Charleston Afb/Intl Airport to San Diego International CHS → SAN
1,865 nautical miles (2,146 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 280°, about 287° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 17 h 46 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 15-knot headwind), arriving about 8:52 pm PDT (03:52 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: 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 TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the first 40 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Near the route, 189 nm along 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, fog). Near the route, 299 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: 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 877 to 1087 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 1346 to 1486 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 1406 to 1845 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 1436 to 1506 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 1625 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1825 to 1855 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 CHS.
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 08:00–15:00 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 17 forecast points nearest it (CHS, CAE, ATL, BHM, MEM, LIT, FSM, DAL, SPS, LBB, TCC, ROW, ABQ, TUS, PHX, 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 | 250° at 15 kt | +15 kt | 19 °C | 105 kt | 17 h 46 min | 8:52 pm PDT (03:52 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | +16 kt | 14 °C | 104 kt | 17 h 56 min | 9:02 pm PDT (04:02 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 15 kt | +15 kt | 11 °C | 105 kt | 17 h 46 min | 8:52 pm PDT (03:52 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | +16 kt | 8 °C | 104 kt | 17 h 56 min | 9:02 pm PDT (04:02 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | +17 kt | 4 °C | 103 kt | 18 h 06 min | 9:12 pm PDT (04:12 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | +21 kt | 0 °C | 99 kt | 18 h 50 min | 9:56 pm PDT (04:56 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +24 kt | -4 °C | 96 kt | 19 h 26 min | 10:32 pm PDT (05:32 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 28 kt | +27 kt | -7 °C | 93 kt | 20 h 03 min | 11:09 pm PDT (06:09 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 36 kt | +35 kt | -18 °C | 85 kt | 21 h 56 min | 1:02 am PDT (08:02 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 46 kt | +47 kt | -29 °C | 73 kt | 25 h 33 min | 4:39 am PDT (11:39 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 45 kt | +48 kt | -38 °C | 72 kt | 25 h 54 min | 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 41 kt | +44 kt | -50 °C | 76 kt | 24 h 32 min | 3:38 am PDT (10:38 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
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHS | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 330/14 | 300/17 14° | 320/21 9° | 310/26 6° | 310/32 -6° | 280/34 -19° | 260/37 -32° | 280/30 -39° | 310/30 -50° |
| CAE | used from 50 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 340/17 | 330/15 12° | 320/22 9° | 320/31 5° | 330/35 -7° | 320/33 -19° | 340/40 -32° | 350/43 -39° | 320/35 -49° |
| ATL | used from 150 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 330/32 | 340/36 17° | 350/34 10° | 340/25 6° | 330/27 -6° | 350/35 -18° | 330/49 -32° | 340/47 -41° | 340/27 -51° |
| BHM | used from 299 nm out; 17 nm from the line | 310/19 | 310/15 16° | 320/19 11° | 330/15 5° | 330/23 -5° | 320/14 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 330/44 -40° | 340/36 -51° |
| MEM | used from 449 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 250/19 | 260/19 17° | 270/20 12° | 270/16 6° | 270/21 -6° | 290/27 -17° | 300/37 -30° | 300/49 -40° | 310/40 -51° |
| LIT | used from 548 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 250/22 | 250/25 18° | 240/23 12° | 240/20 7° | 250/17 -6° | 260/25 -17° | 300/45 -29° | 300/49 -40° | 310/43 -51° |
| FSM | used from 698 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 230/33 | 260/23 15° | 240/23 11° | 230/18 8° | 230/20 -8° | 250/31 -17° | 280/51 -30° | 280/52 -39° | 300/47 -51° |
