Spokane International to Chicago/Rockford International GEG → RFD
1,245 nautical miles (1,432 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 095°, about 081° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 33 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 45-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:34 pm CDT (21:34 UTC). 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: 1 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 C20C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 37,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 8:55 am PDT (15:55 UTC). Near the route, 707 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 121355 MKCC WST 121355 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 20C VALID UNTIL 1555Z SD ND FROM 80W GFK-40WNW FAR-40W ABR-50ENE DPR-30S BIS-80W GFK AREA TS MOV FROM 21040KT. TOPS TO FL370.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 428 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 169 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 90 to 368 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 179 to 996 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 438 to 498 nm out.
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 GEG.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
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 12 forecast points nearest it (GEG, GPI, GTF, BIL, MLS, DIK, PIR, ABR, FSD, MCW, LSE, DBQ). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 250° at 10 kt | −7 kt | 2 °C | 127 kt | 9 h 48 min | 6:49 pm CDT (23:49 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 13 kt | −8 kt | 8 °C | 128 kt | 9 h 44 min | 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 16 kt | −9 kt | 4 °C | 129 kt | 9 h 39 min | 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 19 kt | −11 kt | 1 °C | 131 kt | 9 h 30 min | 6:31 pm CDT (23:31 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 20 kt | −12 kt | -3 °C | 132 kt | 9 h 26 min | 6:27 pm CDT (23:27 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 20 kt | −12 kt | -7 °C | 132 kt | 9 h 26 min | 6:27 pm CDT (23:27 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 21 kt | −12 kt | -11 °C | 132 kt | 9 h 26 min | 6:27 pm CDT (23:27 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 21 kt | −12 kt | -12 °C | 132 kt | 9 h 26 min | 6:27 pm CDT (23:27 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 30 kt | −18 kt | -24 °C | 138 kt | 9 h 01 min | 6:02 pm CDT (23:02 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 34 kt | −22 kt | -36 °C | 142 kt | 8 h 46 min | 5:47 pm CDT (22:47 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 43 kt | −33 kt | -39 °C | 153 kt | 8 h 08 min | 5:09 pm CDT (22:09 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 53 kt | −45 kt | -46 °C | 165 kt | 7 h 33 min | 4:34 pm CDT (21:34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEG | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 060/7 -2° | 070/12 -6° | 050/8 -8° | 120/11 -21° | 110/18 -33° | 030/22 -37° | 040/6 -38° | 240/7 -41° | |
| GPI | used from 100 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 090/8 -4° | 140/7 -7° | 090/10 -8° | 110/10 -19° | 210/25 -30° | 200/24 -40° | 210/31 -39° | 210/35 -42° | |
| GTF | used from 199 nm out; 33 nm from the line | L/V | L/V -7° | 240/8 -8° | 240/30 -14° | 240/40 -28° | 210/52 -38° | 210/76 -38° | 220/72 -43° | |
| BIL | used from 348 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 300/14 | 270/19 -2° | 260/26 -2° | 220/28 -13° | 210/51 -25° | 220/56 -33° | 220/61 -39° | 220/72 -45° | |
| MLS | used from 398 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 290/17 -1° | 250/18 0° | 230/25 0° | 220/31 -11° | 220/32 -24° | 220/50 -32° | 220/60 -38° | 230/71 -46° | |
| DIK | used from 548 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 190/12 5° | 230/29 7° | 220/33 1° | 220/43 -11° | 210/47 -23° | 220/53 -33° | 240/56 -40° | 250/72 -47° | |
| PIR | used from 647 nm out; 88 nm from the line | 230/15 15° | 220/22 14° | 220/24 6° | 200/32 -10° | 210/48 -22° | 240/45 -33° | 240/43 -37° | 250/55 -46° | |
| ABR | used from 747 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 080/12 | 210/12 17° | 220/22 12° | 230/26 5° | 220/28 -10° | 230/41 -21° | 250/36 -36° | 260/47 -39° | 260/63 -47° |
| FSD | used from 846 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 210/20 | 230/23 21° | 220/25 14° | 230/30 5° | 230/26 -9° | 240/30 -21° | 270/33 -36° | 260/47 -37° | 270/58 -47° |
| MCW | used from 946 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 250/36 | 250/24 19° | 240/26 11° | 250/30 5° | 270/22 -9° | 260/30 -21° | 260/31 -36° | 280/53 -38° | 280/66 -48° |
| LSE | used from 1095 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 250/25 | 240/21 17° | 240/28 11° | 250/28 5° | 280/24 -10° | 280/31 -21° | 260/35 -37° | 270/45 -43° | 280/59 -47° |
| DBQ | used from 1145 nm out; 19 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEG Spokane, WA | departure | no report just now | 2,385 ft | ||||
| THM Thompson Falls, MT | 90 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,467 ft | ||||
| GTF Great Falls, MT | 249 nm out, 22 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,680 ft | ||||
| MLS Miles City, MT | 478 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 2,634 ft | ||||
| HEI Hettinger, ND | 617 nm out, 12 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,705 ft | ||||
| MBG Mobridge, SD | 717 nm out, 12 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,716 ft | ||||
| ATY Watertown, SD | 856 nm out, 19 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,749 ft | ||||
| TKC Tracy, MN | 936 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,335 ft | ||||
| AEL Albert Lea, MN | 1035 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,261 ft | ||||
| DBQ Dubuque, IA | 1175 nm out, 18 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,076 ft | ||||
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | destination | no report just now | 742 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,680 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RFD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:34 pm CDT (21:34 UTC)
RFD has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8923 Kalispell, MT, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 through Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local 22 nm from the route, 129 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLC
- 6/8927 Kalispell, MT, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 through Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local on the route, 139 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZSE
Daylight
Sunset at GEG 6:06 pm PDT (01:06 UTC), at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:47 pm CDT (23:47 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: Spokane International, Chicago/Rockford International.