The Eastern Iowa Airport to Los Angeles International CID → LAX
1,345 nautical miles (1,547 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 258°, about 256° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2E). At 120 knots that is 14 h 09 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 25-knot headwind), arriving about 4:54 pm PDT (23:54 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: 17 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: 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 first 468 nm of the route.
- 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 568 to 1026 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 598 to 807 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 608 to 877 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 787 to 1076 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 817 to 1285 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 1006 to 1056 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 70 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 CID.
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 12 forecast points nearest it (DSM, OMA, GRI, GLD, DEN, PUB, ALS, GJT, FMN, BCE, LAS, ONT). 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 29 kt | +29 kt | 14 °C | 91 kt | 14 h 47 min | 5:32 pm PDT (00:32 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 26 kt | +26 kt | 14 °C | 94 kt | 14 h 19 min | 5:04 pm PDT (00:04 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +25 kt | 9 °C | 95 kt | 14 h 09 min | 4:54 pm PDT (23:54 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | +25 kt | 5 °C | 95 kt | 14 h 09 min | 4:54 pm PDT (23:54 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | +27 kt | 1 °C | 93 kt | 14 h 28 min | 5:13 pm PDT (00:13 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 34 kt | +31 kt | -3 °C | 89 kt | 15 h 07 min | 5:52 pm PDT (00:52 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 38 kt | +34 kt | -7 °C | 86 kt | 15 h 38 min | 6:23 pm PDT (01:23 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 41 kt | +37 kt | -11 °C | 83 kt | 16 h 12 min | 6:57 pm PDT (01:57 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 52 kt | +50 kt | -21 °C | 70 kt | 19 h 13 min | 9:58 pm PDT (04:58 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 64 kt | +63 kt | -31 °C | 57 kt | 23 h 36 min | 2:21 am PDT (09:21 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 68 kt | +69 kt | -36 °C | 51 kt | 26 h 22 min | 5:07 am PDT (12:07 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 63 kt | +64 kt | -46 °C | 56 kt | 24 h 01 min | 2:46 am PDT (09:46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSM | used from 0 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 250/47 | 260/25 20° | 240/19 11° | 240/31 5° | 250/26 -9° | 260/38 -20° | 260/47 -34° | 270/58 -37° | 270/61 -47° |
| OMA | used from 149 nm out; 19 nm from the line | 230/47 | 240/33 21° | 230/22 13° | 220/27 5° | 240/35 -8° | 250/43 -21° | 260/47 -33° | 260/59 -36° | 270/58 -46° |
| GRI | used from 249 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 230/39 23° | 230/32 15° | 210/29 7° | 230/31 -8° | 230/43 -21° | 250/52 -31° | 260/59 -35° | 260/59 -46° | |
| GLD | used from 398 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 260/37 | 260/25 14° | 250/27 8° | 230/36 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 250/71 -30° | 260/82 -36° | 250/73 -48° | |
| DEN | used from 548 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 270/24 11° | 230/13 5° | 230/48 -8° | 230/46 -20° | 230/63 -30° | 240/78 -36° | 240/78 -48° | ||
| PUB | used from 598 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 260/45 11° | 240/38 6° | 230/47 -8° | 230/51 -19° | 240/74 -29° | 240/82 -35° | 250/72 -48° | ||
| ALS | used from 697 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 240/35 3° | 230/54 -9° | 240/66 -19° | 230/85 -26° | 240/87 -34° | 240/70 -47° | |||
| GJT | used from 747 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 220/26 6° | 230/39 0° | 220/55 -13° | 230/60 -23° | 230/78 -31° | 230/80 -35° | 230/74 -44° | ||
| FMN | used from 797 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 220/16 6° | 220/39 1° | 220/50 -10° | 230/67 -23° | 230/94 -29° | 230/102 -35° | 230/90 -46° | ||
| BCE | used from 896 nm out; 81 nm from the line | 200/32 -2° | 210/57 -15° | 220/71 -22° | 220/69 -30° | 220/64 -38° | 220/67 -44° | |||
| LAS | used from 1046 nm out; 83 nm from the line | 210/20 8° | 210/29 4° | 200/32 -3° | 200/51 -15° | 210/64 -21° | 220/70 -30° | 220/66 -38° | 220/55 -44° | |
| ONT | used from 1245 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 250/11 | 200/20 4° | 210/27 3° | 220/26 -4° | 240/32 -13° | 220/52 -21° | 220/67 -30° | 220/72 -37° | 220/65 -46° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | departure | no report just now | 869 ft | ||||
| DSM Des Moines, IA | 90 nm out, 1 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 957 ft | ||||
| LNK Lincoln, NE | 239 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,218 ft | ||||
| GRI Grand Island, NE | 299 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,847 ft | ||||
| SYF St Francis, KS | 478 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | no report just now | 3,429 ft | ||||
| COS Colorado Springs, CO | 618 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,187 ft | ||||
| ANK Salida, CO | 687 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 7,523 ft | ||||
| BDG Blanding, UT | 857 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 5,867 ft | ||||
| PGA Page, AZ | 956 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 4,316 ft | ||||
| IFP Bullhead City, AZ | 1146 nm out, 24 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 707 ft | ||||
| EMT El Monte, CA | 1325 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 295 ft | ||||
| LAX Los Angeles, CA | destination | no report just now | 127 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,523 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LAX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:54 pm PDT (23:54 UTC)
LAX has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 7 nm from the route, 647 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local 14 nm from the route, 1146 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
- 6/8890 LAS VEGAS, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 11 nm from the route, 1146 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
- 4/3635 DISNEYLAND THEME PARK, ANAHEIM,, CA 16 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at CID 6:30 pm CDT (23:30 UTC), at LAX 6:22 pm PDT (01:22 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:47 pm PDT (01:47 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: The Eastern Iowa Airport, Los Angeles International.