Kansas City International to Chicago Midway International MCI → MDW
351 nautical miles (404 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 063°, about 061° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 22 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 28-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:35 pm CDT (04:35 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MCI is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 9 knots; MDW is VFR, wind from the south (180°) 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: 4,185 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 first 39 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 MCI.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 at 32,000 ft, 41 nm northwest, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: pocket continuous light turbulence. 283 nm along the route, 41 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
RPJ UA /OV PLL/TM 0156/FL320/TP A321/TB CONS LGT/RM POCKET CONS LGT TB
- Report
- a routine report filed through RPJ
- Where
- over PLL
- Time
- 01:56 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- continuous light
- Remarks
- pocket continuous light turbulence
- B39M at 35,000 ft, 18 nm southeast, 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: smooth. At the destination end, 18 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
IKK UA /OV CGT/TM 0029/FL350/TP B39M/TB NEG/RM SMOOTH
- Report
- a routine report filed through IKK
- Where
- over CGT
- Time
- 00:29 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- smooth
- CRJ7 at 17,000 ft, 39 nm northeast, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): no turbulence. At the destination end, 39 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
BEH UA /OV ELX270040/TM 0004/FL170/TP CRJ7/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through BEH
- Where
- 40 nm west (270°) of ELX
- Time
- 00:04 UTC
- Height
- at 17,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ7
- Turbulence
- none
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 3 forecast points nearest it (MKC, BRL, JOT). 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 | 210° at 18 kt | −16 kt | 136 kt | 2 h 35 min | 11:48 pm CDT (04:48 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | −18 kt | 138 kt | 2 h 33 min | 11:46 pm CDT (04:46 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | −18 kt | 13 °C | 138 kt | 2 h 33 min | 11:46 pm CDT (04:46 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 270° at 18 kt | −17 kt | 9 °C | 137 kt | 2 h 34 min | 11:47 pm CDT (04:47 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 280° at 18 kt | −15 kt | 6 °C | 135 kt | 2 h 36 min | 11:49 pm CDT (04:49 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 280° at 18 kt | −15 kt | 2 °C | 135 kt | 2 h 36 min | 11:49 pm CDT (04:49 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 280° at 18 kt | −16 kt | -2 °C | 136 kt | 2 h 35 min | 11:48 pm CDT (04:48 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 270° at 19 kt | −16 kt | -6 °C | 136 kt | 2 h 35 min | 11:48 pm CDT (04:48 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 19 kt | −16 kt | -7 °C | 136 kt | 2 h 35 min | 11:48 pm CDT (04:48 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 24 kt | −14 kt | -19 °C | 134 kt | 2 h 37 min | 11:50 pm CDT (04:50 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 41 kt | −17 kt | -34 °C | 137 kt | 2 h 34 min | 11:47 pm CDT (04:47 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 47 kt | −20 kt | -43 °C | 140 kt | 2 h 30 min | 11:43 pm CDT (04:43 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 61 kt | −28 kt | -52 °C | 148 kt | 2 h 22 min | 11:35 pm CDT (04:35 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKC | used from 0 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 200/28 | 220/30 16° | 270/20 11° | 280/22 7° | 260/27 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 280/38 -32° | 270/38 -40° | 280/50 -52° |
| BRL | used from 97 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 200/20 | 250/21 16° | 240/22 10° | 260/20 5° | 270/16 -7° | 290/22 -18° | 320/41 -34° | 320/56 -43° | 310/68 -53° |
| JOT | used from 244 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 230/11 | 290/12 16° | 300/19 10° | 320/19 4° | 300/17 -9° | 330/31 -20° | 320/49 -37° | 320/53 -45° | 320/67 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCI Kansas City, MO | departure | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,027 ft | 8:53 pm CDT (01:53 UTC) |
| GPH Mosby, MO | 19 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 777 ft | 22:55 UTC |
| CHT Chillicothe, MO | 68 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 783 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| IRK Kirksville, MO | 107 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | reported, no category | from the south (170°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 966 ft | 01:55 UTC |
| FSW Fort Madison, IA | 175 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 721 ft | 01:55 UTC |
| BRL Burlington, IA | 185 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 698 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| GBG Galesburg, IL | 224 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 764 ft | 01:55 UTC |
| VYS Peru, IL | 283 nm out, 1 nm north of the line | VFR | from the east-northeast (060°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 654 ft | 10:30 UTC |
| LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL | 331 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 679 ft | 01:50 UTC |
| MDW Chicago, IL | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 619 ft | 8:53 pm CDT (01:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,027 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MDW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:35 pm CDT (04:35 UTC)
Wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for MDW
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
The forecast for MCI, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 17 knots, gusting to 26, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at MCI 6:44 pm CDT (23:44 UTC), at MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MDW is before sunrise there (6:59 am CDT (11:59 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: Kansas City International, Chicago Midway International.