Billings Logan International to John F Kennedy International BIL → JFK
1,540 nautical miles (1,772 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 089°, about 079° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10E). At 120 knots that is 8 h 54 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 53-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:10 pm EDT (21:10 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: 3 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 C18C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 36,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 7:55 am MDT (13:55 UTC). Over the route from 300 to 370 nm out.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 121155 MKCC WST 121155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 18C VALID UNTIL 1355Z SD ND FROM 50NE BIS-70W FAR-40N PIR-40N DPR-50NE BIS AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL360.
- 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 first 560 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 10 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 30 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 30 to 150 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, 1010 nm along the route.
- 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 last 500 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 260 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 1290 to 1460 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 BIL.
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 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 15 forecast points nearest it (BIL, MLS, DIK, PIR, ABR, AXN, MSP, LSE, GRB, MKG, CLE, BUF, PSB, AVP, JFK). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 280° at 10 kt | −10 kt | 130 kt | 11 h 51 min | 8:07 pm EDT (00:07 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 280° at 10 kt | −11 kt | 5 °C | 131 kt | 11 h 45 min | 8:01 pm EDT (00:01 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 270° at 12 kt | −13 kt | 11 °C | 133 kt | 11 h 35 min | 7:51 pm EDT (23:51 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 260° at 15 kt | −15 kt | 7 °C | 135 kt | 11 h 24 min | 7:40 pm EDT (23:40 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 270° at 17 kt | −18 kt | 4 °C | 138 kt | 11 h 10 min | 7:26 pm EDT (23:26 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 270° at 19 kt | −20 kt | 0 °C | 140 kt | 11 h | 7:16 pm EDT (23:16 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 270° at 20 kt | −21 kt | -5 °C | 141 kt | 10 h 55 min | 7:11 pm EDT (23:11 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 270° at 21 kt | −23 kt | -9 °C | 143 kt | 10 h 46 min | 7:02 pm EDT (23:02 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 22 kt | −23 kt | -10 °C | 143 kt | 10 h 46 min | 7:02 pm EDT (23:02 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 25 kt | −27 kt | -22 °C | 147 kt | 10 h 29 min | 6:45 pm EDT (22:45 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 31 kt | −33 kt | -36 °C | 153 kt | 10 h 04 min | 6:20 pm EDT (22:20 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 40 kt | −42 kt | -42 °C | 162 kt | 9 h 30 min | 5:46 pm EDT (21:46 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 51 kt | −53 kt | -49 °C | 173 kt | 8 h 54 min | 5:10 pm EDT (21:10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIL | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 300/14 | 270/19 -2° | 260/26 -2° | 220/28 -13° | 210/51 -25° | 220/56 -33° | 220/61 -39° | 220/72 -45° | |
| MLS | used from 50 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 290/17 -1° | 250/18 0° | 230/25 0° | 220/31 -11° | 220/32 -24° | 220/50 -32° | 220/60 -38° | 230/71 -46° | |
| DIK | used from 200 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 190/12 5° | 230/29 7° | 220/33 1° | 220/43 -11° | 210/47 -23° | 220/53 -33° | 240/56 -40° | 250/72 -47° | |
| PIR | used from 300 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 230/15 15° | 220/22 14° | 220/24 6° | 200/32 -10° | 210/48 -22° | 240/45 -33° | 240/43 -37° | 250/55 -46° | |
| ABR | used from 350 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 080/12 | 210/12 17° | 220/22 12° | 230/26 5° | 220/28 -10° | 230/41 -21° | 250/36 -36° | 260/47 -39° | 260/63 -47° |
| AXN | used from 500 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 110/6 | 260/10 16° | 240/17 12° | 250/20 5° | 260/29 -10° | 260/35 -22° | 260/29 -38° | 270/48 -41° | 270/61 -48° |
| MSP | used from 600 nm out; 23 nm from the line | 250/12 | 250/17 17° | 240/26 12° | 250/26 5° | 280/26 -9° | 280/32 -22° | 270/37 -38° | 280/47 -41° | 280/55 -48° |
| LSE | used from 700 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 250/25 | 240/21 17° | 240/28 11° | 250/28 5° | 280/24 -10° | 280/31 -21° | 260/35 -37° | 270/45 -43° | 280/59 -47° |
| GRB | used from 800 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 250/32 | 250/22 17° | 240/18 8° | 280/21 6° | 280/34 -11° | 280/35 -21° | 280/39 -37° | 270/52 -45° | 290/60 -49° |
| MKG | used from 900 nm out; 56 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° |
| CLE | used from 1100 nm out; 102 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° |
| BUF | used from 1200 nm out; 74 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° |
| PSB | used from 1350 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 020/21 12° | 360/28 7° | 360/29 1° | 350/33 -10° | 350/42 -22° | 350/49 -37° | 340/63 -43° | 350/39 -52° | |
| AVP | used from 1400 nm out; 18 nm from the line | 010/20 | 020/24 11° | 360/19 8° | 350/23 2° | 320/24 -11° | 330/25 -22° | 330/27 -37° | 310/28 -42° | 290/30 -50° |
| JFK | used from 1500 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 020/25 | 290/9 12° | 300/12 7° | 320/14 3° | 290/17 -10° | 240/27 -21° | 240/44 -36° | 240/53 -41° | 240/51 -50° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIL Billings, MT | departure | no report just now | 3,662 ft | ||||
| LEM Lemmon, SD | 270 nm out, 13 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,572 ft | ||||
| MBG Mobridge, SD | 340 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | no report just now | 1,716 ft | ||||
| VVV Ortonville, MN | 510 nm out, 0 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,101 ft | ||||
| MSP Minneapolis, MN | 650 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 841 ft | ||||
| ATW Appleton, WI | 850 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 918 ft | ||||
| MBS Saginaw, MI | 1050 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 668 ft | ||||
| CYZR Sarnia, | 1130 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 594 ft | ||||
| ERI Erie, PA | 1240 nm out, 23 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 732 ft | ||||
| MMU Morristown, NJ | 1510 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 186 ft | ||||
| JFK New York, NY | destination | no report just now | 13 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,662 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At JFK when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:10 pm EDT (21:10 UTC)
JFK has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 13 nm from the route, 640 nm along the route · security · until 19 October · ZMP
- 5/2811 NEW YORK, NY, Monday, October 20, 2025 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 Local 2 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 20 October · ZNY
Daylight
Sunset at BIL 6:32 pm MDT (00:32 UTC), at JFK 6:19 pm EDT (22:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:47 pm EDT (22:47 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: Billings Logan International, John F Kennedy International.