Laguardia Airport to Rapid City Regional LGA → RAP
1,302 nautical miles (1,498 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 288°, about 300° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12W). At 120 knots that is 11 h 57 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 11-knot headwind), arriving about 12:04 pm MDT (18:04 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 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 556 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 199 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 79 to 248 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 705 to 884 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 last 278 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). Near the route, at the destination end.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Near the route, at the destination end.
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 LGA.
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 (JFK, AVP, PSB, BUF, CLE, MKG, GRB, LSE, MCW, FSD, PIR, RAP). 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 | 240° at 12 kt | +11 kt | 16 °C | 109 kt | 11 h 57 min | 12:04 pm MDT (18:04 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 11 kt | +11 kt | 14 °C | 109 kt | 11 h 57 min | 12:04 pm MDT (18:04 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 11 kt | +11 kt | 11 °C | 109 kt | 11 h 57 min | 12:04 pm MDT (18:04 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 12 kt | +12 kt | 7 °C | 108 kt | 12 h 03 min | 12:10 pm MDT (18:10 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 13 kt | +13 kt | 4 °C | 107 kt | 12 h 10 min | 12:17 pm MDT (18:17 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 260° at 15 kt | +16 kt | -1 °C | 104 kt | 12 h 31 min | 12:38 pm MDT (18:38 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 270° at 18 kt | +18 kt | -6 °C | 102 kt | 12 h 46 min | 12:53 pm MDT (18:53 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 20 kt | +20 kt | -10 °C | 100 kt | 13 h 01 min | 1:08 pm MDT (19:08 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 26 kt | +26 kt | -21 °C | 94 kt | 13 h 51 min | 1:58 pm MDT (19:58 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 34 kt | +34 kt | -36 °C | 86 kt | 15 h 08 min | 3:15 pm MDT (21:15 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 43 kt | +43 kt | -43 °C | 77 kt | 16 h 55 min | 5:02 pm MDT (23:02 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 51 kt | +51 kt | -50 °C | 69 kt | 18 h 52 min | 6:59 pm MDT (00:59 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; 32 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; 17 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; 51 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 248 nm out; 68 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 298 nm out; 71 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° |
| MKG | used from 447 nm out; 98 nm from the line | 260/22 | 290/16 15° | 300/11 10° | 290/5 3° | 300/26 -9° | 300/32 -20° | 320/48 -36° | 320/61 -45° | 310/74 -53° |
| GRB | used from 646 nm out; 68 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° |
| LSE | used from 695 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 230/40 | 240/24 17° | 240/13 10° | 250/13 6° | 280/22 -9° | 250/28 -21° | 250/41 -34° | 260/42 -44° | 270/62 -53° |
| MCW | used from 845 nm out; 40 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° |
| FSD | used from 944 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 190/9 | 230/30 18° | 240/23 13° | 240/20 6° | 260/22 -9° | 250/31 -21° | 250/43 -36° | 260/49 -43° | 270/53 -47° |
| PIR | used from 1093 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 170/22 19° | 190/25 13° | 210/32 6° | 240/23 -9° | 250/32 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/44 -40° | 260/52 -47° | |
| RAP | used from 1242 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 180/23 12° | 200/38 13° | 210/38 6° | 220/28 -10° | 230/34 -21° | 230/37 -36° | 250/52 -38° | 250/59 -46° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LGA New York, NY | departure | no report just now | 20 ft | ||||
| CDW Caldwell, NJ | 20 nm out, 0 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 172 ft | ||||
| IPT Williamsport, PA | 139 nm out, 15 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 528 ft | ||||
| ERI Erie, PA | 298 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 732 ft | ||||
| PTK Pontiac, MI | 447 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 980 ft | ||||
| MKG Muskegon, MI | 566 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 628 ft | ||||
| UES Waukesha, WI | 656 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 911 ft | ||||
| RST Rochester, MN | 845 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,317 ft | ||||
| FSD Sioux Falls, SD | 1023 nm out, 25 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,430 ft | ||||
| MDS Madison, SD | 1043 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,718 ft | ||||
| PHP Philip, SD | 1242 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | no report just now | 2,209 ft | ||||
| RAP Rapid City, SD | destination | no report just now | 3,203 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,203 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RAP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:04 pm MDT (18:04 UTC)
RAP has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 4 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 20 October · ZNY
Daylight
Sunset at LGA 6:20 pm EDT (22:20 UTC), at RAP 6:12 pm MDT (00:12 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:41 pm MDT (00:41 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: Laguardia Airport, Rapid City Regional.