John F Kennedy International to Seattle-Tacoma International JFK → SEA
2,099 nautical miles (2,415 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 298°, about 311° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13W). At 120 knots that is 17 h 12 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 2-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:53 pm PDT (23:53 UTC). Right now JFK is IFR, wind from the north-northeast (020°) at 11 knots; SEA is VFR, wind from the east-southeast (110°) 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: 5,790 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). Over the first 530 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 210 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 80 to 230 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: 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 690 to 780 nm out.
- 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 route from 989 to 1819 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Near the route, 1409 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 1629 to 1819 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1669 to 1849 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 190 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 JFK.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- 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
- GA6C descending, 36 nm northeast, 12:32 am EDT (04:32 UTC): overcast above 1,000 ft, remarks: bases OVC010. At the departure end, 36 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
SWF UA /OV SWF 270005/TM 0432/FLDURD/TP GA6C/SK OVC010/RM BASES OVC010
- Report
- a routine report filed through SWF
- Where
- 5 nm west (270°) of SWF
- Time
- 04:32 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- GA6C
- Sky
- overcast from 1,000 ft
- Remarks
- bases OVC010
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 18 forecast points nearest it (JFK, AVP, PSB, BUF, CLE, TVC, GRB, DLH, AXN, GFK, MOT, DIK, GGW, GTF, GPI, GEG, YKM, SEA). 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 | 100° at 2 kt | −2 kt | 2 °C | 122 kt | 17 h 12 min | 4:53 pm PDT (23:53 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | light and variable | 0 | 7 °C | 120 kt | 17 h 30 min | 5:11 pm PDT (00:11 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 4 kt | +3 kt | 5 °C | 117 kt | 17 h 56 min | 5:37 pm PDT (00:37 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 8 kt | +6 kt | 1 °C | 114 kt | 18 h 25 min | 6:06 pm PDT (01:06 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 12 kt | +9 kt | -2 °C | 111 kt | 18 h 55 min | 6:36 pm PDT (01:36 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 15 kt | +13 kt | -6 °C | 107 kt | 19 h 37 min | 7:18 pm PDT (02:18 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | +17 kt | -9 °C | 103 kt | 20 h 23 min | 8:04 pm PDT (03:04 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 21 kt | +20 kt | -12 °C | 100 kt | 20 h 59 min | 8:40 pm PDT (03:40 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 25 kt | +23 kt | -23 °C | 97 kt | 21 h 38 min | 9:19 pm PDT (04:19 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 29 kt | +28 kt | -37 °C | 92 kt | 22 h 49 min | 10:30 pm PDT (05:30 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 35 kt | +34 kt | -43 °C | 86 kt | 24 h 24 min | 12:05 am PDT (07:05 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 50 kt | +48 kt | -49 °C | 72 kt | 29 h 09 min | 4:50 am PDT (11:50 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; 23 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 150 nm out; 74 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° | |
| BUF | used from 200 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 320/10 | 010/16 10° | 360/10 6° | 340/13 2° | 330/22 -11° | 300/25 -23° | 320/31 -38° | 300/29 -44° | 280/36 -50° |
| CLE | used from 350 nm out; 116 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° |
| TVC | used from 450 nm out; 102 nm from the line | 260/31 | 280/22 15° | 290/18 10° | 270/13 2° | 290/25 -10° | 300/35 -21° | 310/52 -37° | 320/59 -47° | 300/84 -54° |
| GRB | used from 650 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 250/36 | 270/23 16° | 270/14 9° | 240/18 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/29 -20° | 290/42 -36° | 290/51 -45° | 290/72 -55° |
| DLH | used from 800 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 080/28 | 240/21 15° | 250/26 9° | 250/32 3° | 260/42 -11° | 270/40 -21° | 260/43 -36° | 260/46 -46° | 260/65 -54° |
| AXN | used from 949 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 100/14 | 250/21 14° | 240/24 12° | 240/31 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/40 -21° | 250/42 -36° | 260/48 -45° | 260/53 -50° |
