8 ft 00:56 UTC
APS Reserve, LA 365 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line VFR calm 10+ mi none 6 ft 01:35 UTC
MSY New Orleans, LA destination VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet from the south (180°) at 6 knots 10+ mi none 3 ft 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 541 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At MSY when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:24 pm CDT (04:24 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for MSY
  • From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for AUS, the departure
  • From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 14 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
  • From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet
  • From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
  • From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
  • From Mon 2:00 pm CDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet

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

  • 6/5849 Austin, TX, Friday, October 2, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 6 nm from the route, at the departure end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZHU

Daylight

Sunset at AUS 7:03 pm CDT (00:03 UTC), at MSY 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:57 pm CDT (23:57 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSY is before sunrise there (7:00 am CDT (12:00 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 Plains
Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
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: Austin-Bergstrom International, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International.