Plan a flight · Sun 8:40 pm CDT (01:40 UTC)

George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport to The Eastern Iowa Airport IAH → CID

736 nautical miles (847 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 013°, about 010° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 20 min at the quickest height in today's winds (7,500 ft, a 18-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now IAH is VFR, wind from the southeast (130°) at 10 knots; CID is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 7 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: 9 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 IAH.

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

A320 at 26,500 ft, 3 nm west, 5:46 pm CDT (22:46 UTC): moderate clear-air turbulence, remarks: ZFW86. 149 nm along the route, 3 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
GGG UA /OV GGG/TM 2246/FL265/TP A320/TB MOD CAT/RM ZFW86
```
Report
a routine report filed through GGG
Where
over GGG
Time
22:46 UTC
Height
at 26,500 ft
Aircraft
A320
Turbulence
moderate clear-air turbulence
Remarks
ZFW86
B39M at 27,000 ft, 2 nm south, 7:42 pm CDT (00:42 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. At the departure end, 2 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IAH UA /OV IH340035/TM 0042/FL270/TP B39M/TB LT CHOP DURC/RM ZHU
```
Report
a routine report filed through IAH
Where
IH340035
Time
00:42 UTC
Height
at 27,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
lt chop during the climb
Remarks
zhu
CRJ7 at 36,000 ft, 48 nm east, 7:10 pm CDT (00:10 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZME20. 288 nm along the route, 48 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
HOT UA /OV HOT/TM 0010/FL360/TP CRJ7/TB NEG/RM ZME20
```
Report
a routine report filed through HOT
Where
over HOT
Time
00:10 UTC
Height
at 36,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ7
Turbulence
none
Remarks
ZME20

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 7 forecast points nearest it (HOU, CLL, SHV, FSM, SGF, COU, BRL). 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	200° at 16 kt	−16 kt		136 kt	5 h 25 min	2:05 am CDT (07:05 UTC)
5,500 ft	220° at 17 kt	−16 kt		136 kt	5 h 25 min	2:05 am CDT (07:05 UTC)
7,500 ft	230° at 21 kt	−18 kt	14 °C	138 kt	5 h 20 min	2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC)
9,500 ft	230° at 23 kt	−17 kt	11 °C	137 kt	5 h 22 min	2:02 am CDT (07:02 UTC)
11,500 ft	250° at 19 kt	−11 kt	8 °C	131 kt	5 h 37 min	2:17 am CDT (07:17 UTC)
13,500 ft	260° at 18 kt	−8 kt	4 °C	128 kt	5 h 45 min	2:25 am CDT (07:25 UTC)
15,500 ft	260° at 18 kt	−6 kt	0 °C	126 kt	5 h 50 min	2:30 am CDT (07:30 UTC)
17,500 ft	270° at 18 kt	−4 kt	-4 °C	124 kt	5 h 56 min	2:36 am CDT (07:36 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	270° at 18 kt	−3 kt	-5 °C	123 kt	5 h 59 min	2:39 am CDT (07:39 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	280° at 20 kt	0	-16 °C	120 kt	6 h 08 min	2:48 am CDT (07:48 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	300° at 34 kt	+9 kt	-31 °C	111 kt	6 h 38 min	3:18 am CDT (08:18 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	300° at 38 kt	+12 kt	-41 °C	108 kt	6 h 49 min	3:29 am CDT (08:29 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	310° at 47 kt	+17 kt	-52 °C	103 kt	7 h 09 min	3:49 am CDT (08:49 UTC)

Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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
HOU	used from 0 nm out; 45 nm from the line	160/18	160/14 17°	180/19 12°	190/11 8°	260/12 -4°	260/14 -13°	310/26 -30°	310/30 -40°	320/21 -52°
CLL	used from 50 nm out; 78 nm from the line	160/18	190/18 16°	200/19 12°	220/14 7°	260/18 -5°	250/20 -13°	290/29 -29°	290/31 -40°	300/22 -53°
SHV	used from 99 nm out; 56 nm from the line	190/11	230/19 17°	230/26 12°	260/15 7°	280/16 -4°	300/17 -15°	300/34 -30°	300/31 -41°	310/42 -52°
FSM	used from 249 nm out; 56 nm from the line	200/18	210/19 15°	230/22 13°	250/18 7°	270/20 -5°	280/24 -16°	280/35 -30°	290/37 -40°	300/40 -52°
SGF	used from 398 nm out; 25 nm from the line	210/21	210/21 16°	240/28 12°	260/24 7°	280/21 -6°	280/26 -18°	290/38 -31°	290/37 -41°	300/49 -52°
COU	used from 497 nm out; 39 nm from the line	210/16	220/19 15°	240/33 10°	250/29 7°	280/21 -6°	280/19 -18°	300/34 -31°	300/40 -42°	300/60 -52°
BRL	used from 597 nm out; 72 nm from the line	200/20	250/21 16°	240/22 10°	260/20 5°	270/16 -7°	290/22 -18°	320/41 -34°	320/56 -43°	310/68 -53°

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
IAH Houston, TX	departure	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet	from the southeast (130°) at 10 knots	10+ mi	25,000 ft	95 ft	7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC)
CXO Houston, TX	20 nm out, 9 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	from the southeast (130°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	244 ft	00:53 UTC
RFI Henderson, TX	129 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots	9 mi	none	441 ft	23:35 UTC
GGG Longview, TX	149 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southeast (150°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	365 ft	00:53 UTC
MEZ Mena, AR	278 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	1,079 ft	23:35 UTC
BBG Branson, MO	408 nm out, 13 nm east of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	1,302 ft	00:45 UTC
SGF Springfield, MO	447 nm out, 6 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	1,268 ft	00:52 UTC
VER Boonville, MO	557 nm out, 3 nm south of the line	VFR Sky: overcast at 11,000 feet	calm	10+ mi	11,000 ft	715 ft	23:35 UTC
IRK Kirksville, MO	626 nm out, 10 nm west of the line	reported, no category	from the south (170°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	966 ft	00:55 UTC
FFL Fairfield, IA	686 nm out, 2 nm south of the line	reported, no category	from the south (170°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	800 ft	01:35 UTC
CID Cedar Rapids, IA	destination	VFR	from the south (170°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	869 ft	7:52 pm CDT (00:52 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,302 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At CID when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC)

Wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for CID

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet

The forecast for IAH, the departure

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Sun 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
30% chance between Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC) and 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): light rain showers

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

6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 23 nm from the route, 567 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC

Daylight

Sunset at IAH 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC), at CID 6:30 pm CDT (23:30 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm CDT (23:58 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CID is before sunrise there (7:15 am CDT (12:15 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 southern Plains · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · 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: George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport, The Eastern Iowa Airport.