The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 1:12 am CDT (06:12 UTC)

Dallas-Fort Worth International to City Of Colorado Springs Municipal DFW → COS

514 nautical miles (592 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 316°, about 312° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 03 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 7-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:15 am MDT (10:15 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now DFW is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 12 knots; COS is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 10 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: 3,807 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 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 178 to 425 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 99 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Near the route, 435 nm along the route.
  • 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 last 0 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 DFW.

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

  • E170 at 22,500 ft, 42 nm northwest, 12:06 am CDT (05:06 UTC): light to moderate turbulence up to 23,000 ft, remarks: during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13. At the destination end, 42 nm northwest of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    DEN UA /OV DEN216057/TM 0506/FL225/TP E170/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD BLO 230/RM DURD TBARR STAR. ZDVWC-13
    Report
    a routine report filed through DEN
    Where
    57 nm southwest (216°) of DEN
    Time
    05:06 UTC
    Height
    at 22,500 ft
    Aircraft
    E170
    Turbulence
    continuous light occasional moderate below 23,000 ft
    Remarks
    during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13

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 6 forecast points nearest it (DAL, SPS, GAG, AMA, GCK, PUB). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft210° at 36 kt−7 kt20 °C127 kt4 h 03 min4:15 am MDT (10:15 UTC)
6,500 ft220° at 33 kt−2 kt17 °C122 kt4 h 13 min4:25 am MDT (10:25 UTC)
8,500 ft230° at 28 kt+2 kt14 °C118 kt4 h 21 min4:33 am MDT (10:33 UTC)
10,500 ft230° at 25 kt+4 kt10 °C116 kt4 h 26 min4:38 am MDT (10:38 UTC)
12,500 ft240° at 24 kt+6 kt7 °C114 kt4 h 31 min4:43 am MDT (10:43 UTC)
14,500 ft230° at 24 kt+5 kt2 °C115 kt4 h 28 min4:40 am MDT (10:40 UTC)
16,500 ft230° at 25 kt+3 kt-2 °C117 kt4 h 24 min4:36 am MDT (10:36 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180230° at 26 kt+2 kt-6 °C118 kt4 h 21 min4:33 am MDT (10:33 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 33 kt+9 kt-18 °C111 kt4 h 38 min4:50 am MDT (10:50 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300250° at 57 kt+24 kt-28 °C96 kt5 h 21 min5:33 am MDT (11:33 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340260° at 53 kt+28 kt-37 °C92 kt5 h 35 min5:47 am MDT (11:47 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390260° at 47 kt+29 kt-49 °C91 kt5 h 39 min5:51 am MDT (11:51 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; 34 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°
SPSused from 49 nm out; 24 nm from the line200/39220/28 17°230/27 12°240/15 9°250/15 -4°250/24 -15°260/45 -28°270/43 -39°280/45 -51°
GAGused from 198 nm out; 52 nm from the line220/40 19°230/28 14°240/23 8°230/21 -6°240/31 -19°250/66 -29°260/58 -38°260/47 -49°
AMAused from 297 nm out; 86 nm from the line210/38230/29 14°240/29 7°220/27 -5°240/37 -18°240/66 -28°250/59 -37°260/47 -49°
GCKused from 346 nm out; 93 nm from the line220/48 21°230/37 14°250/30 8°230/37 -6°240/37 -20°240/69 -28°250/67 -37°260/58 -48°
PUBused from 396 nm out; 68 nm from the line230/25 13°230/32 6°220/44 -8°230/49 -21°240/70 -28°240/67 -34°240/58 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
DFW Dallas-Fort Worth, TX departure VFR from the south (180°) at 12 knots 10+ mi none 606 ft 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC)
DTO Denton, TX 20 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower VFR from the south (170°) at 10 knots 10+ mi none 642 ft 05:53 UTC
SPS Wichita Falls, TX 99 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 11 knots 10+ mi none 1,019 ft 05:52 UTC
LAW Lawton, OK 119 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line, tower VFR from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots 10+ mi none 1,110 ft 05:53 UTC
AXS Altus, OK 158 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line VFR from the south (170°) at 13 knots 10+ mi none 1,433 ft 05:55 UTC
HHF Canadian, TX 247 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line VFR from the south (190°) at 16 knots, gusting to 20 10+ mi none 2,396 ft 05:55 UTC
PYX Perryton, TX 277 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line no report just now 2,918 ft
GUY Guymon, OK 317 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line VFR from the south (190°) at 14 knots 10+ mi none 3,125 ft 05:53 UTC
LHX La Junta, CO 445 nm out, 4 nm east of the line VFR from the southwest (230°) at 6 knots 10+ mi none 4,228 ft 15:53 UTC
PUB Pueblo, CO 485 nm out, 17 nm southwest of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 12 knots 10+ mi none 4,729 ft 05:53 UTC
COS Colorado Springs, CO destination VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet, a few clouds at 18,000 feet from the south (180°) at 10 knots 10+ mi none 6,187 ft 11:54 pm MDT (05:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,187 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At COS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:15 am MDT (10:15 UTC)

Wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for COS
  • From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
  • From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 11:00 am MDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
  • From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
  • From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for DFW, the departure
  • From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
  • From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet

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

  • 9/2934 DALLAS, TX 11 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 8 nm from the route, at the departure end · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW

Daylight

Sunset at DFW 6:58 pm CDT (23:58 UTC), at COS 6:23 pm MDT (00:23 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:50 pm MDT (00:50 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at COS is before sunrise there (7:04 am MDT (13:04 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 southern Rockies
Radar now, the southern Rockies · 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-Fort Worth International, City Of Colorado Springs Municipal.