Austin-Bergstrom International to Sacramento International AUS → SMF
1,285 nautical miles (1,478 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 300°, about 296° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4E). At 120 knots that is 10 h 22 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 4-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:57 am PDT (12:57 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 775 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
- SIGMET 6W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 408 to 588 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 6W VALID UNTIL 0355Z CO NM FROM 50SSW DEN-30NNE TBE-50SSW CME-50E SJN-20NE DVC-50SSW DEN AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
- SIGMET 9W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 28,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Near the route, 757 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 9W VALID UNTIL 0355Z AZ FROM 20S TBC-30S INW-10E PHX-60SW DRK-30WNW DRK-20S TBC DMSHG AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 21020KT. TOPS TO FL280.
- SIGMET W10W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Near the route, 1076 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 10W VALID UNTIL 0355Z NV FROM 70SW TWF-40NNW BVL-40SW ELY-30ESE OAL-40WNW OAL-70SW TWF AREA TS MOV FROM 23020KT. TOPS TO FL300.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 438 to 608 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 448 to 1036 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 538 to 647 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 717 to 986 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 777 to 1066 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 787 to 966 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 787 to 1056 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the route from 1046 to 1195 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 20 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 AUS.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
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 10 forecast points nearest it (SAT, ABI, INK, ROW, ABQ, FMN, PRC, LAS, BIH, SAC). 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 | 190° at 18 kt | −4 kt | 15 °C | 124 kt | 10 h 22 min | 5:57 am PDT (12:57 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 200° at 18 kt | −3 kt | 13 °C | 123 kt | 10 h 27 min | 6:02 am PDT (13:02 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 210° at 18 kt | +1 kt | 9 °C | 119 kt | 10 h 48 min | 6:23 am PDT (13:23 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 210° at 19 kt | +2 kt | 6 °C | 118 kt | 10 h 53 min | 6:28 am PDT (13:28 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 210° at 22 kt | +3 kt | 2 °C | 117 kt | 10 h 59 min | 6:34 am PDT (13:34 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 25 kt | +6 kt | -2 °C | 114 kt | 11 h 16 min | 6:51 am PDT (13:51 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 29 kt | +9 kt | -7 °C | 111 kt | 11 h 35 min | 7:10 am PDT (14:10 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 32 kt | +11 kt | -10 °C | 109 kt | 11 h 47 min | 7:22 am PDT (14:22 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 42 kt | +16 kt | -19 °C | 104 kt | 12 h 21 min | 7:56 am PDT (14:56 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 52 kt | +24 kt | -28 °C | 96 kt | 13 h 23 min | 8:58 am PDT (15:58 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 53 kt | +30 kt | -36 °C | 90 kt | 14 h 17 min | 9:52 am PDT (16:52 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 44 kt | +26 kt | -47 °C | 94 kt | 13 h 40 min | 9:15 am PDT (16:15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | used from 0 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 150/26 | 180/18 19° | 180/18 14° | 200/14 9° | 230/16 -6° | 210/9 -13° | 270/8 -29° | 280/6 -39° | 340/19 -51° |
| ABI | used from 100 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 200/31 17° | 210/21 15° | 240/15 9° | 250/14 -4° | 250/24 -14° | 250/36 -28° | 270/35 -38° | 290/41 -50° | |
| INK | used from 199 nm out; 88 nm from the line | 190/23 20° | 200/18 15° | 230/18 8° | 240/23 -4° | 240/37 -14° | 240/46 -27° | 250/42 -38° | 260/36 -50° | |
| ROW | used from 349 nm out; 23 nm from the line | 190/33 | 210/27 14° | 220/28 6° | 230/36 -6° | 230/56 -15° | 230/63 -27° | 250/59 -37° | 260/57 -49° | |
| ABQ | used from 498 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 220/27 11° | 210/35 5° | 220/46 -9° | 230/62 -20° | 240/78 -25° | 240/80 -35° | 240/56 -47° | ||
| FMN | used from 647 nm out; 112 nm from the line | 220/28 9° | 220/40 2° | 220/53 -10° | 220/62 -22° | 230/79 -28° | 240/91 -34° | 230/71 -45° | ||
| PRC | used from 697 nm out; 108 nm from the line | 210/25 5° | 200/30 1° | 220/55 -10° | 220/61 -21° | 220/84 -28° | 230/90 -34° | 230/73 -45° | ||
| LAS | used from 847 nm out; 90 nm from the line | 210/21 10° | 200/18 5° | 200/23 -2° | 210/49 -14° | 210/63 -21° | 220/58 -30° | 220/61 -35° | 210/56 -44° | |
| BIH | used from 1046 nm out; 54 nm from the line | L/V | 240/7 1° | 190/13 -3° | 200/26 -16° | 210/43 -26° | 220/54 -28° | 220/51 -35° | 220/47 -43° | |
| SAC | used from 1195 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 110/6 | L/V 4° | 010/11 -2° | 350/11 -7° | 340/24 -16° | 360/44 -23° | 330/24 -30° | 270/21 -35° | 230/23 -43° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS Austin, TX | departure | no report just now | 541 ft | ||||
| DZB Horseshoe Bay, TX | 40 nm out, 1 nm west of the line | no report just now | 1,093 ft | ||||
| SJT San Angelo, TX | 159 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,918 ft | ||||
| HOB Hobbs, NM | 319 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,660 ft | ||||
| ROW Roswell, NM | 398 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,671 ft | ||||
| XNI Zuni, NM | 637 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | no report just now | 6,371 ft | ||||
| GCN Grand Canyon, AZ | 807 nm out, 9 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,608 ft | ||||
| MMH Mammoth Lakes, CA | 1145 nm out, 24 nm south of the line | no report just now | 7,134 ft | ||||
| MHR Sacramento, CA | 1265 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 98 ft | ||||
| SMF Sacramento, CA | destination | no report just now | 26 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,134 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SMF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:57 am PDT (12:57 UTC)
SMF has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 2 nm from the route, at the departure end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZHU
- 6/4240 SAN ANGELO, TX, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 7 nm from the route, 149 nm along the route · security · until 1 November · ZFW
- 6/8722 ALAMOGORDO, NM, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, 448 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZAB
- 6/8890 LAS VEGAS, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 22 nm from the route, 946 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
- 6/6740 SACRAMENTO, CA, Thursday, October 8, 2026 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 Local on the route, at the destination end · air shows/sports · ended 11 October · ZOA
- 6/3475 BEALE AFB, CA, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 17 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 November · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at AUS 7:03 pm CDT (00:03 UTC), at SMF 6:32 pm PDT (01:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:59 pm PDT (01:59 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SMF is before sunrise there (7:12 am PDT (14:12 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







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, Sacramento International.
