Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall to Kansas City International BWI → MCI
838 nautical miles (964 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 276°, about 287° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 37 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 10-knot headwind), arriving about 3:46 am CDT (08:46 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 2,369 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 first 140 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 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. Over the route from 10 to 170 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 60 to 219 nm out.
- 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 349 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 BWI.
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 10 forecast points nearest it (RIC, EKN, CRW, CMH, CVG, IND, SPI, STL, COU, MKC). 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 | 270° at 10 kt | +10 kt | 13 °C | 110 kt | 7 h 37 min | 3:46 am CDT (08:46 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 290° at 12 kt | +12 kt | 14 °C | 108 kt | 7 h 46 min | 3:55 am CDT (08:55 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 300° at 13 kt | +11 kt | 10 °C | 109 kt | 7 h 41 min | 3:50 am CDT (08:50 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 300° at 12 kt | +10 kt | 7 °C | 110 kt | 7 h 37 min | 3:46 am CDT (08:46 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 12 kt | +10 kt | 3 °C | 110 kt | 7 h 37 min | 3:46 am CDT (08:46 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 300° at 14 kt | +11 kt | -1 °C | 109 kt | 7 h 41 min | 3:50 am CDT (08:50 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 300° at 15 kt | +12 kt | -5 °C | 108 kt | 7 h 46 min | 3:55 am CDT (08:55 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 16 kt | +13 kt | -9 °C | 107 kt | 7 h 50 min | 3:59 am CDT (08:59 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 20 kt | +18 kt | -20 °C | 102 kt | 8 h 13 min | 4:22 am CDT (09:22 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 28 kt | +26 kt | -33 °C | 94 kt | 8 h 55 min | 5:04 am CDT (10:04 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 35 kt | +33 kt | -40 °C | 87 kt | 9 h 38 min | 5:47 am CDT (10:47 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 39 kt | +37 kt | -49 °C | 83 kt | 10 h 06 min | 6:15 am CDT (11:15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIC | used from 0 nm out; 103 nm from the line | 190/33 | 200/29 14° | 210/31 12° | 210/38 6° | 230/42 -7° | 230/68 -16° | 220/84 -29° | 220/86 -40° | 220/81 -52° |
| EKN | used from 50 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 270/18 13° | 310/5 7° | 140/7 3° | 210/16 -9° | 220/41 -20° | 210/57 -32° | 220/57 -38° | 230/49 -47° | |
| CRW | used from 199 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 320/16 | 310/16 12° | 320/12 7° | 320/12 2° | 330/15 -11° | 280/11 -22° | 230/26 -30° | 240/33 -37° | 240/37 -47° |
| CMH | used from 249 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 340/14 | 320/13 12° | 350/12 8° | 360/10 2° | 350/27 -10° | 340/20 -22° | 320/31 -35° | 270/25 -39° | 260/32 -48° |
| CVG | used from 349 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 350/13 | 340/20 13° | 340/22 8° | 350/30 3° | 340/30 -9° | 340/38 -21° | 330/37 -35° | 320/38 -40° | 310/35 -47° |
| IND | used from 399 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 320/10 | 350/30 16° | 350/32 10° | 350/30 4° | 340/31 -10° | 340/42 -21° | 340/49 -37° | 320/46 -41° | 320/47 -47° |
| SPI | used from 549 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 210/13 | 260/11 17° | 270/18 10° | 290/21 4° | 310/20 -8° | 330/25 -19° | 320/49 -34° | 320/60 -44° | 320/59 -50° |
| STL | used from 648 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 210/13 | 260/16 17° | 270/21 10° | 280/24 5° | 310/20 -7° | 320/22 -18° | 320/44 -33° | 320/59 -43° | 310/69 -51° |
| COU | used from 698 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 210/16 | 220/19 15° | 240/33 10° | 250/29 7° | 280/21 -6° | 280/19 -18° | 300/34 -31° | 300/40 -42° | 300/60 -52° |
| MKC | used from 748 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 200/28 | 220/30 16° | 270/20 11° | 280/22 7° | 260/27 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 280/38 -32° | 270/38 -40° | 280/50 -52° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BWI Baltimore, MD | departure | no report just now | 143 ft | ||||
| MRB Martinsburg, WV | 60 nm out, 8 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 564 ft | ||||
| MGW Morgantown, WV | 150 nm out, 15 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,243 ft | ||||
| CKB Clarksburg, WV | 170 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,223 ft | ||||
| ILN Wilmington, OH | 329 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,076 ft | ||||
| DAY Dayton, OH | 349 nm out, 20 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,009 ft | ||||
| IND Indianapolis, IN | 449 nm out, 8 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 796 ft | ||||
| DEC Decatur, IL | 569 nm out, 16 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 681 ft | ||||
| SPI Springfield, IL | 598 nm out, 19 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 597 ft | ||||
| MBY Moberly, MO | 728 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 866 ft | ||||
| GPH Mosby, MO | 818 nm out, 1 nm west of the line | no report just now | 777 ft | ||||
| MCI Kansas City, MO | destination | no report just now | 1,027 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,243 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MCI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:46 am CDT (08:46 UTC)
MCI has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8800 Baltimore, MD, Saturday, October 17, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 6 nm from the route, at the departure end · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Saturday 17 October · ZDC
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 6 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 5 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 22 nm from the route, 359 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 18 nm from the route, 718 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at BWI 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC), at MCI 6:44 pm CDT (23:44 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:11 pm CDT (00:11 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MCI is before sunrise there (7:25 am CDT (12:25 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: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall, Kansas City International.