Wilmington International to Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport ILM → MSP
950 nautical miles (1,093 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 317°, about 327° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 9 h 08 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 16-knot headwind), arriving about 7:37 am CDT (12:37 UTC). Right now ILM is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 12 knots; 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: 106 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 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 139 to 247 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 198 to 327 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 218 to 614 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 ILM.
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 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 10 forecast points nearest it (ILM, RDU, ROA, CRW, CVG, FWA, 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 | 290° at 19 kt | +18 kt | 102 kt | 9 h 19 min | 7:48 am CDT (12:48 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 300° at 19 kt | +19 kt | 13 °C | 101 kt | 9 h 24 min | 7:53 am CDT (12:53 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 310° at 18 kt | +18 kt | 10 °C | 102 kt | 9 h 19 min | 7:48 am CDT (12:48 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 310° at 17 kt | +17 kt | 6 °C | 103 kt | 9 h 13 min | 7:42 am CDT (12:42 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 16 kt | +16 kt | 3 °C | 104 kt | 9 h 08 min | 7:37 am CDT (12:37 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 300° at 19 kt | +19 kt | -1 °C | 101 kt | 9 h 24 min | 7:53 am CDT (12:53 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 290° at 23 kt | +21 kt | -5 °C | 99 kt | 9 h 36 min | 8:05 am CDT (13:05 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 25 kt | +24 kt | -8 °C | 96 kt | 9 h 54 min | 8:23 am CDT (13:23 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 29 kt | +27 kt | -20 °C | 93 kt | 10 h 13 min | 8:42 am CDT (13:42 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 33 kt | +30 kt | -34 °C | 90 kt | 10 h 33 min | 9:02 am CDT (14:02 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 43 kt | +38 kt | -41 °C | 82 kt | 11 h 35 min | 10:04 am CDT (15:04 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 44 kt | +40 kt | -50 °C | 80 kt | 11 h 52 min | 10:21 am CDT (15:21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ILM | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 270/22 | 270/23 11° | 260/35 10° | 240/41 6° | 240/49 -5° | 240/61 -16° | 230/74 -30° | 220/79 -40° | 230/71 -51° |
| RDU | used from 49 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 280/33 | 300/23 11° | 300/28 8° | 290/28 4° | 260/41 -6° | 240/52 -18° | 230/66 -31° | 230/76 -39° | 240/52 -49° |
| ROA | used from 148 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 310/29 | 330/31 13° | 340/28 7° | 330/25 3° | 310/32 -8° | 300/32 -22° | 290/32 -31° | 270/35 -38° | 270/32 -47° |
| CRW | used from 247 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 330/20 | 330/23 11° | 340/25 8° | 340/21 2° | 340/33 -9° | 340/41 -20° | 330/42 -35° | 320/44 -39° | 320/43 -47° |
| CVG | used from 346 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/32 16° | 350/35 10° | 350/30 3° | 330/30 -7° | 340/44 -20° | 340/58 -35° | 330/72 -41° | 320/36 -49° |
| FWA | used from 495 nm out; 45 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 594 nm out; 39 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 742 nm out; 51 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 792 nm out; 30 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 891 nm out; 35 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ILM Wilmington, NC | departure | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 31 ft | 10:53 pm EDT (02:53 UTC) |
| FAY Fayetteville, NC | 69 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 189 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| GSO Greensboro, NC | 148 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,500 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 925 ft | 02:54 UTC |
| HLX Galax Hillsville, VA | 208 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet | from the west-northwest (290°) at 11 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 2,693 ft | 02:35 UTC |
| HTS Huntington, WV | 337 nm out, 13 nm northeast of the line, tower | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 700 feet, overcast at 1,400 feet Weather: mist | from the west (280°) at 5 knots | 2.5 mi | 700 ft | 828 ft | 02:51 UTC |
| LUK Cincinnati, OH | 426 nm out, 15 nm southwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,900 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 1,900 ft | 481 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| GUS Peru, IN | 544 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 810 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| MDW Chicago, IL | 643 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 619 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| DPA Chicago/West Chicago, IL | 673 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 758 ft | 02:52 UTC |
| LSE La Crosse, WI | 851 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 655 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| ONA Winona, MN | 871 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 656 ft | 03:15 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 | 9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,693 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, 7:37 am CDT (12:37 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds 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 ILM, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 4,500 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8508 Johnsontown, NC 4 nm from the route, 40 nm along the route · security · ZDC
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 20 nm from the route, 435 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
- 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 ILM 6:41 pm EDT (22:41 UTC), at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm CDT (00:03 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: Wilmington International, Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport.