Plan a flight · Mon 5:02 am CDT (10:02 UTC)

Des Moines International to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International DSM → CVG

438 nautical miles (504 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 107°, about 106° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 26 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 60-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:28 am EDT (12:28 UTC). Right now DSM is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 10 knots; CVG is low IFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 4 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: 4 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 139 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist, fog). Over the last 119 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

B739 at 35,000 ft, 49 nm northeast, 2:05 am CDT (07:05 UTC): no turbulence. 249 nm along the route, 49 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TIP UA /OV RBS010023/TM 0705/FL350/TP B739/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through TIP
Where
23 nm north (010°) of RBS
Time
07:05 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
B739
Turbulence
none
B752 climbing, 7 nm south, 2:37 am CDT (07:37 UTC): overcast. At the destination end, 7 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV 5 W CVG/TM 0737/FLDURC/TP B752/SK B001 OVC T015
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
5 west cvg
Time
07:37 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
B752
Sky
B001 overcast T015
B763 at 100 ft, 3 nm southwest, 4:05 am CDT (09:05 UTC): sky obscured, remarks: during the climb. At the destination end, 3 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV CVG270001/TM 0905/FL001/TP B763/SK VV001/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
1 nm west (270°) of CVG
Time
09:05 UTC
Height
at 100 ft
Aircraft
B763
Sky
sky obscured from 100 ft
Remarks
during the climb
B763 at 200 ft, 3 nm southwest, 3:05 am CDT (08:05 UTC): sky obscured, remarks: during the climb. At the destination end, 3 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV CVG270001/TM 0805/FL002/TP B763/SK VV002/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
1 nm west (270°) of CVG
Time
08:05 UTC
Height
at 200 ft
Aircraft
B763
Sky
sky obscured from 200 ft
Remarks
during the climb

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 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 5 forecast points nearest it (DSM, BRL, SPI, IND, CVG). 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	260° at 26 kt	−23 kt		143 kt	3 h 04 min	9:06 am EDT (13:06 UTC)
5,500 ft	270° at 21 kt	−19 kt		139 kt	3 h 09 min	9:11 am EDT (13:11 UTC)
7,500 ft	270° at 18 kt	−16 kt	13 °C	136 kt	3 h 13 min	9:15 am EDT (13:15 UTC)
9,500 ft	270° at 16 kt	−15 kt	8 °C	135 kt	3 h 15 min	9:17 am EDT (13:17 UTC)
11,500 ft	270° at 18 kt	−17 kt	5 °C	137 kt	3 h 12 min	9:14 am EDT (13:14 UTC)
13,500 ft	270° at 20 kt	−19 kt	1 °C	139 kt	3 h 09 min	9:11 am EDT (13:11 UTC)
15,500 ft	280° at 22 kt	−22 kt	-2 °C	142 kt	3 h 05 min	9:07 am EDT (13:07 UTC)
17,500 ft	280° at 25 kt	−25 kt	-6 °C	145 kt	3 h 01 min	9:03 am EDT (13:03 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	280° at 26 kt	−26 kt	-7 °C	146 kt	3 h	9:02 am EDT (13:02 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	270° at 36 kt	−35 kt	-20 °C	155 kt	2 h 50 min	8:52 am EDT (12:52 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	270° at 43 kt	−41 kt	-34 °C	161 kt	2 h 43 min	8:45 am EDT (12:45 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	290° at 55 kt	−55 kt	-41 °C	175 kt	2 h 30 min	8:32 am EDT (12:32 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	300° at 60 kt	−60 kt	-49 °C	180 kt	2 h 26 min	8:28 am EDT (12:28 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°
BRL	used from 50 nm out; 49 nm from the line	250/32	250/19 17°	260/15 11°	270/16 3°	290/23 -7°	260/42 -20°	270/52 -34°	280/63 -39°	290/64 -48°
SPI	used from 149 nm out; 49 nm from the line	260/28	250/22 15°	250/14 9°	260/20 6°	280/27 -7°	280/34 -19°	280/48 -32°	280/59 -41°	300/60 -49°
IND	used from 249 nm out; 80 nm from the line	270/22	290/19 15°	270/19 8°	270/18 4°	290/28 -7°	280/35 -20°	270/37 -34°	300/51 -42°	300/61 -51°
CVG	used from 398 nm out; 20 nm from the line	300/19	310/23 15°	320/20 9°	310/18 3°	300/26 -6°	290/36 -19°	310/32 -34°	310/53 -43°	310/61 -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 few clouds at 15,000 feet, scattered clouds at 22,000 feet, a broken layer at 24,000 feet	from the south (190°) at 10 knots	10+ mi	24,000 ft	957 ft	4:54 am CDT (09:54 UTC)
PEA Pella, IA	30 nm out, 4 nm east of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	885 ft	09:55 UTC
OOA Oskaloosa, IA	60 nm out, 4 nm west of the line	marginal VFR	from the south (190°) at 8 knots	5 mi	none	840 ft	09:55 UTC
MPZ Mount Pleasant, IA	100 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	730 ft	09:55 UTC
CTK Canton, IL	169 nm out, 6 nm south of the line	no report just now				683 ft
PIA Peoria, IL	189 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 3 knots	7 mi	none	660 ft	09:54 UTC
CMI Champaign/Urbana, IL	259 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	754 ft	09:53 UTC
DNV Danville, IL	289 nm out, 14 nm north of the line	no report just now				696 ft
IND Indianapolis, IN	348 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	796 ft	09:54 UTC
BAK Columbus, IN	378 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	656 ft	01:45 UTC
HLB Batesville, IN	408 nm out, 6 nm north of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog	calm	0.25 mi	200 ft	975 ft	09:55 UTC
CVG Covington, KY	destination	low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 100 feet Weather: fog	from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots	0.25 mi	100 ft	896 ft	5:52 am EDT (09:52 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 975 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At CVG when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:28 am EDT (12:28 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 100 feet marginal VFR

At times between Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC) and 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist IFR

The whole forecast for CVG

From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility ¼ mile, fog, sky obscured at 100 feet
From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 100 feet
At times between Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC) and 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 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

6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID

Daylight

Sunset at DSM 6:38 pm CDT (23:38 UTC), at CVG 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:31 pm EDT (23:31 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 upper Mississippi valley · 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: Des Moines International, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International.