Plan a flight · Mon 2:37 am EDT (06:37 UTC)

Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport to Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport DCA → MSP

807 nautical miles (929 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 302°, about 313° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 28 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 12-knot headwind), arriving about 9:05 am CDT (14:05 UTC). Right now DCA is IFR, wind from the north-northwest (330°) at 9 knots; MSP is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 5 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: 5,073 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

SIGMET E22E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 40,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 3:55 am EDT (07:55 UTC). Over the first 70 nm of the route.

as issued

WSUS31 KKCI 120555
MKCE WST 120555
CONVECTIVE SIGMET 22E
VALID UNTIL 0755Z
NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND MA RI DE NJ NY CSTL WTRS
FROM 40E HTO-80SSW ACK-100ESE SIE-30SW CSN-40SSE JST-40E HTO
AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL400.

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 478 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 100 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 50 to 179 nm out.
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 route from 618 to 757 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 DCA.

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

B738 at 1,700 ft, 11 nm southwest, 2:20 am EDT (06:20 UTC): overcast from 1,700 ft to 2,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. 349 nm along the route, 11 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0620/FL017/TP B738/SK OVC017-TOP020/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
06:20 UTC
Height
at 1,700 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,700 ft, tops 2,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent
A333 descending, 32 nm northeast, 1:44 am EDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 349 nm along the route, 32 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0544/FLDURD/TP A333/SK TOPS 025
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
05:44 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
A333
Sky
tops 2,500 ft
B738 at 1,800 ft, 11 nm southwest, 1:18 am EDT (05:18 UTC): overcast from 1,800 ft to 2,700 ft, remarks: during the climb. 349 nm along the route, 11 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0518/FL018/TP B738/SK OVC018-TOP027/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
05:18 UTC
Height
at 1,800 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,800 ft, tops 2,700 ft
Remarks
during the climb
B739 descending, 32 nm northeast, 12:54 am EDT (04:54 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 349 nm along the route, 32 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0454/FLDURD/TP B739/SK BASES 011
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
04:54 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B739
Sky
bases 1,100 ft
B738 at 1,300 ft, 11 nm southwest, 12:45 am EDT (04:45 UTC): overcast from 1,300 ft to 3,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. 349 nm along the route, 11 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0445/FL013/TP B738/SK OVC013-TOP030/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
04:45 UTC
Height
at 1,300 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,300 ft, tops 3,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent

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 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 9 forecast points nearest it (RIC, EKN, AGC, CLE, FWA, MKG, GRB, LSE, MSP). 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	280° at 15 kt	+15 kt	12 °C	105 kt	7 h 41 min	9:18 am CDT (14:18 UTC)
6,500 ft	290° at 14 kt	+15 kt	13 °C	105 kt	7 h 41 min	9:18 am CDT (14:18 UTC)
8,500 ft	300° at 13 kt	+13 kt	10 °C	107 kt	7 h 33 min	9:10 am CDT (14:10 UTC)
10,500 ft	300° at 12 kt	+12 kt	6 °C	108 kt	7 h 28 min	9:05 am CDT (14:05 UTC)
12,500 ft	300° at 12 kt	+12 kt	3 °C	108 kt	7 h 28 min	9:05 am CDT (14:05 UTC)
14,500 ft	300° at 15 kt	+16 kt	-2 °C	104 kt	7 h 46 min	9:23 am CDT (14:23 UTC)
16,500 ft	300° at 19 kt	+20 kt	-6 °C	100 kt	8 h 04 min	9:41 am CDT (14:41 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	300° at 22 kt	+23 kt	-9 °C	97 kt	8 h 19 min	9:56 am CDT (14:56 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	300° at 27 kt	+28 kt	-21 °C	92 kt	8 h 46 min	10:23 am CDT (15:23 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	300° at 35 kt	+36 kt	-36 °C	84 kt	9 h 36 min	11:13 am CDT (16:13 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	300° at 44 kt	+45 kt	-43 °C	75 kt	10 h 46 min	12:23 pm CDT (17:23 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	300° at 52 kt	+53 kt	-51 °C	67 kt	12 h 03 min	1:40 pm CDT (18:40 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

