The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 10:42 pm EDT (02:42 UTC)

Buffalo Niagara International to Phoenix Sky Harbor International BUF → PHX

1,658 nautical miles (1,908 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 261°, about 272° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 16 h 15 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 18-knot headwind), arriving about 11:57 am MST (18:57 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: 395 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

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 11:55 pm EDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 1199 to 1438 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 7W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 11:55 pm EDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 1518 to 1558 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120155
    MKCW WST 120155
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7W
    VALID UNTIL 0355Z
    NM AZ
    FROM 30NW SJN-30W TCS-60SE SSO-50SE TUS-70S INW-30NW SJN
    DMSHG AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL310.
  • SIGMET 9W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 28,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 11:55 pm EDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 1648 to 1648 nm out.
    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.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 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 190 to 230 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 689 to 1169 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 1179 to 1568 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 1239 to 1239 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1279 to 1508 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Near the route, 1428 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 40 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 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 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 13 forecast points nearest it (BUF, CLE, FWA, JOT, BRL, DSM, MKC, SLN, GCK, PUB, ALS, ABQ, PHX). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft230° at 22 kt+22 kt21 °C98 kt16 h 55 min12:37 pm MST (19:37 UTC)
6,500 ft240° at 20 kt+21 kt15 °C99 kt16 h 45 min12:27 pm MST (19:27 UTC)
8,500 ft240° at 17 kt+18 kt11 °C102 kt16 h 15 min11:57 am MST (18:57 UTC)
10,500 ft240° at 17 kt+18 kt7 °C102 kt16 h 15 min11:57 am MST (18:57 UTC)
12,500 ft240° at 17 kt+19 kt4 °C101 kt16 h 25 min12:07 pm MST (19:07 UTC)
14,500 ft240° at 21 kt+22 kt-1 °C98 kt16 h 55 min12:37 pm MST (19:37 UTC)
16,500 ft240° at 24 kt+26 kt-5 °C94 kt17 h 38 min1:20 pm MST (20:20 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180250° at 27 kt+29 kt-8 °C91 kt18 h 13 min1:55 pm MST (20:55 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240250° at 35 kt+37 kt-20 °C83 kt19 h 59 min3:41 pm MST (22:41 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300260° at 47 kt+49 kt-31 °C71 kt23 h 21 min7:03 pm MST (02:03 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340260° at 54 kt+55 kt-39 °C65 kt25 h 30 min9:12 pm MST (04:12 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390270° at 49 kt+49 kt-49 °C71 kt23 h 21 min7:03 pm MST (02:03 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
BUFused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line320/10010/16 10°360/10 6°340/13 2°330/22 -11°300/25 -23°320/31 -38°300/29 -44°280/36 -50°
CLEused from 100 nm out; 72 nm from the line340/7010/16 13°350/18 8°350/20 3°340/31 -10°340/46 -21°340/54 -37°330/62 -44°340/65 -49°
FWAused from 250 nm out; 67 nm from the line300/17320/20 16°330/20 10°340/15 3°310/27 -8°320/37 -20°330/52 -36°330/65 -43°330/60 -50°
JOTused from 350 nm out; 54 nm from the line250/23270/22 15°250/16 10°240/9 4°280/22 -7°280/29 -19°300/29 -34°290/50 -43°300/64 -52°
BRLused from 499 nm out; 44 nm from the line230/24240/29 15°290/16 10°280/15 4°260/23 -7°260/32 -19°260/36 -33°280/48 -41°280/59 -52°
DSMused from 649 nm out; 79 nm from the line230/40250/33 17°250/18 12°240/17 5°260/28 -8°270/34 -19°260/41 -33°260/55 -41°270/62 -51°
MKCused from 699 nm out; 52 nm from the line220/44250/28 18°250/18 13°240/12 6°280/24 -6°240/34 -18°260/47 -30°260/51 -40°270/58 -50°
SLNused from 799 nm out; 70 nm from the line210/53230/41 20°240/26 14°230/16 8°240/25 -7°240/35 -19°250/61 -30°260/65 -38°260/56 -49°
GCKused from 949 nm out; 72 nm from the line220/48 21°230/37 14°250/30 8°230/37 -6°240/37 -20°240/69 -28°250/67 -37°260/58 -48°
PUBused from 1149 nm out; 91 nm from the line230/25 13°230/32 6°220/44 -8°230/49 -21°240/70 -28°240/67 -34°240/58 -46°
ALSused from 1199 nm out; 90 nm from the line230/37 4°220/54 -9°230/62 -22°240/77 -26°240/74 -33°230/59 -45°
ABQused from 1299 nm out; 68 nm from the line220/27 11°210/35 5°220/46 -9°230/62 -20°240/78 -25°240/80 -35°240/56 -47°
PHXused from 1498 nm out; 135 nm from the line150/5200/21 12°200/27 6°200/35 3°220/58 -8°220/69 -19°220/87 -26°230/93 -35°230/79 -47°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
BUF Buffalo, NY departure no report just now 726 ft
CYQS St Thomas, 110 nm out, 9 nm north of the line no report just now 776 ft
DET Detroit, MI 190 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 624 ft
GYY Gary/Chicago, IN 390 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower no report just now 596 ft
BRL Burlington, IA 569 nm out, 1 nm east of the line no report just now 698 ft
STJ St Joseph, MO 749 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower no report just now 826 ft
MHK Manhattan, KS 839 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 1,066 ft
GCK Garden City, KS 1049 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower no report just now 2,890 ft
AXX Angel Fire, NM 1279 nm out, 4 nm west of the line no report just now 8,379 ft
SAF Santa Fe, NM 1338 nm out, 23 nm southeast of the line, tower no report just now 6,348 ft
SOW Show Low, AZ 1548 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line no report just now 6,415 ft
PHX Phoenix, AZ destination no report just now 1,134 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 8,379 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At PHX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:57 am MST (18:57 UTC)

PHX has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.

Daylight

Sunset at BUF 6:37 pm EDT (22:37 UTC), at PHX 5:58 pm MST (00:58 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:23 pm MST (01:23 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

Radar now, the Northeast
Radar now, the Northeast · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the central Great Lakes
Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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, Phoenix Sky Harbor International.