Des Moines International to Austin-Bergstrom International DSM → AUS
708 nautical miles (815 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 197°, about 196° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 40 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 5-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:07 pm CDT (17:07 UTC). Right now DSM is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 8 knots; AUS is VFR, wind from the east (090°) at 3 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: 212 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 TANGO 2W: 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 first 409 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 DSM.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A320 at 21,000 ft, 45 nm southeast, 5:45 am CDT (10:45 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. At the destination end, 45 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
SAT UA /OV SAT090060/TM 1045/FL210/TP A320/TB OCNL MOD CHOP/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through SAT
- Where
- 60 nm east (090°) of SAT
- Time
- 10:45 UTC
- Height
- at 21,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A320
- Turbulence
- occasional moderate chop
- Remarks
- zhu
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 7 forecast points nearest it (DSM, MKC, TUL, OKC, DAL, CLL, SAT). 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 | 230° at 28 kt | +25 kt | 95 kt | 7 h 27 min | 1:54 pm CDT (18:54 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 20 kt | +18 kt | 17 °C | 102 kt | 6 h 56 min | 1:23 pm CDT (18:23 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 17 kt | +15 kt | 14 °C | 105 kt | 6 h 45 min | 1:12 pm CDT (18:12 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 15 kt | +13 kt | 10 °C | 107 kt | 6 h 37 min | 1:04 pm CDT (18:04 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | +12 kt | 6 °C | 108 kt | 6 h 33 min | 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | +13 kt | 1 °C | 107 kt | 6 h 37 min | 1:04 pm CDT (18:04 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | +14 kt | -3 °C | 106 kt | 6 h 41 min | 1:08 pm CDT (18:08 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 22 kt | +14 kt | -7 °C | 106 kt | 6 h 41 min | 1:08 pm CDT (18:08 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 28 kt | +13 kt | -17 °C | 107 kt | 6 h 37 min | 1:04 pm CDT (18:04 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 48 kt | +14 kt | -30 °C | 106 kt | 6 h 41 min | 1:08 pm CDT (18:08 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 45 kt | +5 kt | -38 °C | 115 kt | 6 h 09 min | 12:36 pm CDT (17:36 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 45 kt | −5 kt | -50 °C | 125 kt | 5 h 40 min | 12:07 pm CDT (17:07 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSM | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 250/47 | 260/25 20° | 240/19 11° | 240/31 5° | 250/26 -9° | 260/38 -20° | 260/47 -34° | 270/58 -37° | 270/61 -47° |
| MKC | used from 100 nm out; 26 nm from the line | 240/49 | 240/21 20° | 220/19 13° | 230/21 6° | 260/26 -7° | 250/37 -19° | 270/66 -31° | 270/65 -38° | 280/60 -48° |
| TUL | used from 249 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 230/42 | 250/23 17° | 220/16 14° | 240/10 8° | 240/20 -6° | 260/28 -17° | 270/61 -29° | 280/52 -38° | 290/46 -50° |
| OKC | used from 399 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 220/43 | 230/31 17° | 260/13 16° | 270/11 7° | 240/20 -6° | 250/32 -17° | 260/60 -28° | 280/50 -37° | 290/45 -50° |
| DAL | used from 449 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 190/30 | 200/28 18° | 220/18 13° | 250/13 8° | 240/24 -6° | 270/20 -14° | 270/35 -29° | 290/34 -39° | 310/41 -51° |
| CLL | used from 598 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 180/24 | 170/21 19° | 180/10 14° | 230/7 8° | 230/16 -6° | 260/20 -13° | 290/23 -29° | 320/21 -39° | 340/35 -51° |
| SAT | used from 698 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 160/18 | 180/22 17° | 190/16 14° | 210/16 9° | 220/16 -5° | 200/11 -14° | 250/8 -29° | 330/8 -40° | 020/26 -51° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSM Des Moines, IA | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 11,000 feet, a broken layer at 19,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 957 ft | 5:54 am CDT (10:54 UTC) |
| LWD Lamoni, IA | 60 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,130 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| MCI Kansas City, MO | 140 nm out, 8 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 14 knots, gusting to 24 | 10+ mi | none | 1,027 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| OJC Olathe, KS | 170 nm out, 1 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,096 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| CFV Coffeyville, KS | 279 nm out, 9 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 754 ft | 10:52 UTC |
| TUL Tulsa, OK | 339 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | none | 677 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| OKM Okmulgee, OK | 369 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 719 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| GYI Sherman/Denison, TX | 489 nm out, 6 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 749 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| ADS Dallas, TX | 538 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 644 ft | 10:47 UTC |
| ACT Waco, TX | 618 nm out, 2 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 516 ft | 10:51 UTC |
| GTU Georgetown, TX | 678 nm out, 8 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,100 feet, a broken layer at 16,000 feet, overcast at 22,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 16,000 ft | 789 ft | 10:55 UTC |
| AUS Austin, TX | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,700 feet, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet | from the east (090°) at 3 knots | 9 mi | none | 541 ft | 5:53 am CDT (10:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,130 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At AUS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:07 pm CDT (17:07 UTC)
Wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet VFR
The whole forecast for AUS
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet, overcast at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 7:30 am CDT (12:30 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,200 feet
- At times between Mon 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC) and 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): a broken layer at 1,800 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC) and 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): light thunderstorms with rain, a broken layer at 3,500 feet (thunderheads)
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Tue 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
- At times between Tue 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC) and 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): a broken layer at 800 feet
The forecast for DSM, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Tue 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 9/2934 DALLAS, TX 1 nm from the route, 538 nm along the route · a VIP movement · ZFW
- 6/8646 Arlington, TX, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Friday, October 16, 2026 UTC 11 nm from the route, 548 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW
- 6/0543 MCGREGOR, TX 7 nm from the route, 638 nm along the route · security · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at DSM 6:38 pm CDT (23:38 UTC), at AUS 7:02 pm CDT (00:02 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:26 pm CDT (00:26 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: Des Moines International, Austin-Bergstrom International.