Dallas-Fort Worth International to Santa FE Regional DFW → SAF
478 nautical miles (550 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 292°, about 288° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 07 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 4-knot headwind), arriving about 3:22 am MDT (09:22 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now DFW is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 13 knots; SAF is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) 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: 3,432 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 7C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 1:55 am CDT (06:55 UTC). Over the last 139 nm of the route.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120455 MKCC WST 120455 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7C VALID UNTIL 0655Z TX OK CO NM FROM 40NNW PUB-70WSW LBL-40NE CME-40ESE RSK-30ENE HBU-40NNW PUB AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 100 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the last 80 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
- B738 at 36,000 ft, 26 nm south, 10:11 pm CDT (03:11 UTC): -40 °C, wind 245° at 69 knots, remarks: produced by skypath. 408 nm along the route, 26 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
SXU UA /OV ACH146017 /TM 0311 /FL360 /TP B738 /TA M40 /WV 24569KT /RM PRODUCED BY SKYPATH
- Report
- a routine report filed through SXU
- Where
- 17 nm southeast (146°) of ACH
- Time
- 03:11 UTC
- Height
- at 36,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Temperature
- −40 °C
- Wind
- from 245° at 69 knots
- Remarks
- produced by skypath
- B738 at 11,000 ft, 44 nm southwest, 10:25 pm CDT (03:25 UTC): 7 °C, wind 220° at 30 knots, remarks: produced by skypath. At the destination end, 44 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
ABQ UA /OV ABQ094018 /TM 0325 /FL110 /TP B738 /TA 07 /WV 22030KT /RM PRODUCED BY SKYPATH
- Report
- a routine report filed through ABQ
- Where
- 18 nm east (094°) of ABQ
- Time
- 03:25 UTC
- Height
- at 11,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Temperature
- 7 °C
- Wind
- from 220° at 30 knots
- Remarks
- produced by skypath
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, LBB, AMA, TCC, ABQ). 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 | 210° at 36 kt | +4 kt | 18 °C | 116 kt | 4 h 07 min | 3:22 am MDT (09:22 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 210° at 33 kt | +7 kt | 17 °C | 113 kt | 4 h 14 min | 3:29 am MDT (09:29 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 27 kt | +11 kt | 14 °C | 109 kt | 4 h 23 min | 3:38 am MDT (09:38 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | +13 kt | 10 °C | 107 kt | 4 h 28 min | 3:43 am MDT (09:43 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | +13 kt | 6 °C | 107 kt | 4 h 28 min | 3:43 am MDT (09:43 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | +13 kt | 2 °C | 107 kt | 4 h 28 min | 3:43 am MDT (09:43 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | +12 kt | -2 °C | 108 kt | 4 h 26 min | 3:41 am MDT (09:41 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 26 kt | +12 kt | -5 °C | 108 kt | 4 h 26 min | 3:41 am MDT (09:41 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 37 kt | +22 kt | -17 °C | 98 kt | 4 h 53 min | 4:08 am MDT (10:08 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 58 kt | +43 kt | -28 °C | 77 kt | 6 h 12 min | 5:27 am MDT (11:27 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 53 kt | +43 kt | -37 °C | 77 kt | 6 h 12 min | 5:27 am MDT (11:27 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 46 kt | +41 kt | -49 °C | 79 kt | 6 h 03 min | 5:18 am MDT (11:18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAL | used from 0 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 190/29 | 220/23 17° | 220/17 13° | 250/18 8° | 230/18 -5° | 240/18 -15° | 270/34 -29° | 280/33 -39° | 300/36 -51° |
| SPS | used from 50 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 200/39 | 220/28 17° | 230/27 12° | 240/15 9° | 250/15 -4° | 250/24 -15° | 260/45 -28° | 270/43 -39° | 280/45 -51° |
| LBB | used from 149 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 200/36 18° | 220/19 15° | 240/20 8° | 230/24 -4° | 240/37 -16° | 250/57 -28° | 250/51 -38° | 270/47 -50° | |
| AMA | used from 249 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 210/38 | 230/29 14° | 240/29 7° | 220/27 -5° | 240/37 -18° | 240/66 -28° | 250/59 -37° | 260/47 -49° | |
| TCC | used from 299 nm out; 33 nm from the line | 210/42 | 230/33 14° | 230/32 6° | 220/35 -6° | 230/49 -19° | 240/72 -27° | 250/62 -36° | 250/52 -48° | |
| ABQ | used from 448 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 220/27 11° | 210/35 5° | 220/46 -9° | 230/62 -20° | 240/78 -25° | 240/80 -35° | 240/56 -47° |
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 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 606 ft | 11:53 pm CDT (04:53 UTC) |
| AFW Fort Worth, TX | 20 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 12 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 723 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| ONY Olney, TX | 90 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,275 ft | ||||
| PVW Plainview, TX | 249 nm out, 14 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,374 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| HRX Hereford, TX | 289 nm out, 15 nm north of the line | reported, no category | from the south-southwest (200°) at 15 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 3,787 ft | 04:50 UTC |
| TCC Tucumcari, NM | 358 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 20 knots, gusting to 34 | 10+ mi | none | 4,064 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| SXU Santa Rosa, NM | 398 nm out, 17 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,791 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| LVS Las Vegas, NM | 438 nm out, 17 nm northeast of the line | reported, no category | from the south-southeast (160°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,877 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| SAF Santa Fe, NM | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,348 ft | 10:53 pm MDT (04:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,877 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SAF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:22 am MDT (09:22 UTC)
Wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SAF
- From Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind variable at 20 knots, gusting to 35, light thunderstorms with rain, a broken layer at 6,000 feet (thunderheads)
- From Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
The forecast for DFW, the departure
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 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 SAF 6:33 pm MDT (00:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm MDT (00:58 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SAF is before sunrise there (7:08 am MDT (13:08 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, Santa FE Regional.