Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport to Charlotte/Douglas International DCA → CLT
288 nautical miles (331 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 222°, about 233° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 08 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 15-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:36 am EDT (13:36 UTC). Right now DCA is VFR, wind from the north-northwest (340°) at 10 knots; CLT is VFR, wind from the west (270°) at 4 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: 5,265 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 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 30 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: 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 last 268 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, 208 nm along 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 DCA.
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 4 forecast points nearest it (RIC, ROA, RDU, GSP). 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 | 340° at 29 kt | −13 kt | 133 kt | 2 h 10 min | 9:38 am EDT (13:38 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 340° at 28 kt | −15 kt | 12 °C | 135 kt | 2 h 08 min | 9:36 am EDT (13:36 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 340° at 29 kt | −15 kt | 9 °C | 135 kt | 2 h 08 min | 9:36 am EDT (13:36 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 340° at 29 kt | −13 kt | 6 °C | 133 kt | 2 h 10 min | 9:38 am EDT (13:38 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 330° at 29 kt | −11 kt | 2 °C | 131 kt | 2 h 12 min | 9:40 am EDT (13:40 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 330° at 32 kt | −11 kt | -2 °C | 131 kt | 2 h 12 min | 9:40 am EDT (13:40 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 330° at 35 kt | −12 kt | -5 °C | 132 kt | 2 h 11 min | 9:39 am EDT (13:39 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 330° at 37 kt | −12 kt | -8 °C | 132 kt | 2 h 11 min | 9:39 am EDT (13:39 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 40 kt | −14 kt | -20 °C | 134 kt | 2 h 09 min | 9:37 am EDT (13:37 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 44 kt | −14 kt | -33 °C | 134 kt | 2 h 09 min | 9:37 am EDT (13:37 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 330° at 43 kt | −14 kt | -39 °C | 134 kt | 2 h 09 min | 9:37 am EDT (13:37 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 40 kt | +6 kt | -47 °C | 114 kt | 2 h 32 min | 10:00 am EDT (14:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIC | used from 0 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 350/34 | 340/27 12° | 340/36 8° | 330/31 3° | 310/32 -9° | 320/34 -21° | 300/37 -34° | 290/37 -39° | 290/42 -46° |
| ROA | used from 99 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 310/32 | 340/32 14° | 350/25 9° | 340/24 3° | 340/42 -8° | 340/52 -20° | 350/62 -34° | 350/64 -39° | 310/44 -48° |
| RDU | used from 199 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 330/30 | 340/24 12° | 330/26 7° | 320/30 3° | 330/39 -8° | 310/30 -20° | 300/33 -33° | 310/34 -39° | 310/41 -47° |
| GSP | used from 248 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 340/30 | 360/24 13° | 350/29 10° | 340/33 6° | 340/40 -7° | 350/44 -19° | 340/59 -31° | 350/55 -41° | 300/29 -50° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCA Washington, DC | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,300 feet, a broken layer at 6,500 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 6,500 ft | 14 ft | 7:21 am EDT (11:21 UTC) |
| HEF Washington, DC | 20 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,400 feet, overcast at 5,500 feet | from the northwest (320°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | 4,400 ft | 192 ft | 10:56 UTC |
| CHO Charlottesville, VA | 79 nm out, 22 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,400 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 640 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| FVX Farmville, VA | 109 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 200 feet Weather: mist | calm | 4 mi | none | 415 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| LYH Lynchburg, VA | 139 nm out, 17 nm northwest of the line, tower | IFR Weather: mist | calm | 1.5 mi | none | 938 ft | 11:17 UTC |
| SIF Reidsville, NC | 199 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the west (260°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 693 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| GSO Greensboro, NC | 218 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,400 feet, a few clouds at 12,000 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 925 ft | 10:54 UTC |
| JQF Concord, NC | 268 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 704 ft | 10:50 UTC |
| CLT Charlotte, NC | destination | VFR | from the west (270°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 747 ft | 6:52 am EDT (10:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 938 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CLT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:36 am EDT (13:36 UTC)
Wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for CLT
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for DCA, the departure
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,000 feet, a broken layer at 1,600 feet and more above
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, at the departure end · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 13 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at DCA 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 UTC), at CLT 6:52 pm EDT (22:52 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm EDT (23:18 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: Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport, Charlotte/Douglas International.