Wilmington International to Philadelphia International ILM → PHL
360 nautical miles (414 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 020°, about 030° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 47 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 81-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:32 am EDT (08:32 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 2,434 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 E22E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 40,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 3:55 am EDT (07:55 UTC). Over the last 90 nm of the route.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120555 MKCE WST 120555 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 22E VALID UNTIL 0755Z NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND MA RI DE NJ NY CSTL WTRS FROM 40E HTO-80SSW ACK-100ESE SIE-30SW CSN-40SSE JST-40E HTO AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL400.
- 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 last 180 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 160 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 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 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 5 forecast points nearest it (ILM, RDU, ORF, RIC, ACY). 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 | 250° at 21 kt | −13 kt | 133 kt | 2 h 42 min | 5:27 am EDT (09:27 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 250° at 21 kt | −14 kt | 134 kt | 2 h 41 min | 5:26 am EDT (09:26 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | −19 kt | 11 °C | 139 kt | 2 h 35 min | 5:20 am EDT (09:20 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | −24 kt | 8 °C | 144 kt | 2 h 30 min | 5:15 am EDT (09:15 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 30 kt | −26 kt | 6 °C | 146 kt | 2 h 28 min | 5:13 am EDT (09:13 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 33 kt | −29 kt | 2 °C | 149 kt | 2 h 25 min | 5:10 am EDT (09:10 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 37 kt | −31 kt | -1 °C | 151 kt | 2 h 23 min | 5:08 am EDT (09:08 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 40 kt | −34 kt | -5 °C | 154 kt | 2 h 20 min | 5:05 am EDT (09:05 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 41 kt | −35 kt | -6 °C | 155 kt | 2 h 19 min | 5:04 am EDT (09:04 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 55 kt | −46 kt | -18 °C | 166 kt | 2 h 10 min | 4:55 am EDT (08:55 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 82 kt | −76 kt | -30 °C | 196 kt | 1 h 50 min | 4:35 am EDT (08:35 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 90 kt | −81 kt | -40 °C | 201 kt | 1 h 47 min | 4:32 am EDT (08:32 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 72 kt | −62 kt | -50 °C | 182 kt | 1 h 59 min | 4:44 am EDT (08:44 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 50 nm out; 74 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° |
| ORF | used from 100 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 250/24 | 230/32 11° | 220/37 10° | 220/37 6° | 230/47 -5° | 230/62 -17° | 220/89 -30° | 220/93 -40° | 230/77 -51° |
| RIC | used from 200 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 270/23 | 280/19 11° | 270/18 8° | 240/22 4° | 230/39 -7° | 220/55 -18° | 220/75 -30° | 230/83 -39° | 230/64 -50° |
| ACY | used from 250 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 220/19 | 220/18 14° | 210/36 9° | 210/35 5° | 220/36 -8° | 240/49 -21° | 220/90 -31° | 230/103 -40° | 230/81 -50° |
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 | no report just now | 31 ft | ||||
| OAJ Jacksonville, NC | 40 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 92 ft | ||||
| ISO Kinston, NC | 60 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 92 ft | ||||
| MCZ Williamston, NC | 100 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 74 ft | ||||
| FKN Franklin, VA | 150 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 40 ft | ||||
| PHF Newport News, VA | 190 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 42 ft | ||||
| TGI Tangier, VA | 230 nm out, 12 nm east of the line | no report just now | 5 ft | ||||
| DOV Dover, DE | 310 nm out, 8 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 28 ft | ||||
| ILG Wilmington, DE | 340 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 79 ft | ||||
| PHL Philadelphia, PA | destination | no report just now | 35 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 92 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At PHL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:32 am EDT (08:32 UTC)
PHL has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8719 Greenwood, DE, Friday, October 16, 2026 through Saturday, October 17, 2026 UTC 2 nm from the route, 300 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Friday 16 October · ZDC
- 6/8886 Greenwood, DE, Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 2 nm from the route, 300 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Sunday 18 October · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at ILM 6:41 pm EDT (22:41 UTC), at PHL 6:26 pm EDT (22:26 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:53 pm EDT (22:53 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at PHL is before sunrise there (7:07 am EDT (11:07 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, Philadelphia International.