Lafayette Rgnl/Paul Fournet Field to Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport LFT → MSP
883 nautical miles (1,016 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 357°, about 354° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 27 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 17-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:05 am CDT (13:05 UTC). Right now LFT is VFR, wind calm; MSP is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 5 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: 1 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 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 506 to 824 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 LFT.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 8 forecast points nearest it (LCH, SHV, LIT, SGF, COU, DSM, MCW, MSP). 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 | 230° at 26 kt | −17 kt | 137 kt | 6 h 27 min | 8:05 am CDT (13:05 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 23 kt | −12 kt | 16 °C | 132 kt | 6 h 41 min | 8:19 am CDT (13:19 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 19 kt | −8 kt | 13 °C | 128 kt | 6 h 54 min | 8:32 am CDT (13:32 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | −6 kt | 9 °C | 126 kt | 7 h | 8:38 am CDT (13:38 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 15 kt | −4 kt | 6 °C | 124 kt | 7 h 07 min | 8:45 am CDT (13:45 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | −4 kt | 1 °C | 124 kt | 7 h 07 min | 8:45 am CDT (13:45 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 260° at 18 kt | −3 kt | -3 °C | 123 kt | 7 h 11 min | 8:49 am CDT (13:49 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 20 kt | −3 kt | -6 °C | 123 kt | 7 h 11 min | 8:49 am CDT (13:49 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 24 kt | 0 | -17 °C | 120 kt | 7 h 22 min | 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 34 kt | +6 kt | -32 °C | 114 kt | 7 h 45 min | 9:23 am CDT (14:23 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 43 kt | +10 kt | -41 °C | 110 kt | 8 h 02 min | 9:40 am CDT (14:40 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 46 kt | +15 kt | -52 °C | 105 kt | 8 h 25 min | 10:03 am CDT (15:03 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LCH | used from 0 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 160/21 | 160/18 18° | 180/13 12° | 230/6 8° | 280/10 -4° | 260/13 -14° | 310/29 -30° | 320/32 -40° | 330/33 -53° |
| SHV | used from 99 nm out; 86 nm from the line | 200/18 | 230/24 18° | 230/24 12° | 240/14 8° | 260/12 -4° | 240/11 -15° | 300/31 -29° | 300/32 -40° | 300/36 -52° |
| LIT | used from 198 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 220/21 | 230/17 16° | 250/24 12° | 260/15 7° | 260/13 -5° | 280/25 -16° | 290/35 -30° | 300/42 -40° | 300/40 -52° |
| SGF | used from 347 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 230/33 | 230/28 15° | 250/20 13° | 240/18 7° | 250/20 -6° | 250/24 -17° | 280/42 -31° | 280/49 -40° | 290/46 -51° |
| COU | used from 447 nm out; 50 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° |
| DSM | used from 595 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 230/40 | 250/33 17° | 250/18 12° | 240/17 5° | 260/28 -8° | 270/34 -19° | 260/41 -33° | 260/55 -41° | 270/62 -51° |
| MCW | used from 744 nm out; 17 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/30 17° | 230/14 12° | 240/17 6° | 250/22 -8° | 270/29 -20° | 250/34 -34° | 260/52 -43° | 260/59 -51° |
| MSP | used from 843 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 230/26 | 240/30 17° | 240/24 12° | 250/22 5° | 250/35 -10° | 260/36 -21° | 250/41 -36° | 250/49 -45° | 260/58 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LFT Lafayette, LA | departure | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 40 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
| AEX Alexandria, LA | 69 nm out, 25 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 88 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| MLU Monroe, LA | 139 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 78 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| CRT Crossett, AR | 179 nm out, 16 nm east of the line | no report just now | 183 ft | ||||
| LIT Little Rock, AR | 268 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the west (280°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 266 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| BPK Mountain Home, AR | 367 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 928 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| TBN Fort Leonard Wood, MO | 456 nm out, 20 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,159 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| IRK Kirksville, MO | 595 nm out, 10 nm east of the line | reported, no category | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 966 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| PEA Pella, IA | 675 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 885 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| MIW Marshalltown, IA | 714 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 974 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| LVN Minneapolis, MN | 863 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 960 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| MSP Minneapolis, MN | destination | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 841 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,159 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:05 am CDT (13:05 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MSP
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
- From Tue 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
The forecast for LFT, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 24 nm from the route, 536 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
- 6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 19 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 19 October · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at LFT 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC), at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm CDT (00:03 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: Lafayette Rgnl/Paul Fournet Field, Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport.