The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 9:09 am EDT (13:09 UTC)

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International to San Francisco International CVG → SFO

1,765 nautical miles (2,031 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 279°, about 285° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6W). At 120 knots that is 16 h 49 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 15-knot headwind), arriving about 10:58 pm PDT (05:58 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: 595 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 W26W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the south at 35 knots, until 10:55 am EDT (14:55 UTC). Near the route, 1426 nm along the route.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 121255
    MKCW WST 121255
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 26W
    VALID UNTIL 1455Z
    NV
    FROM 40WNW ILC-ILC-60N LAS-60NE BTY-40WNW ILC
    AREA TS MOV FROM 20035KT. TOPS TO FL300.
  • 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 100 nm of 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 299 to 738 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 858 to 918 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 878 to 1277 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 918 to 1087 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 967 to 1516 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 1047 to 1117 nm out.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 1047 to 1446 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 1097 to 1446 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 199 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1626 to 1675 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 CVG.

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 15 forecast points nearest it (CVG, IND, SPI, COU, MKC, SLN, GRI, GLD, DEN, GJT, SLC, ELY, BIH, SAC, SFO). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft250° at 21 kt+20 kt23 °C100 kt17 h 39 min11:48 pm PDT (06:48 UTC)
6,500 ft250° at 17 kt+16 kt15 °C104 kt16 h 58 min11:07 pm PDT (06:07 UTC)
8,500 ft240° at 17 kt+15 kt8 °C105 kt16 h 49 min10:58 pm PDT (05:58 UTC)
10,500 ft240° at 19 kt+16 kt4 °C104 kt16 h 58 min11:07 pm PDT (06:07 UTC)
12,500 ft240° at 21 kt+18 kt1 °C102 kt17 h 18 min11:27 pm PDT (06:27 UTC)
14,500 ft240° at 24 kt+21 kt-3 °C99 kt17 h 50 min11:59 pm PDT (06:59 UTC)
16,500 ft240° at 26 kt+24 kt-8 °C96 kt18 h 23 min12:32 am PDT (07:32 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180240° at 28 kt+26 kt-11 °C94 kt18 h 47 min12:56 am PDT (07:56 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 36 kt+33 kt-22 °C87 kt20 h 17 min2:26 am PDT (09:26 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300250° at 50 kt+49 kt-31 °C71 kt24 h 52 min7:01 am PDT (14:01 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340250° at 56 kt+56 kt-38 °C64 kt27 h 35 min9:44 am PDT (16:44 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390250° at 52 kt+53 kt-46 °C67 kt26 h 21 min8:30 am PDT (15:30 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
CVGused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line300/19310/23 15°320/20 9°310/18 3°300/26 -6°290/36 -19°310/32 -34°310/53 -43°310/61 -51°
INDused from 50 nm out; 29 nm from the line270/22290/19 15°270/19 8°270/18 4°290/28 -7°280/35 -20°270/37 -34°300/51 -42°300/61 -51°
SPIused from 150 nm out; 64 nm from the line260/28250/22 15°250/14 9°260/20 6°280/27 -7°280/34 -19°280/48 -32°280/59 -41°300/60 -49°
COUused from 299 nm out; 61 nm from the line250/36260/14 16°250/5 12°260/12 6°260/24 -7°260/35 -19°280/58 -31°280/62 -40°290/60 -49°
MKCused from 399 nm out; 58 nm from the line240/49240/21 20°220/19 13°230/21 6°260/26 -7°250/37 -19°270/66 -31°270/65 -38°280/60 -48°
SLNused from 549 nm out; 76 nm from the line230/49240/41 22°230/26 15°220/21 7°240/38 -8°240/44 -21°260/77 -29°270/70 -36°270/63 -48°
GRIused from 598 nm out; 61 nm from the line230/39 23°230/32 15°210/29 7°230/31 -8°230/43 -21°250/52 -31°260/59 -35°260/59 -46°
GLDused from 698 nm out; 76 nm from the line260/37260/25 14°250/27 8°230/36 -8°230/49 -21°250/71 -30°260/82 -36°250/73 -48°
DENused from 848 nm out; 54 nm from the line270/24 11°230/13 5°230/48 -8°230/46 -20°230/63 -30°240/78 -36°240/78 -48°
GJTused from 997 nm out; 91 nm from the line220/26 6°230/39 0°220/55 -13°230/60 -23°230/78 -31°230/80 -35°230/74 -44°
SLCused from 1197 nm out; 96 nm from the line200/16210/23 4°220/34 -3°210/40 -16°220/66 -23°220/64 -31°220/57 -36°220/50 -43°
ELYused from 1296 nm out; 80 nm from the line210/34 1°220/40 -4°220/39 -17°210/51 -24°220/65 -30°220/60 -37°220/56 -44°
BIHused from 1496 nm out; 85 nm from the lineL/V020/6 0°140/7 -7°210/31 -16°230/34 -26°220/43 -30°220/52 -36°220/46 -43°
SACused from 1646 nm out; 59 nm from the lineL/VL/V 4°340/9 -4°340/22 -8°360/71 -12°360/82 -23°350/58 -37°310/30 -40°270/25 -44°
SFOused from 1745 nm out; 10 nm from the line090/9050/12 4°010/17 -2°350/34 -3°360/70 -11°360/75 -22°350/57 -38°330/37 -42°280/25 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
CVG Covington, KY departure no report just now 896 ft
BAK Columbus, IN 60 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower no report just now 656 ft
SPI Springfield, IL 239 nm out, 16 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 597 ft
STJ St Joseph, MO 479 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 826 ft
MYZ Marysville, KS 558 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line no report just now 1,283 ft
ADT Atwood, KS 758 nm out, 7 nm south of the line no report just now 2,990 ft
DEN Denver, CO 927 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line, tower no report just now 5,433 ft
RIL Rifle, CO 1067 nm out, 8 nm south of the line no report just now 5,536 ft
DTA Delta, UT 1287 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line no report just now 4,759 ft
HTH Hawthorne, NV 1576 nm out, 14 nm northwest of the line no report just now 4,230 ft
LVK Livermore, CA 1735 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower no report just now 399 ft
SFO San Francisco, CA destination no report just now 13 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 5,536 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At SFO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:58 pm PDT (05:58 UTC)

SFO has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

  • 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
  • 6/7094 45NM NE MERCED, CA, Sunday, October 4, 2026 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 UTC 24 nm from the route, 1646 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 20 October · ZOA

Daylight

Sunset at CVG 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC), at SFO 6:35 pm PDT (01:35 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm PDT (02:01 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SFO is after sunset there (6:36 pm PDT (01:36 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 central Great Lakes
Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Plains
Radar now, the southern Plains · 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: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, San Francisco International.