Kansas City International to San Diego International MCI → SAN
1,157 nautical miles (1,331 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 257°, about 255° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2E). At 120 knots that is 12 h 03 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 24-knot headwind), arriving about 7:47 am PDT (14:47 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: 785 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
- SIGMET 6W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 429 to 668 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 6W VALID UNTIL 0355Z CO NM FROM 50SSW DEN-30NNE TBE-50SSW CME-50E SJN-20NE DVC-50SSW DEN AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
- SIGMET 9W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 28,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 818 to 937 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 9W VALID UNTIL 0355Z AZ FROM 20S TBC-30S INW-10E PHX-60SW DRK-30WNW DRK-20S TBC DMSHG AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 21020KT. TOPS TO FL280.
- 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 409 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 419 to 878 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 469 to 588 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 509 to 708 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, 558 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 788 to 947 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 838 to 907 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Near the route, 937 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 1027 to 1137 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 6E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 40 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
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 9 forecast points nearest it (MKC, SLN, GCK, PUB, ALS, FMN, PRC, BLH, SAN). 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 | 220° at 36 kt | +29 kt | 21 °C | 91 kt | 12 h 43 min | 8:27 am PDT (15:27 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 33 kt | +29 kt | 16 °C | 91 kt | 12 h 43 min | 8:27 am PDT (15:27 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 27 kt | +24 kt | 10 °C | 96 kt | 12 h 03 min | 7:47 am PDT (14:47 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 28 kt | +25 kt | 7 °C | 95 kt | 12 h 11 min | 7:55 am PDT (14:55 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 29 kt | +26 kt | 3 °C | 94 kt | 12 h 19 min | 8:03 am PDT (15:03 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 35 kt | +31 kt | -1 °C | 89 kt | 13 h | 8:44 am PDT (15:44 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 40 kt | +36 kt | -5 °C | 84 kt | 13 h 46 min | 9:30 am PDT (16:30 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 44 kt | +40 kt | -8 °C | 80 kt | 14 h 28 min | 10:12 am PDT (17:12 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 51 kt | +47 kt | -20 °C | 73 kt | 15 h 51 min | 11:35 am PDT (18:35 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 71 kt | +68 kt | -28 °C | 52 kt | 22 h 15 min | 5:59 pm PDT (00:59 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 75 kt | +74 kt | -35 °C | 46 kt | 25 h 09 min | 8:53 pm PDT (03:53 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 63 kt | +62 kt | -46 °C | 58 kt | 19 h 57 min | 3:41 pm PDT (22:41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKC | used from 0 nm out; 30 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° |
| SLN | used from 50 nm out; 66 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° |
| GCK | used from 199 nm out; 70 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° | |
| PUB | used from 399 nm out; 76 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° | ||
| ALS | used from 499 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 230/37 4° | 220/54 -9° | 230/62 -22° | 240/77 -26° | 240/74 -33° | 230/59 -45° | |||
| FMN | used from 598 nm out; 53 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° | ||
| PRC | used from 748 nm out; 119 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° | ||
| BLH | used from 947 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 210/13 | 200/21 11° | 200/22 5° | 210/25 -1° | 210/51 -10° | 220/61 -20° | 220/81 -29° | 220/92 -34° | 220/79 -45° |
| SAN | used from 1097 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 200/11 | 200/23 7° | 210/27 4° | 210/31 -3° | 220/56 -10° | 220/56 -19° | 220/52 -30° | 220/64 -37° | 220/67 -44° |
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 | no report just now | 1,027 ft | ||||
| TOP Topeka, KS | 40 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 881 ft | ||||
| SLN Salina, KS | 140 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,288 ft | ||||
| GCK Garden City, KS | 289 nm out, 9 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,890 ft | ||||
| JHN Johnson City, KS | 349 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 3,325 ft | ||||
| TAD Trinidad, CO | 469 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 5,761 ft | ||||
| RQE Window Rock, AZ | 718 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 6,742 ft | ||||
| PRC Prescott, AZ | 887 nm out, 6 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,045 ft | ||||
| BLH Blythe, CA | 1017 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | no report just now | 399 ft | ||||
| RNM Ramona, CA | 1137 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,394 ft | ||||
| SAN San Diego, CA | destination | no report just now | 16 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,742 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SAN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:47 am PDT (14:47 UTC)
SAN has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/4812 El Centro, CA, Wednesday, July 15, 2026 through Tuesday, July 13, 2027 Local 8 nm from the route, 1087 nm along the route · security · until 13 July · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at MCI 6:44 pm CDT (23:44 UTC), at SAN 6:19 pm PDT (01:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:44 pm PDT (01:44 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, San Diego International.
