Laurence G Hanscom Field to Denver International BED → DEN
1,507 nautical miles (1,735 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 275°, about 291° magnetic at the departure end (variation 16W). At 120 knots that is 14 h 38 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 17-knot headwind), arriving about 5:20 pm MDT (23:20 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: 7 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, fog). Over the first 599 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 1C: moderate icing from 12,000 ft to 24,000 ft. Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 160 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 70 to 270 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: 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 799 to 1367 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 70 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 42,000 ft. Over the last 50 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 last 0 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 BED.
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 08:00–15:00 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 13 forecast points nearest it (BOS, ALB, SYR, BUF, CLE, MKG, JOT, DBQ, DSM, OMA, GRI, GLD, DEN). 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 | 260° at 20 kt | +21 kt | 23 °C | 99 kt | 15 h 13 min | 5:55 pm MDT (23:55 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 270° at 18 kt | +19 kt | 14 °C | 101 kt | 14 h 55 min | 5:37 pm MDT (23:37 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 270° at 16 kt | +17 kt | 11 °C | 103 kt | 14 h 38 min | 5:20 pm MDT (23:20 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 270° at 17 kt | +18 kt | 7 °C | 102 kt | 14 h 46 min | 5:28 pm MDT (23:28 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 270° at 18 kt | +20 kt | 3 °C | 100 kt | 15 h 04 min | 5:46 pm MDT (23:46 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 270° at 20 kt | +21 kt | -1 °C | 99 kt | 15 h 13 min | 5:55 pm MDT (23:55 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 270° at 22 kt | +23 kt | -6 °C | 97 kt | 15 h 32 min | 6:14 pm MDT (00:14 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 23 kt | +24 kt | -9 °C | 96 kt | 15 h 42 min | 6:24 pm MDT (00:24 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 28 kt | +30 kt | -21 °C | 90 kt | 16 h 45 min | 7:27 pm MDT (01:27 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 38 kt | +39 kt | -35 °C | 81 kt | 18 h 36 min | 9:18 pm MDT (03:18 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 50 kt | +49 kt | -41 °C | 71 kt | 21 h 14 min | 11:56 pm MDT (05:56 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 54 kt | +52 kt | -50 °C | 68 kt | 22 h 10 min | 12:52 am MDT (06:52 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOS | used from 0 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 020/10 | 360/20 10° | 340/19 7° | 290/21 2° | 270/35 -9° | 260/42 -22° | 250/55 -38° | 240/75 -43° | 250/72 -51° |
| ALB | used from 50 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 340/22 | 340/19 9° | 320/16 7° | 330/16 2° | 330/19 -11° | 320/21 -23° | 320/25 -39° | 280/30 -44° | 270/41 -51° |
| SYR | used from 150 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 330/17 | 320/14 9° | 350/18 8° | 350/26 2° | 340/25 -11° | 360/34 -22° | 350/43 -39° | 330/50 -46° | 350/50 -54° |
| BUF | used from 250 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 300/11 | 330/15 11° | 340/26 8° | 330/28 2° | 340/31 -10° | 340/32 -21° | 340/52 -37° | 340/59 -46° | 330/66 -53° |
| CLE | used from 399 nm out; 91 nm from the line | 310/7 | 350/20 14° | 340/16 9° | 320/21 2° | 320/32 -8° | 330/34 -20° | 330/45 -36° | 320/60 -45° | 320/64 -51° |
| MKG | used from 549 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 260/28 | 260/18 15° | 250/16 9° | 260/22 4° | 280/31 -9° | 270/35 -21° | 270/44 -35° | 270/42 -45° | 290/61 -51° |
| JOT | used from 699 nm out; 60 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° |
| DBQ | used from 799 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
| DSM | used from 948 nm out; 30 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° |
| OMA | used from 1048 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 230/47 | 240/33 21° | 230/22 13° | 220/27 5° | 240/35 -8° | 250/43 -21° | 260/47 -33° | 260/59 -36° | 270/58 -46° |
| GRI | used from 1148 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 230/39 23° | 230/32 15° | 210/29 7° | 230/31 -8° | 230/43 -21° | 250/52 -31° | 260/59 -35° | 260/59 -46° | |
| GLD | used from 1298 nm out; 90 nm from the line | 260/37 | 260/25 14° | 250/27 8° | 230/36 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 250/71 -30° | 260/82 -36° | 250/73 -48° | |
| DEN | used from 1447 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 270/24 11° | 230/13 5° | 230/48 -8° | 230/46 -20° | 230/63 -30° | 240/78 -36° | 240/78 -48° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BED Bedford, MA | departure | no report just now | 132 ft | ||||
| ALB Albany, NY | 110 nm out, 8 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 284 ft | ||||
| ITH Ithaca, NY | 230 nm out, 13 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,099 ft | ||||
| BUF Buffalo, NY | 329 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 726 ft | ||||
| PTK Pontiac, MI | 539 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 980 ft | ||||
| UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL | 729 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 728 ft | ||||
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | 789 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 742 ft | ||||
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | 908 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 869 ft | ||||
| OMA Omaha, NE | 1098 nm out, 13 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 984 ft | ||||
| GRI Grand Island, NE | 1208 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,847 ft | ||||
| AKO Akron, CO | 1437 nm out, 1 nm south of the line | no report just now | 4,716 ft | ||||
| DEN Denver, CO | destination | no report just now | 5,433 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,433 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DEN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:20 pm MDT (23:20 UTC)
DEN has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8802 Foxborough, MA, Saturday, October 17, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 22 nm from the route, at the departure end · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Saturday 17 October · ZBW
- 6/8911 DENVER, CO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 8 nm from the route, at the destination end · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZDV
Daylight
Sunset at BED 6:08 pm EDT (22:08 UTC), at DEN 6:22 pm MDT (00:22 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:49 pm MDT (00:49 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: Laurence G Hanscom Field, Denver International.