Buffalo Niagara International to San Diego International BUF → SAN
1,905 nautical miles (2,192 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 264°, about 275° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 18 h 52 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 19-knot headwind), arriving about 6:08 pm PDT (01:08 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: 1 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). Over the route from 170 to 369 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 539 to 1137 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 1127 to 1655 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 1157 to 1197 nm out.
- 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 1207 to 1286 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the last 698 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1506 to 1695 nm out.
- 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 1576 to 1616 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Near the route, 1785 nm along 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 15 forecast points nearest it (BUF, CLE, MKG, JOT, BRL, DSM, OMA, SLN, GLD, PUB, ALS, FMN, PRC, BLH, SAN). 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 | 240° at 24 kt | +24 kt | 96 kt | 19 h 51 min | 7:07 pm PDT (02:07 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 21 kt | +22 kt | 13 °C | 98 kt | 19 h 26 min | 6:42 pm PDT (01:42 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 19 kt | +19 kt | 10 °C | 101 kt | 18 h 52 min | 6:08 pm PDT (01:08 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 19 kt | +19 kt | 7 °C | 101 kt | 18 h 52 min | 6:08 pm PDT (01:08 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 19 kt | +20 kt | 3 °C | 100 kt | 19 h 03 min | 6:19 pm PDT (01:19 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 23 kt | +23 kt | -1 °C | 97 kt | 19 h 38 min | 6:54 pm PDT (01:54 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 26 kt | +27 kt | -6 °C | 93 kt | 20 h 29 min | 7:45 pm PDT (02:45 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 29 kt | +30 kt | -9 °C | 90 kt | 21 h 10 min | 8:26 pm PDT (03:26 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 35 kt | +38 kt | -20 °C | 82 kt | 23 h 14 min | 10:30 pm PDT (05:30 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 48 kt | +51 kt | -31 °C | 69 kt | 27 h 37 min | 2:53 am PDT (09:53 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 57 kt | +60 kt | -38 °C | 60 kt | 31 h 45 min | 7:01 am PDT (14:01 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 52 kt | +55 kt | -48 °C | 65 kt | 29 h 18 min | 4:34 am PDT (11:34 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
| 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 | 320/10 | 010/16 10° | 360/10 6° | 340/13 2° | 330/22 -11° | 300/25 -23° | 320/31 -38° | 300/29 -44° | 280/36 -50° |
| CLE | used from 100 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 340/7 | 010/16 13° | 350/18 8° | 350/20 3° | 340/31 -10° | 340/46 -21° | 340/54 -37° | 330/62 -44° | 340/65 -49° |
| MKG | used from 249 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 260/22 | 290/16 15° | 300/11 10° | 290/5 3° | 300/26 -9° | 300/32 -20° | 320/48 -36° | 320/61 -45° | 310/74 -53° |
| JOT | used from 349 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -52° |
| BRL | used from 499 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 230/24 | 240/29 15° | 290/16 10° | 280/15 4° | 260/23 -7° | 260/32 -19° | 260/36 -33° | 280/48 -41° | 280/59 -52° |
| DSM | used from 598 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 230/40 | 250/33 17° | 250/18 12° | 240/17 5° | 260/28 -8° | 270/34 -19° | 260/41 -33° | 260/55 -41° | 270/62 -51° |
| OMA | used from 748 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -49° |
| SLN | used from 848 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 210/53 | 230/41 20° | 240/26 14° | 230/16 8° | 240/25 -7° | 240/35 -19° | 250/61 -30° | 260/65 -38° | 260/56 -49° |
| GLD | used from 947 nm out; 91 nm from the line | 230/49 | 230/42 15° | 220/26 8° | 240/18 -7° | 230/27 -21° | 240/62 -30° | 240/61 -35° | 250/57 -47° | |
| PUB | used from 1147 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 230/25 13° | 230/32 6° | 220/44 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 240/70 -28° | 240/67 -34° | 240/58 -46° | ||
| ALS | used from 1247 nm out; 10 nm from the line | 230/37 4° | 220/54 -9° | 230/62 -22° | 240/77 -26° | 240/74 -33° | 230/59 -45° | |||
| FMN | used from 1346 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 220/28 9° | 220/40 2° | 220/53 -10° | 220/62 -22° | 230/79 -28° | 240/91 -34° | 230/71 -45° | ||
| PRC | used from 1546 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 210/25 5° | 200/30 1° | 220/55 -10° | 220/61 -21° | 220/84 -28° | 230/90 -34° | 230/73 -45° | ||
| BLH | used from 1695 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 210/13 | 200/21 11° | 200/22 5° | 210/25 -1° | 210/51 -10° | 220/61 -20° | 220/81 -29° | 220/92 -34° | 220/79 -45° |
| SAN | used from 1845 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 200/11 | 200/23 7° | 210/27 4° | 210/31 -3° | 220/56 -10° | 220/56 -19° | 220/52 -30° | 220/64 -37° | 220/67 -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 | ||||
| DET Detroit, MI | 189 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 624 ft | ||||
| BTL Battle Creek, MI | 289 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 951 ft | ||||
| ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL | 439 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 712 ft | ||||
| OTM Ottumwa, IA | 618 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 845 ft | ||||
| TKO Mankato, KS | 898 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,859 ft | ||||
| HLC Hill City, KS | 977 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,238 ft | ||||
| PUB Pueblo, CO | 1207 nm out, 23 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,729 ft | ||||
| FMN Farmington, NM | 1406 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,506 ft | ||||
| FLG Flagstaff, AZ | 1596 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 7,014 ft | ||||
| RNM Ramona, CA | 1885 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,394 ft | ||||
| SAN San Diego, CA | destination | no report just now | 16 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,014 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SAN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:08 pm PDT (01:08 UTC)
SAN has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/4812 El Centro, CA, Wednesday, July 15, 2026 through Tuesday, July 13, 2027 Local 12 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 13 July · ZLA
- 6/8887 Indio, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 25 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 12 October · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at BUF 6:37 pm EDT (22:37 UTC), at SAN 6:19 pm PDT (01:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:44 pm PDT (01:44 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, San Diego International.