John F Kennedy International to Chicago Midway International JFK → MDW
634 nautical miles (730 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 281°, about 294° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 37 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 7-knot headwind), arriving about 8:44 am CDT (13:44 UTC). Right now JFK is marginal VFR, wind from the north-northeast (020°) at 9 knots; MDW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 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: 12 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist, fog). Over the first 525 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 99 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 99 to 268 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 JFK.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- C560 at 13,000 ft, 50 nm south, 2:38 am EDT (06:38 UTC): moderate turbulence, overcast above 19,000 ft, heavy rain, remarks: during the descent. 79 nm along the route, 50 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
PHL UA /OV 20 NW PHL/TM 0638/FL130 /TP C560/SK OVC190/WX +RA/TB MOD/RM DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through PHL
- Where
- 20 northwest phl
- Time
- 06:38 UTC
- Height
- at 13,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C560
- Sky
- overcast from 19,000 ft
- Weather
- heavy rain
- Turbulence
- moderate
- Remarks
- during the descent
- B763 at 800 ft, 1 nm southeast, 1:51 am EDT (05:51 UTC): a broken layer, remarks: bases at at 80,000 ft and tops 1500. At the departure end, 1 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
JFK UA /OV JFK 2 MILES SOUTHEAST/TM 0551/FL008/TP B763/SK BKN/RM BASES AT 800 AND TOPS 1500
- Report
- a routine report filed through JFK
- Where
- jfk 2 miles southeast
- Time
- 05:51 UTC
- Height
- at 800 ft
- Aircraft
- B763
- Sky
- a broken layer
- Remarks
- bases at at 80,000 ft and tops 1500
- A333 descending, 36 nm north, 1:44 am EDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 436 nm along the route, 36 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0544/FLDURD/TP A333/SK TOPS 025
- Report
- a routine report filed through DTW
- Where
- over DTW
- Time
- 05:44 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A333
- Sky
- tops 2,500 ft
- B738 at 1,700 ft, 3 nm southwest, 2:20 am EDT (06:20 UTC): overcast from 1,700 ft to 2,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. 456 nm along the route, 3 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0620/FL017/TP B738/SK OVC017-TOP020/RM DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through TOL
- Where
- over KTOL
- Time
- 06:20 UTC
- Height
- at 1,700 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Sky
- overcast from 1,700 ft, tops 2,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent
- B738 at 1,800 ft, 3 nm southwest, 1:18 am EDT (05:18 UTC): overcast from 1,800 ft to 2,700 ft, remarks: during the climb. 456 nm along the route, 3 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0518/FL018/TP B738/SK OVC018-TOP027/RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through TOL
- Where
- over KTOL
- Time
- 05:18 UTC
- Height
- at 1,800 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Sky
- overcast from 1,800 ft, tops 2,700 ft
- Remarks
- during the climb
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 7 forecast points nearest it (JFK, AVP, PSB, AGC, CLE, FWA, JOT). 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 | 320° at 11 kt | +7 kt | 13 °C | 113 kt | 5 h 37 min | 8:44 am CDT (13:44 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 14 kt | +8 kt | 13 °C | 112 kt | 5 h 40 min | 8:47 am CDT (13:47 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 310° at 14 kt | +11 kt | 9 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 49 min | 8:56 am CDT (13:56 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 310° at 14 kt | +11 kt | 6 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 49 min | 8:56 am CDT (13:56 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 310° at 13 kt | +11 kt | 2 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 49 min | 8:56 am CDT (13:56 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 310° at 16 kt | +13 kt | -2 °C | 107 kt | 5 h 56 min | 9:03 am CDT (14:03 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 300° at 19 kt | +16 kt | -7 °C | 104 kt | 6 h 06 min | 9:13 am CDT (14:13 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 21 kt | +18 kt | -10 °C | 102 kt | 6 h 13 min | 9:20 am CDT (14:20 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 26 kt | +23 kt | -21 °C | 97 kt | 6 h 32 min | 9:39 am CDT (14:39 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 34 kt | +30 kt | -36 °C | 90 kt | 7 h 03 min | 10:10 am CDT (15:10 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 41 kt | +38 kt | -42 °C | 82 kt | 7 h 44 min | 10:51 am CDT (15:51 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 42 kt | +37 kt | -49 °C | 83 kt | 7 h 38 min | 10:45 am CDT (15:45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JFK | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 250/18 | 250/23 14° | 240/33 9° | 240/33 4° | 240/38 -10° | 240/45 -21° | 230/86 -32° | 230/102 -40° | 230/84 -51° |
| AVP | used from 50 nm out; 33 nm from the line | 150/5 | 350/13 12° | 270/20 8° | 260/17 4° | 260/25 -11° | 240/31 -22° | 240/54 -35° | 230/61 -41° | 240/55 -49° |
| PSB | used from 149 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 360/13 13° | 330/14 7° | 300/11 3° | 290/12 -11° | 240/23 -23° | 270/25 -36° | 250/34 -40° | 250/45 -48° | |
| AGC | used from 248 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 350/14 | 330/20 11° | 340/18 8° | 330/17 3° | 340/22 -11° | 340/31 -22° | 330/33 -36° | 300/34 -41° | 300/35 -47° |
| CLE | used from 297 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 340/7 | 010/16 13° | 350/18 8° | 350/20 3° | 340/31 -10° | 340/46 -21° | 340/54 -37° | 330/62 -44° | 340/65 -49° |
| FWA | used from 446 nm out; 64 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 595 nm out; 42 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JFK New York, NY | departure | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,000 feet, overcast at 2,100 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 1,000 ft | 13 ft | 3:51 am EDT (07:51 UTC) |
| EWR Newark, NJ | 20 nm out, 2 nm east of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 17 ft | 07:51 UTC |
| ABE Allentown, PA | 79 nm out, 14 nm south of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 1,200 ft | 393 ft | 07:51 UTC |
| IPT Williamsport, PA | 149 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 4,100 feet | from the west (260°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 4,100 ft | 528 ft | 07:54 UTC |
| DUJ Dubois, PA | 238 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 300 ft | 1,816 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| YNG Youngstown/Warren, OH | 317 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 900 feet, overcast at 2,200 feet | from the west (260°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 900 ft | 1,191 ft | 07:51 UTC |
| BKL Cleveland, OH | 357 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,000 feet, scattered clouds at 1,300 feet, overcast at 2,100 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 2,100 ft | 583 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| PCW Port Clinton, OH | 416 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet Weather: mist | from the west (270°) at 4 knots | 5 mi | 1,200 ft | 590 ft | 07:45 UTC |
| TOL Toledo, OH | 456 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 4 knots | 8 mi | none | 683 ft | 07:52 UTC |
| EKM Elkhart, IN | 555 nm out, 1 nm southwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 5 mi | none | 777 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| GYY Gary/Chicago, IN | 614 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 596 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| MDW Chicago, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 619 ft | 2:53 am CDT (07:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,816 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MDW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:44 am CDT (13:44 UTC)
Wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MDW
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
The forecast for JFK, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, a few clouds at 15,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 5/2811 NEW YORK, NY, Monday, October 20, 2025 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 Local 5 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 20 October · ZNY
- 6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, 287 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8888 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 7 nm from the route, 317 nm along the route · security · today · ZOB
- 6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 4 nm from the route, 317 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
Daylight
Sunset at JFK 6:19 pm EDT (22:19 UTC), at MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 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: John F Kennedy International, Chicago Midway International.