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; 94 nm from the line	270/23	280/19 11°	270/18 8°	240/22 4°	230/39 -7°	220/55 -18°	220/75 -30°	230/83 -39°	230/64 -50°
EKN	used from 50 nm out; 77 nm from the line		330/21 12°	330/25 7°	350/22 2°	330/24 -10°	310/27 -21°	320/33 -35°	290/31 -39°	290/34 -47°
AGC	used from 100 nm out; 38 nm from the line	350/14	330/20 11°	340/18 8°	330/17 3°	340/22 -11°	340/31 -22°	330/33 -36°	300/34 -41°	300/35 -47°
CLE	used from 199 nm out; 49 nm from the line	340/7	010/16 13°	350/18 8°	350/20 3°	340/31 -10°	340/46 -21°	340/54 -37°	330/62 -44°	340/65 -49°
FWA	used from 349 nm out; 74 nm from the line	300/17	320/20 16°	330/20 10°	340/15 3°	310/27 -8°	320/37 -20°	330/52 -36°	330/65 -43°	330/60 -50°
MKG	used from 399 nm out; 71 nm from the line	260/22	290/16 15°	300/11 10°	290/5 3°	300/26 -9°	300/32 -20°	320/48 -36°	320/61 -45°	310/74 -53°
GRB	used from 548 nm out; 67 nm from the line	250/36	270/23 16°	270/14 9°	240/18 4°	280/26 -9°	280/29 -20°	290/42 -36°	290/51 -45°	290/72 -55°
LSE	used from 648 nm out; 42 nm from the line	230/40	240/24 17°	240/13 10°	250/13 6°	280/22 -9°	250/28 -21°	250/41 -34°	260/42 -44°	270/62 -53°
MSP	used from 747 nm out; 35 nm from the line	230/26	240/30 17°	240/24 12°	250/22 5°	250/35 -10°	260/36 -21°	250/41 -36°	250/49 -45°	260/58 -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

Airport	Where	Conditions	Wind	Visibility	Ceiling	Elevation	Reported
DCA Washington, DC	departure	IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet Weather: light drizzle, mist	from the north-northwest (330°) at 9 knots	5 mi	900 ft	14 ft	2:29 am EDT (06:29 UTC)
JYO Leesburg, VA	30 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line, tower	IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet Weather: rain	from the north (010°) at 6 knots	5 mi	600 ft	389 ft	06:35 UTC
AGC Pittsburgh, PA	159 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower	low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist	from the northwest (320°) at 5 knots	6 mi	400 ft	1,251 ft	06:07 UTC
CAK Akron, OH	239 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower	IFR Sky: a broken layer at 500 feet, overcast at 1,900 feet Weather: light drizzle, mist	from the northwest (310°) at 5 knots	6 mi	500 ft	1,225 ft	05:51 UTC
CLE Cleveland, OH	269 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 600 feet, overcast at 1,900 feet	from the west-northwest (300°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	1,900 ft	799 ft	06:14 UTC
TOL Toledo, OH	349 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,400 feet	from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots	7 mi	1,400 ft	683 ft	05:52 UTC
BTL Battle Creek, MI	428 nm out, 2 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	951 ft	05:53 UTC
MWC Milwaukee, WI	558 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	744 ft	06:15 UTC
UES Waukesha, WI	568 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	911 ft	06:15 UTC
CMY Sparta, WI	688 nm out, 12 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	9 mi	none	839 ft	05:55 UTC
RGK Red Wing, MN	767 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line	VFR	from the southwest (230°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	778 ft	06:35 UTC
MSP Minneapolis, MN	destination	VFR	from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	841 ft	12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,251 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At MSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:05 am CDT (14:05 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for MSP

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
From Tue 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet

The forecast for DCA, the departure

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 900 feet
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, overcast at 1,200 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, overcast 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 on the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 2 nm from the route, 209 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 22 nm from the route, 219 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 19 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 19 October · ZMP

Daylight

Sunset at DCA 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 UTC), at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm CDT (00:03 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 Northeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the Southeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport, Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport.