Lihue Airport to San Francisco International LIH → SFO
2,124 nautical miles (2,445 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 055°, about 044° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11E). At 120 knots that is 18 h 09 min at the quickest height in today's winds (7,500 ft, a 3-knot headwind), arriving about 2:43 pm PDT (21:43 UTC). Right now LIH is VFR, wind from the east-northeast (070°) at 8 knots; SFO is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) 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: 1,789 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 above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 130 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 1995 to 2034 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 LIH.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- UAL1112 at 25,000 ft, 6 nm northwest, 5:28 pm HST (03:28 UTC): moderate turbulence. At the destination end, 6 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
ARP UAL1112 3720N 12403W 0328 F250 TB MODERATE SK IC
- Report
- a routine report filed through ARP
- B38M at 25,000 ft, 4 nm southwest, 5:31 pm HST (03:31 UTC): moderate turbulence from 21,000 ft to 25,000 ft, remarks: entered by zoa fdcs. At the destination end, 4 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
SFO UA /OV OSI250055/TM 0331/FL250/TP B38M/TB MOD 210-250/RM ENTERED BY ZOA FDCS
- Report
- a routine report filed through SFO
- Where
- 55 nm west (250°) of OSI
- Time
- 03:31 UTC
- Height
- at 25,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- moderate from 21,000 ft to 25,000 ft
- Remarks
- entered by zoa fdcs
- UAL1684 at 36,000 ft, 31 nm southeast, 5:24 pm HST (03:24 UTC): -45 °C, wind 200° at 10 knots. 708 nm along the route, 31 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ARP UAL1684 2754N 14758W 0324 F360 MS45 200/010KT
- Report
- a routine report filed through ARP
- UAL1112 at 37,000 ft, 36 nm northwest, 3:18 pm HST (01:18 UTC): -47 °C, wind 320° at 30 knots. 1107 nm along the route, 36 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
ARP UAL1112 3159N 14155W 0118 F370 MS47 320/030KT
- Report
- a routine report filed through ARP
- UAL1684 at 36,000 ft, 22 nm south, 4:31 pm HST (02:31 UTC): -44 °C, wind 340° at 30 knots. 1117 nm along the route, 22 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
ARP UAL1684 3111N 14117W 0231 F360 MS44 340/030KT
- Report
- a routine report filed through ARP
- UAL1684 at 36,000 ft, 13 nm south, 3:41 pm HST (01:41 UTC): -45 °C, wind 350° at 70 knots. 1506 nm along the route, 13 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
ARP UAL1684 3401N 13421W 0141 F360 MS45 350/070KT
- Report
- a routine report filed through ARP
- UAL1684 at 36,000 ft, 2 nm southeast, 2:51 pm HST (00:51 UTC): -43 °C, wind 360° at 50 knots. 1895 nm along the route, 2 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ARP UAL1684 3628N 12656W 0051 F360 MS43 360/050KT
- Report
- a routine report filed through ARP
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 4 forecast points nearest it (LIH, HNL, OGG, ITO). 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 | 110° at 8 kt | +5 kt | 115 kt | 18 h 28 min | 3:02 pm PDT (22:02 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 080° at 4 kt | +4 kt | 116 kt | 18 h 19 min | 2:53 pm PDT (21:53 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 010° at 7 kt | +3 kt | 12 °C | 117 kt | 18 h 09 min | 2:43 pm PDT (21:43 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 360° at 14 kt | +5 kt | 9 °C | 115 kt | 18 h 28 min | 3:02 pm PDT (22:02 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 010° at 21 kt | +11 kt | 6 °C | 109 kt | 19 h 29 min | 4:03 pm PDT (23:03 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 010° at 26 kt | +14 kt | 6 °C | 106 kt | 20 h 02 min | 4:36 pm PDT (23:36 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 010° at 27 kt | +15 kt | 4 °C | 105 kt | 20 h 14 min | 4:48 pm PDT (23:48 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 020° at 20 kt | +14 kt | -1 °C | 106 kt | 20 h 02 min | 4:36 pm PDT (23:36 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 020° at 19 kt | +14 kt | -2 °C | 106 kt | 20 h 02 min | 4:36 pm PDT (23:36 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 030° at 6 kt | +5 kt | -14 °C | 115 kt | 18 h 28 min | 3:02 pm PDT (22:02 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 | 1,000 | 1,500 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIH | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 060/8 | 060/8 | 070/9 | 070/7 | 040/8 17° | 010/5 11° | 320/6 6° | 280/15 3° | 250/14 -2° | 220/17 -16° |
| HNL | used from 100 nm out; 112 nm from the line | 070/9 | 070/10 | 070/11 | 100/12 | 070/10 17° | 010/19 12° | 020/21 7° | 340/18 4° | 040/6 -2° | L/V -15° |
| OGG | used from 199 nm out; 192 nm from the line | 090/11 | 090/12 | 100/12 | 100/10 | 070/10 16° | 050/17 11° | 020/27 6° | 360/32 5° | 040/16 -2° | 040/9 -15° |
| ITO | used from 848 nm out; 787 nm from the line | L/V | L/V | 110/6 | 130/10 | L/V 12° | 320/16 9° | 360/24 6° | 010/31 6° | 020/24 -2° | 030/6 -14° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIH Lihue, HI | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet, scattered clouds at 2,100 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet | from the east-northeast (070°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 152 ft | 4:53 pm HST (02:53 UTC) |
| SFO San Francisco, CA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 13 ft | 7:56 pm PDT (02:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 152 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SFO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:43 pm PDT (21:43 UTC)
Wind from the east-northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for SFO
- From Sun 8:00 pm PDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am PDT (08:00 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 east-northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 3:00 pm PDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for LIH, the departure
- From Sun 2:00 pm HST (00:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet
- From Sun 7:00 pm HST (05:00 UTC): wind from the west at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am HST (20:00 UTC): wind from the east at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7231 Santa Clara, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 22 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at LIH 6:14 pm HST (04:14 UTC), at SFO 6:36 pm PDT (01:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 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: Lihue Airport, San Francisco International.