Buffalo Niagara International to Harry Reid International BUF → LAS
1,722 nautical miles (1,982 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 269°, about 280° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 16 h 15 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 14-knot headwind), arriving about 10:12 am PDT (17:12 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: 604 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). Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET ZULU 1C: moderate icing up 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. Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 0 nm of 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 route from 169 to 229 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 637 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 557 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 458 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 route from 1284 to 1473 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 1414 to 1453 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the last 259 nm of the route.
- 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 1573 to 1633 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 BUF.
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 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 14 forecast points nearest it (BUF, CLE, MKG, JOT, DBQ, DSM, OMA, GRI, GLD, DEN, ALS, GJT, BCE, LAS). 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 | 220° at 18 kt | +14 kt | 16 °C | 106 kt | 16 h 15 min | 10:12 am PDT (17:12 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 16 kt | +16 kt | 15 °C | 104 kt | 16 h 33 min | 10:30 am PDT (17:30 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 18 kt | +18 kt | 11 °C | 102 kt | 16 h 53 min | 10:50 am PDT (17:50 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 21 kt | +20 kt | 7 °C | 100 kt | 17 h 13 min | 11:10 am PDT (18:10 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 21 kt | +21 kt | 3 °C | 99 kt | 17 h 24 min | 11:21 am PDT (18:21 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 23 kt | +23 kt | -1 °C | 97 kt | 17 h 45 min | 11:42 am PDT (18:42 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +25 kt | -6 °C | 95 kt | 18 h 08 min | 12:05 pm PDT (19:05 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 26 kt | +27 kt | -9 °C | 93 kt | 18 h 31 min | 12:28 pm PDT (19:28 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 28 kt | +29 kt | -21 °C | 91 kt | 18 h 55 min | 12:52 pm PDT (19:52 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 36 kt | +38 kt | -32 °C | 82 kt | 21 h | 2:57 pm PDT (21:57 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 43 kt | +45 kt | -40 °C | 75 kt | 22 h 58 min | 4:55 pm PDT (23:55 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 52 kt | +54 kt | -49 °C | 66 kt | 26 h 05 min | 8:02 pm PDT (03:02 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 170/19 | L/V 10° | 040/9 6° | 220/8 2° | 230/15 -11° | 220/33 -22° | 220/47 -35° | 230/55 -41° | 230/56 -50° |
| CLE | used from 100 nm out; 88 nm from the line | 340/5 | 320/13 14° | 300/12 8° | 310/10 2° | 310/14 -10° | 340/14 -23° | 320/27 -35° | 260/28 -40° | 250/36 -48° |
| MKG | used from 199 nm out; 110 nm from the line | 250/5 | 320/10 15° | 310/19 9° | 320/21 3° | 310/23 -10° | 330/37 -22° | 330/51 -38° | 320/44 -47° | 300/60 -49° |
| JOT | used from 398 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 230/11 | 290/12 16° | 300/19 10° | 320/19 4° | 300/17 -9° | 330/31 -20° | 320/49 -37° | 320/53 -45° | 320/67 -49° |
| DBQ | used from 448 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 220/23 | 240/22 16° | 240/24 10° | 260/18 5° | 270/16 -8° | 290/27 -19° | 310/42 -35° | 320/55 -44° | 300/71 -52° |
| DSM | used from 597 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 200/32 | 240/27 17° | 260/19 10° | 260/16 5° | 260/19 -7° | 240/22 -19° | 270/20 -32° | 270/38 -42° | 290/58 -53° |
| OMA | used from 697 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 190/34 | 230/34 19° | 250/25 12° | 250/18 6° | 250/22 -7° | 250/28 -19° | 260/34 -32° | 260/39 -41° | 280/56 -51° |
| GRI | used from 846 nm out; 11 nm from the line | 210/31 19° | 240/21 14° | 240/17 6° | 260/27 -7° | 260/34 -18° | 240/45 -32° | 250/56 -40° | 260/62 -51° | |
| GLD | used from 996 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 190/29 | 200/30 15° | 240/23 8° | 250/39 -7° | 230/39 -19° | 230/57 -31° | 240/67 -39° | 250/62 -49° | |
| DEN | used from 1095 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 190/31 16° | 210/32 7° | 240/41 -8° | 230/47 -21° | 240/56 -32° | 250/65 -37° | 250/61 -47° | ||
| ALS | used from 1244 nm out; 95 nm from the line | 210/32 5° | 230/48 -8° | 230/49 -20° | 230/78 -30° | 240/74 -36° | 240/61 -47° | |||
| GJT | used from 1294 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 210/40 11° | 210/46 3° | 210/61 -10° | 210/68 -22° | 220/57 -29° | 230/59 -36° | 240/66 -46° | ||
| BCE | used from 1444 nm out; 87 nm from the line | 210/47 0° | 200/50 -12° | 220/31 -23° | 220/56 -26° | 220/58 -35° | 230/58 -45° | |||
| LAS | used from 1643 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 200/25 11° | 230/22 5° | 240/25 -1° | 220/37 -12° | 220/44 -21° | 210/52 -27° | 210/60 -34° | 220/58 -44° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF Buffalo, NY | departure | no report just now | 726 ft | ||||
| PHN Port Huron, MI | 169 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | no report just now | 650 ft | ||||
| PTK Pontiac, MI | 209 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 980 ft | ||||
| UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL | 408 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 728 ft | ||||
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | 577 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 869 ft | ||||
| OMA Omaha, NE | 767 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 984 ft | ||||
| GRI Grand Island, NE | 876 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,847 ft | ||||
| APA Denver, CO | 1195 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,884 ft | ||||
| ASE Aspen, CO | 1284 nm out, 23 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 7,837 ft | ||||
| AIB Nucla, CO | 1384 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 5,945 ft | ||||
| KNB Kanab, UT | 1583 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | no report just now | 4,867 ft | ||||
| LAS Las Vegas, NV | destination | no report just now | 2,183 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,837 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LAS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:12 am PDT (17:12 UTC)
LAS has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8770 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 19 nm from the route, 1205 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 12 October · ZDV
- 6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 12 nm from the route, 1224 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV
- 6/8890 LAS VEGAS, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
- 6/8808 Las Vegas, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, at the destination end · security · starts tomorrow · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at BUF 6:37 pm EDT (22:37 UTC), at LAS 6:08 pm PDT (01:08 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:34 pm PDT (01:34 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: Buffalo Niagara International, Harry Reid International.