The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 5:38 am MDT (11:38 UTC)

Bozeman Yellowstone International to Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport BZN → MSP

757 nautical miles (871 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 088°, about 075° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 18 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 56-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:56 am CDT (15:56 UTC). Right now BZN is marginal VFR, wind calm; MSP is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots. 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: 1,697 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 C17C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 36,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 6:55 am MDT (12:55 UTC). Over the route from 398 to 468 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS32 KKCI 121055
    MKCC WST 121055
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 17C
    VALID UNTIL 1255Z
    SD ND
    FROM 20NW BIS-60E BIS-20WNW PIR-20SW DPR-20NW 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 667 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 129 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 139 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 139 to 259 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 BZN.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.

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 7 forecast points nearest it (BIL, MLS, DIK, PIR, ABR, AXN, MSP). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
5,500 ft260° at 10 kt−9 kt4 °C129 kt5 h 52 min12:30 pm CDT (17:30 UTC)
7,500 ft250° at 15 kt−13 kt9 °C133 kt5 h 42 min12:20 pm CDT (17:20 UTC)
9,500 ft240° at 21 kt−17 kt6 °C137 kt5 h 32 min12:10 pm CDT (17:10 UTC)
11,500 ft240° at 24 kt−19 kt3 °C139 kt5 h 27 min12:05 pm CDT (17:05 UTC)
13,500 ft230° at 26 kt−20 kt-1 °C140 kt5 h 24 min12:02 pm CDT (17:02 UTC)
15,500 ft230° at 27 kt−20 kt-5 °C140 kt5 h 24 min12:02 pm CDT (17:02 UTC)
17,500 ft230° at 29 kt−20 kt-10 °C140 kt5 h 24 min12:02 pm CDT (17:02 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180230° at 29 kt−20 kt-11 °C140 kt5 h 24 min12:02 pm CDT (17:02 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240220° at 38 kt−26 kt-23 °C146 kt5 h 11 min11:49 am CDT (16:49 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300230° at 43 kt−33 kt-34 °C153 kt4 h 57 min11:35 am CDT (16:35 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340240° at 50 kt−43 kt-39 °C163 kt4 h 39 min11:17 am CDT (16:17 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390250° at 62 kt−56 kt-47 °C176 kt4 h 18 min10:56 am CDT (15:56 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
BILused from 0 nm out; 84 nm from the line300/14270/19 -2°260/26 -2°220/28 -13°210/51 -25°220/56 -33°220/61 -39°220/72 -45°
MLSused from 149 nm out; 58 nm from the line290/17 -1°250/18 0°230/25 0°220/31 -11°220/32 -24°220/50 -32°220/60 -38°230/71 -46°
DIKused from 299 nm out; 69 nm from the line190/12 5°230/29 7°220/33 1°220/43 -11°210/47 -23°220/53 -33°240/56 -40°250/72 -47°
PIRused from 398 nm out; 81 nm from the line230/15 15°220/22 14°220/24 6°200/32 -10°210/48 -22°240/45 -33°240/43 -37°250/55 -46°
ABRused from 448 nm out; 61 nm from the line080/12210/12 17°220/22 12°230/26 5°220/28 -10°230/41 -21°250/36 -36°260/47 -39°260/63 -47°
AXNused from 598 nm out; 55 nm from the line110/6260/10 16°240/17 12°250/20 5°260/29 -10°260/35 -22°260/29 -38°270/48 -41°270/61 -48°
MSPused from 697 nm out; 35 nm from the line250/12250/17 17°240/26 12°250/26 5°280/26 -9°280/32 -22°270/37 -38°280/47 -41°280/55 -48°

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
BZN Bozeman, MT departure marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,200 feet, overcast at 2,300 feet calm 10+ mi 2,300 ft 4,473 ft 5:24 am MDT (11:24 UTC)
LVM Livingston, MT 30 nm out, 6 nm south of the line marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,300 feet, overcast at 4,800 feet from the west-northwest (300°) at 8 knots 10+ mi 2,300 ft 4,659 ft 11:29 UTC
BIL Billings, MT 110 nm out, 1 nm southwest of the line, tower marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet Weather: mist from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots 5 mi 1,800 ft 3,662 ft 10:53 UTC
HEI Hettinger, ND 359 nm out, 19 nm north of the line low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist from the northeast (040°) at 7 knots 3 mi 300 ft 2,705 ft 11:06 UTC
MBG Mobridge, SD 448 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,400 feet Weather: light rain from the east (090°) at 10 knots 10+ mi 600 ft 1,716 ft 11:10 UTC
ABR Aberdeen, SD 538 nm out, 4 nm west of the line low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist from the northeast (050°) at 7 knots 5 mi 300 ft 1,301 ft 10:53 UTC
AQP Appleton, MN 638 nm out, 1 nm north of the line low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 400 feet from the north (360°) at 6 knots 10+ mi 400 ft 1,021 ft 11:14 UTC
LJF Litchfield, MN 697 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line reported, no category calm 10+ mi none 1,139 ft 11:15 UTC
MSP Minneapolis, MN destination VFR Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 feet from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 841 ft 5:53 am CDT (10:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 4,659 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At MSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:56 am CDT (15:56 UTC)

Wind from the southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for MSP
  • From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
  • From Mon 3:00 pm CDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
  • From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
  • From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
  • From Tue 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 2,500 feet
The forecast for BZN, the departure
  • From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 400 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
  • At times between Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC) and 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): visibility 3 miles, mist, overcast at 400 feet
  • From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 600 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
  • From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet

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 17 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 19 October · ZMP

Daylight

Sunset at BZN 6:42 pm MDT (00:42 UTC), at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm CDT (00:03 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 northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · 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: Bozeman Yellowstone International, Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport.