Boeing Fld/King County International to Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport BFI → MSP
1,212 nautical miles (1,394 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 087°, about 072° magnetic at the departure end (variation 15E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 13 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 48-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:48 am CDT (07:48 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now BFI is VFR, wind variable at 6 knots; MSP is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) 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: 27 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 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 25,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 0 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 14,000 ft. Over the route from 119 to 358 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 209 to 536 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 258 to 854 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 268 to 775 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1063 to 1082 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 BFI.
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 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 11 forecast points nearest it (SEA, YKM, GEG, GPI, GTF, BIL, MLS, DIK, ABR, AXN, MSP). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 090° at 9 kt | +10 kt | 2 °C | 110 kt | 11 h 01 min | 6:36 am CDT (11:36 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 120° at 6 kt | +7 kt | 4 °C | 113 kt | 10 h 44 min | 6:19 am CDT (11:19 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 180° at 6 kt | +2 kt | 1 °C | 118 kt | 10 h 16 min | 5:51 am CDT (10:51 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 210° at 12 kt | −4 kt | -2 °C | 124 kt | 9 h 46 min | 5:21 am CDT (10:21 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 16 kt | −8 kt | -5 °C | 128 kt | 9 h 28 min | 5:03 am CDT (10:03 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 20 kt | −11 kt | -9 °C | 131 kt | 9 h 15 min | 4:50 am CDT (09:50 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | −14 kt | -13 °C | 134 kt | 9 h 03 min | 4:38 am CDT (09:38 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 25 kt | −15 kt | -14 °C | 135 kt | 8 h 59 min | 4:34 am CDT (09:34 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 32 kt | −21 kt | -24 °C | 141 kt | 8 h 36 min | 4:11 am CDT (09:11 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 43 kt | −26 kt | -37 °C | 146 kt | 8 h 18 min | 3:53 am CDT (08:53 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 48 kt | −37 kt | -43 °C | 157 kt | 7 h 43 min | 3:18 am CDT (08:18 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 54 kt | −48 kt | -48 °C | 168 kt | 7 h 13 min | 2:48 am CDT (07:48 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
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEA | used from 0 nm out; 26 nm from the line | 360/9 | 350/10 1° | 010/10 -5° | 030/20 -11° | 020/60 -17° | 010/86 -26° | 360/90 -40° | 010/68 -42° | 360/31 -43° |
| YKM | used from 50 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 030/16 | 020/18 0° | 030/30 -8° | 030/23 -13° | 020/40 -23° | 010/73 -29° | 010/54 -36° | 360/29 -37° | 330/16 -40° |
| GEG | used from 99 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 050/18 -2° | 060/19 -8° | L/V -11° | 160/11 -24° | 190/17 -31° | 200/19 -35° | 220/14 -37° | 250/11 -41° | |
| GPI | used from 248 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 060/19 -3° | 110/11 -8° | 130/6 -8° | 200/40 -19° | 190/58 -28° | 200/101 -39° | 220/73 -43° | 230/41 -43° | |
| GTF | used from 397 nm out; 21 nm from the line | 070/21 | 080/18 -6° | 120/5 -5° | 180/30 -14° | 200/53 -24° | 210/80 -38° | 220/83 -44° | 230/68 -46° | |
| BIL | used from 546 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 080/24 | 130/14 -1° | 180/33 0° | 210/43 -10° | 220/58 -21° | 200/55 -36° | 220/75 -44° | 240/83 -48° | |
| MLS | used from 596 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 120/22 5° | 170/18 4° | 200/33 1° | 230/49 -10° | 230/58 -21° | 220/54 -37° | 230/64 -44° | 250/74 -49° | |
| DIK | used from 745 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 110/15 6° | 200/17 5° | 230/31 1° | 240/47 -10° | 240/52 -20° | 230/52 -36° | 240/57 -45° | 250/67 -51° | |
| ABR | used from 894 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 030/24 | 220/5 16° | 230/18 12° | 230/32 5° | 240/38 -10° | 250/37 -20° | 240/40 -35° | 240/56 -44° | 250/72 -52° |
| AXN | used from 1043 nm out; 49 nm from the line | L/V | 220/23 17° | 230/24 12° | 240/25 5° | 260/32 -11° | 260/40 -21° | 270/50 -35° | 270/57 -45° | 270/81 -55° |
| MSP | used from 1142 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 200/28 | 240/30 19° | 240/24 12° | 240/17 5° | 270/24 -10° | 270/33 -20° | 280/48 -35° | 290/55 -45° | 280/84 -54° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFI Seattle, WA | departure | VFR | variable at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 21 ft | 4:53 pm PDT (23:53 UTC) |
| MWH Moses Lake, WA | 119 nm out, 24 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 10,000 feet | from the east-northeast (070°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 1,188 ft | 23:52 UTC |
| GEG Spokane, WA | 189 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 5,500 feet, a broken layer at 7,500 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | 5,500 ft | 2,385 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| THM Thompson Falls, MT | 288 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | no report just now | 2,467 ft | ||||
| GTF Great Falls, MT | 447 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 400 feet, overcast at 900 feet Weather: light snow, mist | from the north-northeast (030°) at 11 knots | 0.75 mi | 400 ft | 3,680 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| LWT Lewistown, MT | 526 nm out, 16 nm south of the line | no report just now | 4,170 ft | ||||
| JDN Jordan, MT | 626 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | reported, no category | from the northeast (040°) at 13 knots, gusting to 22 | none | 2,667 ft | 23:48 UTC | |
| DIK Dickinson, ND | 794 nm out, 11 nm north of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: light rain | from the northeast (050°) at 17 knots, gusting to 24 | 8 mi | 500 ft | 2,592 ft | 23:56 UTC |
| ASY Ashley, ND | 943 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | no report just now | 2,034 ft | ||||
| BTN Britton, SD | 1013 nm out, 0 nm northwest of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet | from the north-northeast (030°) at 12 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | 800 ft | 1,318 ft | 00:10 UTC |
| LJF Litchfield, MN | 1152 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | reported, no category | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,139 ft | 00:15 UTC |
| MSP Minneapolis, MN | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 841 ft | 6:53 pm CDT (23:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,170 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:48 am CDT (07:48 UTC)
Wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MSP
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
The forecast for BFI, the departure
- From Sun 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 8 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Sun 7:00 pm PDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 3:00 am PDT (10:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, patches of fog, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am PDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 pm PDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 16 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 19 October · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at BFI 6:27 pm PDT (01:27 UTC), at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm CDT (00:03 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSP is before sunrise there (7:24 am CDT (12:24 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: Boeing Fld/King County International, Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport.