Plan a flight · Sun 9:40 pm CDT (02:40 UTC)

Gary/Chicago International to Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport GYY → MSP

321 nautical miles (369 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 310°, about 312° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 50 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 7-knot headwind), arriving about 12:30 am CDT (05:30 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now GYY is VFR, wind calm; MSP is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 8 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: 2 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

No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.

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 GYY.

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

B39M at 35,000 ft, 10 nm southwest, 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: smooth. At the departure end, 10 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IKK UA /OV CGT/TM 0029/FL350/TP B39M/TB NEG/RM SMOOTH
```
Report
a routine report filed through IKK
Where
over CGT
Time
00:29 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
none
Remarks
smooth
CRJ7 at 17,000 ft, 36 nm northeast, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): no turbulence. At the departure end, 36 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BEH UA /OV ELX270040/TM 0004/FL170/TP CRJ7/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through BEH
Where
40 nm west (270°) of ELX
Time
00:04 UTC
Height
at 17,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ7
Turbulence
none
A321 at 32,000 ft, 43 nm southwest, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: pocket continuous light turbulence. 87 nm along the route, 43 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
RPJ UA /OV PLL/TM 0156/FL320/TP A321/TB CONS LGT/RM POCKET CONS LGT TB
```
Report
a routine report filed through RPJ
Where
over PLL
Time
01:56 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
continuous light
Remarks
pocket continuous light turbulence
E295 at 37,000 ft, 45 nm northeast, 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC): light chop turbulence. 87 nm along the route, 45 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
UES UA /OV BAE/TM 0053/FL370/TP E295/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through UES
Where
over BAE
Time
00:53 UTC
Height
at 37,000 ft
Aircraft
E295
Turbulence
occasional light chop

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 4 forecast points nearest it (JOT, DBQ, LSE, MSP). 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	240° at 28 kt	+11 kt		109 kt	2 h 57 min	12:37 am CDT (05:37 UTC)
6,500 ft	250° at 23 kt	+12 kt	15 °C	108 kt	2 h 58 min	12:38 am CDT (05:38 UTC)
8,500 ft	250° at 16 kt	+9 kt	11 °C	111 kt	2 h 54 min	12:34 am CDT (05:34 UTC)
10,500 ft	250° at 14 kt	+7 kt	8 °C	113 kt	2 h 50 min	12:30 am CDT (05:30 UTC)
12,500 ft	250° at 14 kt	+8 kt	4 °C	112 kt	2 h 52 min	12:32 am CDT (05:32 UTC)
14,500 ft	260° at 17 kt	+12 kt	0 °C	108 kt	2 h 58 min	12:38 am CDT (05:38 UTC)
16,500 ft	270° at 20 kt	+16 kt	-5 °C	104 kt	3 h 05 min	12:45 am CDT (05:45 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	270° at 23 kt	+19 kt	-8 °C	101 kt	3 h 11 min	12:51 am CDT (05:51 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	260° at 28 kt	+19 kt	-20 °C	101 kt	3 h 11 min	12:51 am CDT (05:51 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	260° at 34 kt	+24 kt	-34 °C	96 kt	3 h 21 min	1:01 am CDT (06:01 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	270° at 44 kt	+35 kt	-44 °C	85 kt	3 h 47 min	1:27 am CDT (06:27 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	280° at 60 kt	+54 kt	-52 °C	66 kt	4 h 52 min	2:32 am CDT (07:32 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
JOT	used from 0 nm out; 26 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°
DBQ	used from 97 nm out; 59 nm from the line	230/33	250/30 16°	280/15 9°	260/15 5°	260/21 -7°	260/24 -20°	250/37 -33°	270/42 -43°	280/63 -52°
LSE	used from 146 nm out; 47 nm from the line	230/40	240/24 17°	240/13 10°	250/13 6°	280/22 -9°	250/28 -21°	250/41 -34°	260/42 -44°	270/62 -53°
MSP	used from 292 nm out; 15 nm from the line	230/26	240/30 17°	240/24 12°	250/22 5°	250/35 -10°	260/36 -21°	250/41 -36°	250/49 -45°	260/58 -52°

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
GYY Gary/Chicago, IN	departure	VFR	calm	9 mi	none	596 ft	8:50 pm CDT (01:50 UTC)
MDW Chicago, IL	19 nm out, 2 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	619 ft	01:53 UTC
RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL	78 nm out, 21 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet	calm	10+ mi	none	742 ft	01:54 UTC
JVL Janesville, WI	97 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	807 ft	02:35 UTC
MSN Madison, WI	126 nm out, 18 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	886 ft	01:53 UTC
OVS Boscobel, WI	175 nm out, 18 nm southwest of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	672 ft	01:53 UTC
LSE La Crosse, WI	214 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	655 ft	01:53 UTC
ONA Winona, MN	243 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the south (180°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	656 ft	02:35 UTC
RGK Red Wing, MN	282 nm out, 5 nm north of the line	VFR	from the south (170°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	778 ft	02:35 UTC
MSP Minneapolis, MN	destination	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet	from the south (180°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	25,000 ft	841 ft	8:53 pm CDT (01:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 886 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At MSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:30 am CDT (05:30 UTC)

Wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for MSP

From Sun 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 15,000 feet

The forecast for GYY, the departure

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet

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

6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 19 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 19 October · ZMP

Daylight

Sunset at GYY 6:13 pm CDT (23:13 UTC), at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm CDT (00:03 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSP is before sunrise there (7:24 am CDT (12:24 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, 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: Gary/Chicago International, Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport.