The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 12:13 am CDT (05:13 UTC)

Dallas Love Field to South Bend International DAL → SBN

731 nautical miles (842 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 040°, about 037° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 05 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 24-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:18 am EDT (10:18 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now DAL is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots; SBN is VFR, wind calm. 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: 4 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

  • 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 last 49 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 DAL.

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

  • B38M at 29,000 ft, 9 nm northwest, 11:52 pm CDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 623 nm along the route, 9 nm northwest of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    TIP UA /OV RBS/TM 0452/FL290/TP B38M/TB NEG 230-290
    Report
    a routine report filed through TIP
    Where
    over RBS
    Time
    04:52 UTC
    Height
    at 29,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B38M
    Turbulence
    no from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft
  • LJ45 at 10,000 ft, 46 nm southeast, 11:31 pm CDT (04:31 UTC): no turbulence, clear, remarks: ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14. At the destination end, 46 nm southeast of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    FWA UA /OV OLK/TM 0431/FL100/TP LJ45/SK CLR/TB SMOOTH/RM GROUND FOG AT FWA. FV10SM ON FINAL RY 14
    Report
    a routine report filed through FWA
    Where
    over OLK
    Time
    04:31 UTC
    Height
    at 10,000 ft
    Aircraft
    LJ45
    Sky
    clear
    Turbulence
    smooth
    Remarks
    ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 02:00–09:00 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 6 forecast points nearest it (DAL, FSM, SGF, STL, SPI, JOT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
3,500 ft230° at 24 kt−24 kt144 kt5 h 05 min6:18 am EDT (10:18 UTC)
5,500 ft240° at 23 kt−22 kt142 kt5 h 09 min6:22 am EDT (10:22 UTC)
7,500 ft250° at 21 kt−20 kt13 °C140 kt5 h 13 min6:26 am EDT (10:26 UTC)
9,500 ft250° at 19 kt−17 kt10 °C137 kt5 h 20 min6:33 am EDT (10:33 UTC)
11,500 ft250° at 16 kt−14 kt7 °C134 kt5 h 27 min6:40 am EDT (10:40 UTC)
13,500 ft250° at 16 kt−14 kt3 °C134 kt5 h 27 min6:40 am EDT (10:40 UTC)
15,500 ft260° at 18 kt−15 kt-1 °C135 kt5 h 25 min6:38 am EDT (10:38 UTC)
17,500 ft260° at 20 kt−16 kt-5 °C136 kt5 h 22 min6:35 am EDT (10:35 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180260° at 20 kt−17 kt-6 °C137 kt5 h 20 min6:33 am EDT (10:33 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240260° at 27 kt−20 kt-17 °C140 kt5 h 13 min6:26 am EDT (10:26 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300280° at 35 kt−18 kt-32 °C138 kt5 h 18 min6:31 am EDT (10:31 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340280° at 46 kt−22 kt-41 °C142 kt5 h 09 min6:22 am EDT (10:22 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390300° at 49 kt−15 kt-51 °C135 kt5 h 25 min6:38 am EDT (10:38 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 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
DALused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line190/29220/23 17°220/17 13°250/18 8°230/18 -5°240/18 -15°270/34 -29°280/33 -39°300/36 -51°
FSMused from 99 nm out; 71 nm from the line210/27250/23 16°250/20 13°240/17 8°250/18 -6°260/31 -16°280/42 -30°280/44 -40°290/38 -51°
SGFused from 247 nm out; 61 nm from the line230/33230/28 15°250/20 13°240/18 7°250/20 -6°250/24 -17°280/42 -31°280/49 -40°290/46 -51°
STLused from 395 nm out; 54 nm from the line250/24250/24 16°260/23 9°270/16 6°260/25 -6°270/29 -19°290/34 -33°290/48 -41°290/54 -51°
SPIused from 494 nm out; 37 nm from the line220/21250/23 16°260/27 9°270/14 6°270/23 -7°270/31 -19°270/28 -33°290/48 -42°300/55 -52°
JOTused from 593 nm out; 67 nm from the line250/23270/22 15°250/16 10°240/9 4°280/22 -7°280/29 -19°300/29 -34°290/50 -43°300/64 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
DAL Dallas, TX departure VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots 10+ mi none 486 ft 11:53 pm CDT (04:53 UTC)
TKI Dallas, TX 20 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 8 knots 10+ mi none 588 ft 04:53 UTC
HHW Hugo, OK 99 nm out, 4 nm south of the line VFR from the south (170°) at 5 knots 10+ mi none 572 ft 04:50 UTC
FSM Fort Smith, AR 198 nm out, 6 nm west of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 469 ft 04:53 UTC
BBG Branson, MO 287 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 1,302 ft 04:55 UTC
TVB Cabool, MO 346 nm out, 5 nm east of the line no report just now 1,220 ft
TBN Fort Leonard Wood, MO 376 nm out, 23 nm northwest of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 6 knots 10+ mi none 1,159 ft 04:55 UTC
ALN Alton/St Louis, IL 494 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower VFR from the south (170°) at 5 knots 10+ mi none 543 ft 04:55 UTC
DEC Decatur, IL 573 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower VFR Weather: haze from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots 6 mi none 681 ft 04:54 UTC
CMI Champaign/Urbana, IL 593 nm out, 12 nm east of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 754 ft 04:53 UTC
RZL Rensselaer, IN 672 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line VFR calm 10+ mi none 698 ft 04:55 UTC
SBN South Bend, IN destination VFR calm 9 mi none 798 ft 12:54 am EDT (04:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,302 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At SBN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:18 am EDT (10:18 UTC)

Wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for SBN
  • From Mon 12:00 am EDT (04:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 2 miles, mist, clear skies
  • At times between Mon 12:00 am EDT (04:00 UTC) and 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog
  • From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for DAL, the departure
  • From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet

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

  • 9/2934 DALLAS, TX 2 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · ZFW
  • 6/8646 Arlington, TX, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Friday, October 16, 2026 UTC 13 nm from the route, at the departure end · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW

Daylight

Sunset at DAL 6:58 pm CDT (23:58 UTC), at SBN 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:36 pm EDT (23:36 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SBN is before sunrise there (7:53 am EDT (11:53 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 southern Plains
Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · 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: Dallas Love Field, South Bend International.