Dallas-Fort Worth International to Lake Charles Regional DFW → LCH
256 nautical miles (295 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 129°, about 125° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 40 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 33-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:01 pm CDT (03:01 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now DFW is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 7 knots; LCH is VFR, wind from the south (190°) 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: 2,030 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
No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.
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
- B789 at 27,000 ft, 30 nm southeast, 7:30 pm CDT (00:30 UTC): moderate clear-air turbulence, remarks: zhu. At the destination end, 30 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
LFT UA /OV LLA270030/TM 0030/FL270/TP B789/TB MOD CAT/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through LFT
- Where
- 30 nm west (270°) of LLA
- Time
- 00:30 UTC
- Height
- at 27,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B789
- Turbulence
- moderate clear-air turbulence
- Remarks
- zhu
- E75L at 27,000 ft, 6 nm east, 7:20 pm CDT (00:20 UTC): remarks: zhu. At the destination end, 6 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
LCH UA /OV LCH08510/TM 0020/FL270/TP E75L/TB CONS CHOP/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through LCH
- Where
- LCH08510
- Time
- 00:20 UTC
- Height
- at 27,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Turbulence
- continuous chop
- Remarks
- zhu
- B737 at 28,000 ft, 25 nm south, 5:52 pm CDT (22:52 UTC): light to moderate turbulence above 28,000 ft, remarks: below 26,000 ft zhu. At the destination end, 25 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
BPT UA /OV BPT109042/TM 2252/FL280/TP B737/TB INTMT LGT-MOD FL280 /RM BLO FL260. ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through BPT
- Where
- 42 nm east (109°) of BPT
- Time
- 22:52 UTC
- Height
- at 28,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- intermittent light to moderate FL280
- Remarks
- below 26,000 ft zhu
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 3 forecast points nearest it (DAL, CLL, LCH). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 180° at 14 kt | +9 kt | 111 kt | 2 h 18 min | 10:39 pm CDT (03:39 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 190° at 16 kt | +9 kt | 111 kt | 2 h 18 min | 10:39 pm CDT (03:39 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 200° at 15 kt | +6 kt | 14 °C | 114 kt | 2 h 15 min | 10:36 pm CDT (03:36 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 210° at 15 kt | +3 kt | 11 °C | 117 kt | 2 h 11 min | 10:32 pm CDT (03:32 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 16 kt | +1 kt | 8 °C | 119 kt | 2 h 09 min | 10:30 pm CDT (03:30 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 16 kt | −2 kt | 4 °C | 122 kt | 2 h 06 min | 10:27 pm CDT (03:27 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 15 kt | −5 kt | 0 °C | 125 kt | 2 h 03 min | 10:24 pm CDT (03:24 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 15 kt | −8 kt | -4 °C | 128 kt | 2 h | 10:21 pm CDT (03:21 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 15 kt | −9 kt | -5 °C | 129 kt | 1 h 59 min | 10:20 pm CDT (03:20 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 16 kt | −9 kt | -14 °C | 129 kt | 1 h 59 min | 10:20 pm CDT (03:20 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 29 kt | −29 kt | -30 °C | 149 kt | 1 h 43 min | 10:04 pm CDT (03:04 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 32 kt | −31 kt | -40 °C | 151 kt | 1 h 42 min | 10:03 pm CDT (03:03 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 33 kt | −33 kt | -53 °C | 153 kt | 1 h 40 min | 10:01 pm CDT (03:01 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAL | used from 0 nm out; 16 nm from the line | 180/21 | 190/24 15° | 230/20 12° | 220/23 8° | 240/22 -5° | 230/18 -15° | 280/33 -29° | 280/36 -39° | 300/33 -52° |
| CLL | used from 99 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 160/18 | 190/18 16° | 200/19 12° | 220/14 7° | 260/18 -5° | 250/20 -13° | 290/29 -29° | 290/31 -40° | 300/22 -53° |
| LCH | used from 148 nm out; 84 nm from the line | 190/6 | 180/8 18° | 170/13 12° | 220/12 7° | 290/10 -4° | 280/15 -14° | 320/30 -31° | 320/32 -40° | 320/39 -53° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DFW Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | departure | VFR | from the south (170°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 606 ft | 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC) |
| RBD Dallas, TX | 20 nm out, 7 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| CRS Corsicana, TX | 59 nm out, 20 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 448 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| PSN Palestine, TX | 99 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 422 ft | 00:55 UTC |
| LFK Lufkin, TX | 158 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 295 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| JAS Jasper, TX | 197 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,700 feet | from the south (190°) at 5 knots, gusting to 11 | 10+ mi | none | 212 ft | 01:15 UTC |
| ORG Orange, TX | 237 nm out, 23 nm southwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 13 ft | 00:50 UTC |
| LCH Lake Charles, LA | destination | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 14 ft | 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 660 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LCH when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:01 pm CDT (03:01 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for LCH
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for DFW, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Sun 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 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
- 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
- 9/2934 DALLAS, TX 6 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at DFW 6:58 pm CDT (23:58 UTC), at LCH 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:09 pm CDT (00:09 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at LCH is after sunset there (6:46 pm CDT (23:46 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: Dallas-Fort Worth International, Lake Charles Regional.