| DAL | used from 798 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 190/30 | 200/28 18° | 220/18 13° | 250/13 8° | 240/24 -6° | 270/20 -14° | 270/35 -29° | 290/34 -39° | 310/41 -51° |
| SPS | used from 848 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 220/35 | 220/31 18° | 230/16 14° | 230/10 8° | 250/18 -5° | 250/32 -16° | 260/51 -28° | 280/46 -38° | 300/50 -50° |
| LBB | used from 997 nm out; 76 nm from the line | 220/25 21° | 230/20 15° | 220/20 7° | 230/36 -6° | 240/50 -15° | 240/59 -28° | 260/52 -37° | 260/45 -50° | |
| TCC | used from 1147 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 240/20 | 230/22 13° | 230/27 6° | 230/40 -7° | 240/55 -18° | 240/74 -27° | 240/68 -37° | 250/64 -49° | |
| ROW | used from 1197 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 230/12 | 230/17 13° | 220/30 7° | 230/41 -5° | 240/52 -17° | 230/66 -28° | 240/63 -38° | 240/60 -50° | |
| ABQ | used from 1296 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 220/19 9° | 220/35 3° | 230/50 -8° | 240/64 -19° | 230/83 -26° | 230/85 -36° | 230/80 -48° | ||
| TUS | used from 1446 nm out; 122 nm from the line | 200/12 13° | 200/34 7° | 210/41 4° | 230/53 -7° | 220/69 -19° | 220/84 -27° | 220/88 -36° | 220/83 -48° | |
| PHX | used from 1496 nm out; 80 nm from the line | 190/15 | 210/25 12° | 200/34 4° | 200/34 2° | 220/58 -9° | 220/75 -19° | 220/91 -28° | 220/100 -35° | 220/95 -47° |
| BLH | used from 1695 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 240/19 | 210/20 10° | 200/27 4° | 210/34 -2° | 220/59 -10° | 220/67 -20° | 220/75 -29° | 230/78 -38° | 220/90 -47° |
| SAN | used from 1795 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 240/10 | 220/19 6° | 230/26 2° | 230/29 -3° | 230/43 -11° | 220/61 -20° | 220/72 -29° | 220/75 -38° | 220/71 -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
| Airport | Where | Conditions | Wind | Visibility | Ceiling | Elevation | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHS Charleston, SC | departure | no report just now | 46 ft | ||||
| AGS Augusta, GA | 100 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 145 ft | ||||
| BHM Birmingham, AL | 339 nm out, 9 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 650 ft | ||||
| TUP Tupelo, MS | 439 nm out, 24 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 346 ft | ||||
| ADF Arkadelphia, AR | 658 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 181 ft | ||||
| ADM Ardmore, OK | 848 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 776 ft | ||||
| PVW Plainview, TX | 1087 nm out, 1 nm east of the line | no report just now | 3,374 ft | ||||
| PRZ Portales, NM | 1167 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 4,077 ft | ||||
| ONM Socorro, NM | 1346 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | no report just now | 4,875 ft | ||||
| FFZ Mesa, AZ | 1585 nm out, 1 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,394 ft | ||||
| RNM Ramona, CA | 1845 nm out, 16 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 4,875 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, 8:52 pm PDT (03:52 UTC)
SAN has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8722 ALAMOGORDO, NM, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, 1276 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZAB
- 6/2656 Coyote Wells, CA, Saturday, July 4, 2026 through Saturday, January 2, 2027 Local 20 nm from the route, 1775 nm along the route · security · until 2 January · ZLA
- 6/2657 Calexico, CA, Saturday, July 4, 2026 through Saturday, January 2, 2027 Local 20 nm from the route, 1775 nm along the route · security · until 2 January · ZLA
- 6/4812 El Centro, CA, Wednesday, July 15, 2026 through Tuesday, July 13, 2027 Local 6 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 13 July · ZLA
- 6/2652 Coyote Wells, CA, Saturday, July 4, 2026 through Saturday, January 2, 2027 Local 16 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 2 January · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at CHS 6:50 pm EDT (22:50 UTC), at SAN 6:18 pm PDT (01:18 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:43 pm PDT (01:43 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SAN is after sunset there (6:19 pm PDT (01:19 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: Charleston Afb/Intl Airport, San Diego International.