| GFK | used from 1049 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 070/18 | 100/10 9° | 250/11 6° | 250/27 1° | 250/34 -10° | 260/43 -21° | 260/39 -36° | 260/36 -46° | 260/59 -53° |
| MOT | used from 1149 nm out; 100 nm from the line | 120/14 5° | 200/20 4° | 230/33 1° | 250/39 -11° | 250/50 -21° | 240/61 -37° | 250/56 -45° | 260/68 -51° | |
| DIK | used from 1249 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 150/24 7° | 200/38 6° | 220/53 0° | 230/51 -9° | 230/49 -21° | 240/37 -37° | 240/47 -44° | 250/65 -48° | |
| GGW | used from 1399 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 110/23 0° | 130/20 -2° | 170/24 -3° | 230/44 -11° | 220/51 -21° | 210/52 -39° | 220/64 -44° | 240/85 -48° | |
| GTF | used from 1549 nm out; 84 nm from the line | 070/11 | 080/15 -7° | 110/19 -9° | 190/25 -14° | 200/34 -23° | 200/54 -39° | 220/66 -40° | 220/77 -44° | |
| GPI | used from 1699 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 070/19 -5° | 100/16 -7° | 080/10 -8° | 130/8 -19° | 170/37 -28° | 200/50 -40° | 210/43 -40° | 220/41 -42° | |
| GEG | used from 1849 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 080/16 -2° | 050/17 -7° | 080/9 -10° | 190/33 -21° | 180/31 -32° | L/V -35° | L/V -37° | 270/8 -40° | |
| YKM | used from 1999 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 070/10 | 040/15 -1° | 020/27 -8° | 030/25 -13° | 020/48 -20° | 010/83 -27° | 010/77 -37° | 010/49 -40° | 350/14 -41° |
| SEA | used from 2049 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 050/7 | 050/11 1° | 050/12 -5° | 030/31 -7° | 010/61 -15° | 010/69 -26° | 360/73 -40° | 360/62 -47° | 330/21 -43° |
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 | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 900 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | 900 ft | 13 ft | 1:51 am EDT (05:51 UTC) |
| CDW Caldwell, NJ | 30 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,000 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 2,000 ft | 172 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| ELZ Wellsville, NY | 210 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the northwest (320°) at 4 knots | 1.75 mi | 200 ft | 2,124 ft | 06:31 UTC |
| TVC Traverse City, MI | 580 nm out, 15 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 623 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| TKV Tomahawk, WI | 760 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,486 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| ADC Wadena, MN | 989 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet | from the north-northeast (030°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,000 ft | 1,368 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| FAR Fargo, ND | 1059 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the north (360°) at 12 knots | 3 mi | 300 ft | 901 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| SDY Sidney, MT | 1369 nm out, 11 nm north of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet Weather: rain | from the northeast (040°) at 8 knots | 8 mi | 800 ft | 1,985 ft | 05:56 UTC |
| GTF Great Falls, MT | 1659 nm out, 22 nm south of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 600 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet Weather: light snow, mist | from the north (350°) at 10 knots | 3 mi | 1,000 ft | 3,680 ft | 06:01 UTC |
| CII Choteau, MT | 1689 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 3,946 ft | ||||
| SFF Spokane, WA | 1899 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the north (010°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,956 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| SEA Seattle, WA | destination | VFR | from the east-southeast (110°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 432 ft | 10:53 pm PDT (05:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,946 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SEA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:53 pm PDT (23:53 UTC)
Wind from the west at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for SEA
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 3:00 am PDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, patches of fog, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am PDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am PDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the west at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 pm PDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 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 2 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 20 October · ZNY
Daylight
Sunset at JFK 6:19 pm EDT (22:19 UTC), at SEA 6:27 pm PDT (01:27 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm PDT (01:58 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, Seattle-Tacoma International.