The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 12:45 am CDT (05:45 UTC)

Falls Intl/Einarson Field to San Francisco International INL → SFO

1,418 nautical miles (1,632 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 253°, about 250° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 11 h 15 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 6-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:00 am PDT (17:00 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 return flight

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 W14W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 28,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 1:55 am CDT (06:55 UTC). Over the route from 1049 to 1069 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120455
    MKCW WST 120455
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 14W
    VALID UNTIL 0655Z
    NV
    FROM 40NW BVL-20WNW ELY-20SSE OAL-40WNW OAL-50NE BAM-40NW BVL
    AREA TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL280.
  • 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 first 749 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 489 to 659 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 519 to 719 nm out.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 539 to 1119 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 549 to 689 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 609 to 1079 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 1009 to 1009 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 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 INL.

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 12 forecast points nearest it (INL, GFK, MOT, DIK, MLS, BIL, LND, PIH, BAM, RNO, SAC, SFO). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft120° at 9 kt−6 kt5 °C126 kt11 h 15 min10:00 am PDT (17:00 UTC)
6,500 ft150° at 7 kt−1 kt6 °C121 kt11 h 43 min10:28 am PDT (17:28 UTC)
8,500 ft220° at 11 kt+9 kt4 °C111 kt12 h 46 min11:31 am PDT (18:31 UTC)
10,500 ft230° at 19 kt+18 kt0 °C102 kt13 h 54 min12:39 pm PDT (19:39 UTC)
12,500 ft230° at 26 kt+25 kt-3 °C95 kt14 h 56 min1:41 pm PDT (20:41 UTC)
14,500 ft230° at 28 kt+28 kt-7 °C92 kt15 h 25 min2:10 pm PDT (21:10 UTC)
16,500 ft230° at 31 kt+30 kt-10 °C90 kt15 h 45 min2:30 pm PDT (21:30 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180230° at 33 kt+32 kt-13 °C88 kt16 h 07 min2:52 pm PDT (21:52 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240220° at 36 kt+35 kt-23 °C85 kt16 h 41 min3:26 pm PDT (22:26 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300230° at 46 kt+45 kt-32 °C75 kt18 h 54 min5:39 pm PDT (00:39 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340230° at 52 kt+52 kt-39 °C68 kt20 h 51 min7:36 pm PDT (02:36 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390240° at 55 kt+56 kt-46 °C64 kt22 h 09 min8:54 pm PDT (03:54 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
INLused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line080/23L/V 9°260/22 5°260/27 0°260/43 -11°270/47 -21°270/57 -36°270/54 -47°270/69 -56°
GFKused from 100 nm out; 32 nm from the line070/18100/10 9°250/11 6°250/27 1°250/34 -10°260/43 -21°260/39 -36°260/36 -46°260/59 -53°
MOTused from 250 nm out; 92 nm from the line120/14 5°200/20 4°230/33 1°250/39 -11°250/50 -21°240/61 -37°250/56 -45°260/68 -51°
DIKused from 300 nm out; 76 nm from the line150/24 7°200/38 6°220/53 0°230/51 -9°230/49 -21°240/37 -37°240/47 -44°250/65 -48°
MLSused from 449 nm out; 78 nm from the line150/23 2°190/29 4°210/44 2°220/32 -10°210/36 -21°200/48 -37°230/63 -40°240/71 -47°
BILused from 599 nm out; 83 nm from the line080/13180/9 -2°210/38 0°220/51 -11°210/46 -22°210/58 -35°230/73 -39°230/72 -45°
LNDused from 649 nm out; 89 nm from the line200/23 6°220/31 1°220/39 -11°230/39 -23°220/51 -28°220/66 -37°230/68 -45°
PIHused from 799 nm out; 48 nm from the lineL/V240/13 1°240/15 -3°210/42 -15°200/70 -25°220/74 -29°220/71 -36°220/62 -43°
BAMused from 999 nm out; 82 nm from the line310/7 0°270/19 -7°200/38 -17°190/49 -28°220/69 -29°220/63 -33°230/48 -41°
RNOused from 1199 nm out; 35 nm from the line010/9320/10 -2°210/23 -9°210/34 -19°220/36 -25°230/31 -29°230/41 -33°230/38 -42°
SACused from 1298 nm out; 35 nm from the line110/6L/V 4°010/11 -2°350/11 -7°340/24 -16°360/44 -23°330/24 -30°270/21 -35°230/23 -43°
SFOused from 1398 nm out; 10 nm from the line120/13090/14 5°040/14 -1°350/17 -5°360/42 -14°360/64 -23°350/38 -32°300/19 -37°250/18 -44°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
INL International Falls, MN departure no report just now 1,184 ft
CKN Crookston, MN 140 nm out, 4 nm east of the line no report just now 896 ft
GFK Grand Forks, ND 160 nm out, 13 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 845 ft
BIS Bismarck, ND 320 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower no report just now 1,661 ft
BWW Bowman, ND 429 nm out, 6 nm north of the line no report just now 2,965 ft
GEY Greybull, WY 649 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line no report just now 3,941 ft
JAC Jackson, WY 779 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 6,451 ft
PIH Pocatello, ID 869 nm out, 15 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 4,451 ft
BAM Battle Mountain, NV 1109 nm out, 3 nm east of the line no report just now 4,536 ft
RNO Reno, NV 1249 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 4,414 ft
CCR Concord, CA 1388 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 25 ft
SFO San Francisco, CA destination no report just now 13 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,451 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At SFO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:00 am PDT (17:00 UTC)

SFO has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.

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

  • 6/4348 GRAND FORKS AFB, ND, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 6 nm from the route, 170 nm along the route · security · until 1 November · ZMP
  • 6/7231 Santa Clara, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 21 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZOA

Daylight

Sunset at INL 6:30 pm CDT (23:30 UTC), at SFO 6:36 pm PDT (01:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 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 upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the Pacific Northwest
Radar now, the Pacific Northwest · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
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: Falls Intl/Einarson Field, San Francisco International.