Los Angeles International to Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport LAX → DCA
2,004 nautical miles (2,306 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 069°, about 057° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 11 h 23 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 56-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:26 am EDT (14:26 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: 2,836 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 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the first 219 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 6E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 90 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 130 to 359 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 209 to 429 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 229 to 768 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 239 to 349 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 309 to 728 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 508 to 678 nm out.
- 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). Near the route, 638 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Near the route, 738 nm along the route.
- 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 758 to 1176 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 last 319 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1794 to 1954 nm out.
- 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 LAX.
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 18 forecast points nearest it (ONT, LAS, PRC, FMN, ALS, PUB, GCK, SLN, MKC, COU, STL, EVV, IND, CVG, CMH, CRW, EKN, RIC). 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 | 240° at 20 kt | −19 kt | 139 kt | 14 h 25 min | 1:28 pm EDT (17:28 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | −20 kt | 15 °C | 140 kt | 14 h 19 min | 1:22 pm EDT (17:22 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | −19 kt | 12 °C | 139 kt | 14 h 25 min | 1:28 pm EDT (17:28 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | −18 kt | 8 °C | 138 kt | 14 h 31 min | 1:34 pm EDT (17:34 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | −18 kt | 4 °C | 138 kt | 14 h 31 min | 1:34 pm EDT (17:34 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | −21 kt | 0 °C | 141 kt | 14 h 13 min | 1:16 pm EDT (17:16 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 23 kt | −24 kt | -3 °C | 144 kt | 13 h 55 min | 12:58 pm EDT (16:58 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | −28 kt | -7 °C | 148 kt | 13 h 32 min | 12:35 pm EDT (16:35 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 28 kt | −29 kt | -8 °C | 149 kt | 13 h 27 min | 12:30 pm EDT (16:30 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 33 kt | −34 kt | -20 °C | 154 kt | 13 h 01 min | 12:04 pm EDT (16:04 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 45 kt | −48 kt | -31 °C | 168 kt | 11 h 56 min | 10:59 am EDT (14:59 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 53 kt | −56 kt | -38 °C | 176 kt | 11 h 23 min | 10:26 am EDT (14:26 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 46 kt | −49 kt | -47 °C | 169 kt | 11 h 51 min | 10:54 am EDT (14:54 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
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ONT | used from 0 nm out; 17 nm from the line | 190/8 | 190/19 6° | 210/23 4° | 210/29 -3° | 210/47 -13° | 210/49 -19° | 220/47 -30° | 220/50 -36° | 220/55 -43° |
| LAS | used from 150 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 210/21 10° | 200/18 5° | 200/23 -2° | 210/49 -14° | 210/63 -21° | 220/58 -30° | 220/61 -35° | 210/56 -44° | |
| PRC | used from 249 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 210/25 5° | 200/30 1° | 220/55 -10° | 220/61 -21° | 220/84 -28° | 230/90 -34° | 230/73 -45° | ||
| FMN | used from 399 nm out; 102 nm from the line | 220/28 9° | 220/40 2° | 220/53 -10° | 220/62 -22° | 230/79 -28° | 240/91 -34° | 230/71 -45° | ||
| ALS | used from 598 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 230/37 4° | 220/54 -9° | 230/62 -22° | 240/77 -26° | 240/74 -33° | 230/59 -45° | |||
| PUB | used from 698 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 230/25 13° | 230/32 6° | 220/44 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 240/70 -28° | 240/67 -34° | 240/58 -46° | ||
| GCK | used from 798 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 220/48 21° | 230/37 14° | 250/30 8° | 230/37 -6° | 240/37 -20° | 240/69 -28° | 250/67 -37° | 260/58 -48° | |
| SLN | used from 947 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 210/53 | 230/41 20° | 240/26 14° | 230/16 8° | 240/25 -7° | 240/35 -19° | 250/61 -30° | 260/65 -38° | 260/56 -49° |
| MKC | used from 1097 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/28 18° | 250/18 13° | 240/12 6° | 280/24 -6° | 240/34 -18° | 260/47 -30° | 260/51 -40° | 270/58 -50° |
| COU | used from 1246 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -51° |
| STL | used from 1346 nm out; 14 nm from the line | 250/24 | 250/24 16° | 260/23 9° | 270/16 6° | 260/25 -6° | 270/29 -19° | 290/34 -33° | 290/48 -41° | 290/54 -51° |
| EVV | used from 1445 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 280/15 | 290/12 17° | 310/16 10° | 320/13 5° | 310/22 -6° | 320/26 -18° | 320/38 -33° | 310/56 -41° | 320/55 -51° |
| IND | used from 1545 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 290/16 | 310/20 16° | 320/21 10° | 330/13 3° | 300/25 -7° | 320/32 -19° | 330/46 -34° | 320/61 -43° | 320/63 -50° |
| CVG | used from 1595 nm out; 28 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° |
| CMH | used from 1695 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 330/15 | 340/22 14° | 340/24 9° | 340/23 4° | 340/35 -9° | 340/49 -20° | 340/58 -37° | 330/70 -42° | 340/55 -47° |
| CRW | used from 1745 nm out; 46 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° |
| EKN | used from 1844 nm out; 7 nm from the line | 330/21 12° | 330/25 7° | 350/22 2° | 330/24 -10° | 310/27 -21° | 320/33 -35° | 290/31 -39° | 290/34 -47° | |
| RIC | used from 1944 nm out; 86 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAX Los Angeles, CA | departure | no report just now | 127 ft | ||||
| EMT El Monte, CA | 20 nm out, 2 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 295 ft | ||||
| GCN Grand Canyon, AZ | 329 nm out, 14 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,608 ft | ||||
| FMN Farmington, NM | 528 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,506 ft | ||||
| TAD Trinidad, CO | 718 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | no report just now | 5,761 ft | ||||
| GCK Garden City, KS | 887 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,890 ft | ||||
| HUT Hutchinson, KS | 1027 nm out, 14 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,542 ft | ||||
| COU Columbia, MO | 1296 nm out, 1 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 889 ft | ||||
| BMG Bloomington, IN | 1555 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 845 ft | ||||
| CVG Covington, KY | 1645 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 896 ft | ||||
| IAD Washington, DC | 1984 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 312 ft | ||||
| DCA Washington, DC | destination | no report just now | 14 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,608 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DCA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:26 am EDT (14:26 UTC)
DCA has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/3635 DISNEYLAND THEME PARK, ANAHEIM,, CA 13 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · ZLA
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local on the route, 199 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 18 nm from the route, 1296 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, 1645 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, at the destination end · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 7 nm from the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at LAX 6:23 pm PDT (01:23 UTC), at DCA 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm EDT (23:01 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: Los Angeles International, Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport.