Plan a flight · Mon 3:45 am EDT (07:45 UTC)

Detroit Metro Wayne County to Albuquerque International Sunport DTW → ABQ

1,168 nautical miles (1,344 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 256°, about 263° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 11 h 27 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 18-knot headwind), arriving about 1:12 pm MDT (19:12 UTC). Right now DTW is IFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 knots; ABQ is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 6 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: 10 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 190 nm of the route.
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), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 379 to 988 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft, from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 180 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft, from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 130 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 DTW.

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

A333 descending, 0 nm south, 1:44 am EDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 0 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0544/FLDURD/TP A333/SK TOPS 025
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
05:44 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
A333
Sky
tops 2,500 ft
B739 descending, 0 nm south, 12:54 am EDT (04:54 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 0 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0454/FLDURD/TP B739/SK BASES 011
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
04:54 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B739
Sky
bases 1,100 ft
B738 at 1,700 ft, 32 nm south, 2:20 am EDT (06:20 UTC): overcast from 1,700 ft to 2,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. At the departure end, 32 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0620/FL017/TP B738/SK OVC017-TOP020/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
06:20 UTC
Height
at 1,700 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,700 ft, tops 2,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent
B738 at 1,800 ft, 32 nm south, 1:18 am EDT (05:18 UTC): overcast from 1,800 ft to 2,700 ft, remarks: during the climb. At the departure end, 32 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0518/FL018/TP B738/SK OVC018-TOP027/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
05:18 UTC
Height
at 1,800 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,800 ft, tops 2,700 ft
Remarks
during the climb
B739 at 35,000 ft, 17 nm south, 3:05 am EDT (07:05 UTC): no turbulence. 220 nm along the route, 17 nm south 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
B38M at 29,000 ft, 37 nm southeast, 12:52 am EDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 240 nm along the route, 37 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TIP UA /OV RBS/TM 0452/FL290/TP B38M/TB NEG 230-290
```
Report
a routine report filed through TIP
Where
over RBS
Time
04:52 UTC
Height
at 29,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
no from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft

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 8 forecast points nearest it (FWA, JOT, BRL, MKC, SLN, GCK, 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	230° at 32 kt	+31 kt	21 °C	89 kt	13 h 07 min	2:52 pm MDT (20:52 UTC)
6,500 ft	240° at 28 kt	+28 kt	17 °C	92 kt	12 h 42 min	2:27 pm MDT (20:27 UTC)
8,500 ft	240° at 22 kt	+23 kt	13 °C	97 kt	12 h 02 min	1:47 pm MDT (19:47 UTC)
10,500 ft	250° at 19 kt	+20 kt	9 °C	100 kt	11 h 41 min	1:26 pm MDT (19:26 UTC)
12,500 ft	250° at 18 kt	+18 kt	5 °C	102 kt	11 h 27 min	1:12 pm MDT (19:12 UTC)
14,500 ft	250° at 20 kt	+21 kt	0 °C	99 kt	11 h 48 min	1:33 pm MDT (19:33 UTC)
16,500 ft	250° at 23 kt	+24 kt	-4 °C	96 kt	12 h 10 min	1:55 pm MDT (19:55 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	250° at 25 kt	+26 kt	-7 °C	94 kt	12 h 26 min	2:11 pm MDT (20:11 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	250° at 33 kt	+34 kt	-19 °C	86 kt	13 h 35 min	3:20 pm MDT (21:20 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	260° at 48 kt	+48 kt	-31 °C	72 kt	16 h 13 min	5:58 pm MDT (23:58 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	270° at 53 kt	+51 kt	-39 °C	69 kt	16 h 56 min	6:41 pm MDT (00:41 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	280° at 52 kt	+48 kt	-50 °C	72 kt	16 h 13 min	5:58 pm MDT (23:58 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
FWA	used from 0 nm out; 90 nm from the line	300/17	320/20 16°	330/20 10°	340/15 3°	310/27 -8°	320/37 -20°	330/52 -36°	330/65 -43°	330/60 -50°
JOT	used from 150 nm out; 48 nm from the line	250/23	270/22 15°	250/16 10°	240/9 4°	280/22 -7°	280/29 -19°	300/29 -34°	290/50 -43°	300/64 -52°
BRL	used from 300 nm out; 39 nm from the line	230/24	240/29 15°	290/16 10°	280/15 4°	260/23 -7°	260/32 -19°	260/36 -33°	280/48 -41°	280/59 -52°
MKC	used from 449 nm out; 72 nm from the line	220/44	250/28 18°	250/18 13°	240/12 6°	280/24 -6°	240/34 -18°	260/47 -30°	260/51 -40°	270/58 -50°
SLN	used from 599 nm out; 61 nm from the line	210/53	230/41 20°	240/26 14°	230/16 8°	240/25 -7°	240/35 -19°	250/61 -30°	260/65 -38°	260/56 -49°
GCK	used from 749 nm out; 68 nm from the line		220/48 21°	230/37 14°	250/30 8°	230/37 -6°	240/37 -20°	240/69 -28°	250/67 -37°	260/58 -48°
TCC	used from 948 nm out; 86 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 1098 nm out; 45 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
DTW Detroit, MI	departure	IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet	from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	900 ft	645 ft	3:32 am EDT (07:32 UTC)
ARB Ann Arbor, MI	20 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower	reported, no category	calm		none	839 ft	06:53 UTC
EKM Elkhart, IN	120 nm out, 3 nm west of the line, tower	marginal VFR Weather: mist	calm	5 mi	none	777 ft	07:35 UTC
PIA Peoria, IL	300 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	660 ft	06:54 UTC
EOK Keokuk, IA	379 nm out, 3 nm north of the line	reported, no category	from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	671 ft	07:35 UTC
MCI Kansas City, MO	549 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 16 knots, gusting to 23	10+ mi	none	1,027 ft	06:53 UTC
TOP Topeka, KS	589 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 8 knots, gusting to 19	10+ mi	none	881 ft	06:53 UTC
HUT Hutchinson, KS	709 nm out, 22 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 14 knots, gusting to 22	10+ mi	none	1,542 ft	06:52 UTC
EHA Elkhart, KS	908 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 18 knots	10+ mi	none	3,621 ft	07:35 UTC
CAO Clayton, NM	978 nm out, 3 nm south of the line	VFR	from the southwest (220°) at 18 knots, gusting to 27	10+ mi	none	4,969 ft	06:55 UTC
SAF Santa Fe, NM	1128 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,400 feet, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,500 feet	variable at 3 knots	10+ mi	9,500 ft	6,348 ft	06:53 UTC
ABQ Albuquerque, NM	destination	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 11,000 feet	from the south (170°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	11,000 ft	5,354 ft	12:52 am MDT (06:52 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,348 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At ABQ when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:12 pm MDT (19:12 UTC)

Wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for ABQ

From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet

The forecast for DTW, the departure

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
From Mon 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 1 mile, mist, a broken layer at 300 feet
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 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 9,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet

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

No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.

Daylight

Sunset at DTW 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC), at ABQ 6:34 pm MDT (00:34 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:59 pm MDT (00:59 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 central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the southern Plains · 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: Detroit Metro Wayne County, Albuquerque International Sunport.