Plan a flight · Sun 6:57 pm CDT (23:57 UTC)

Kansas City International to San Francisco International MCI → SFO

1,299 nautical miles (1,495 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 274°, about 272° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2E). At 120 knots that is 11 h 30 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 7-knot headwind), arriving about 4:27 am PDT (11:27 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MCI is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 9 knots; SFO is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 15 knots, gusting to 23. 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: 738 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 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 380 to 999 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 440 to 920 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 530 to 999 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). Over the route from 550 to 800 nm out.
AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 690 to 1049 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 780 to 900 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the route from 960 to 1179 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 MCI.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

urgent E545 at 6,000 ft, 9 nm north, 4:49 pm CDT (21:49 UTC): remarks: low-level wind shear + 5 knots fap runway 17L. 470 nm along the route, 9 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
APA UUA /OV APA350002/TM 2149/FL060/TP E545/RM LLWS +/- 5 KT FAP RWY 17L
```
Report
an urgent report filed through APA
Where
2 nm north (350°) of APA
Time
21:49 UTC
Height
at 6,000 ft
Aircraft
E545
Remarks
low-level wind shear + 5 knots fap runway 17L
UAL2199 at 35,000 ft, 38 nm north, 6:31 pm CDT (23:31 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, wind 247° at 79 knots. 410 nm along the route, 38 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ARP UAL2199 4007N 10337W 2331 F350 247/079KT TB MOD CHOP IC
```
Report
a routine report filed through ARP
A21N at 32,000 ft, 47 nm north, 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-61. 420 nm along the route, 47 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
AKO UA /OV AKO270030/TM 2342/FL320/TP A21N/TB INTMT MOD CHOP/RM ZDVWC-61
```
Report
a routine report filed through AKO
Where
30 nm west (270°) of AKO
Time
23:42 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
A21N
Turbulence
intermittent moderate chop
Remarks
ZDVWC-61
GLF5 at 45,000 ft, 15 nm south, 5:44 pm CDT (22:44 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-46. 460 nm along the route, 15 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
COS UA /OV COS350025/TM 2244/FL450/TP GLF5/TB MOD /RM ZDVWC-46
```
Report
a routine report filed through COS
Where
25 nm north (350°) of COS
Time
22:44 UTC
Height
at 45,000 ft
Aircraft
GLF5
Turbulence
moderate
Remarks
ZDVWC-46
CRJ2 at 19,000 ft, 31 nm south, 5:02 pm CDT (22:02 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: during the climb from KDEN from 12,000 ft to 19,000 ft ZDVWC-41. 480 nm along the route, 31 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
COS UA /OV BRK262015/TM 2202/FL190/TP CRJ2/TB MOD CHOP/RM DURC FROM KDEN 120-190 ZDVWC-41
```
Report
a routine report filed through COS
Where
15 nm west (262°) of BRK
Time
22:02 UTC
Height
at 19,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ2
Turbulence
moderate chop
Remarks
during the climb from KDEN from 12,000 ft to 19,000 ft ZDVWC-41
C700 at 16,000 ft, 11 nm northwest, 4:55 pm CDT (21:55 UTC): moderate turbulence. 550 nm along the route, 11 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ASE UA /OV WERNR/TM 2155/FL160/TP C700/TB MOD
```
Report
a routine report filed through ASE
Where
wernr
Time
21:55 UTC
Height
at 16,000 ft
Aircraft
C700
Turbulence
moderate
C680A at 16,000 ft, 11 nm southwest, 5:59 pm CDT (22:59 UTC): moderate turbulence, scattered clouds above 16,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. 560 nm along the route, 11 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ASE UA /OV HAERI/TM 2259/FL160/TP C680A/SK SCT160/TB CONS MOD/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through ASE
Where
haeri
Time
22:59 UTC
Height
at 16,000 ft
Aircraft
C680A
Sky
scattered clouds from 16,000 ft
Turbulence
continuous moderate
Remarks
during the descent
C650 at 40,000 ft, 6 nm northeast, 6:48 pm CDT (23:48 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-03. 570 nm along the route, 6 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ASE UA /OV DBL/TM 2348/FL400/TP C650/TB MOD /RM ZDVWC-03
```
Report
a routine report filed through ASE
Where
over DBL
Time
23:48 UTC
Height
at 40,000 ft
Aircraft
C650
Turbulence
moderate
Remarks
ZDVWC-03
LJ40 at 19,000 ft, 13 nm south, 4:32 pm CDT (21:32 UTC): moderate turbulence. 570 nm along the route, 13 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ASE UA /OV ASE240010/TM 2132/FL190/TP LJ40/TB MOD
```
Report
a routine report filed through ASE
Where
10 nm southwest (240°) of ASE
Time
21:32 UTC
Height
at 19,000 ft
Aircraft
LJ40
Turbulence
moderate
B737 at 36,000 ft, 6 nm northeast, 4:28 pm CDT (21:28 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. 570 nm along the route, 6 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ASE UA /OV DBL/TM 2128/FL360/TP B737/TB MOD/RM ZDVWC
```
Report
a routine report filed through ASE
Where
over DBL
Time
21:28 UTC
Height
at 36,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
moderate
Remarks
zdvwc
C680 at 18,000 ft, 19 nm south, 5:35 pm CDT (22:35 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: from 18,000 ft to 10,000 ft. 580 nm along the route, 19 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ASE UA /OV ASE230020/TM 2235/FL180/TP C680/TB MOD/RM 180-100
```
Report
a routine report filed through ASE
Where
20 nm southwest (230°) of ASE
Time
22:35 UTC
Height
at 18,000 ft
Aircraft
C680
Turbulence
moderate
Remarks
from 18,000 ft to 10,000 ft
E170 at 10,000 ft, 19 nm south, 6:41 pm CDT (23:41 UTC): moderate turbulence up to 10,000 ft, remarks: during the climb. 640 nm along the route, 19 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
GJT UA /OV GJT144009/TM 2341/FL100/TP E170/TB MOD SFC-100/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through GJT
Where
9 nm southeast (144°) of GJT
Time
23:41 UTC
Height
at 10,000 ft
Aircraft
E170
Turbulence
moderate from the surface to 10,000 ft
Remarks
during the climb
E75L at 18,000 ft, 44 nm south, 6:24 pm CDT (23:24 UTC): moderate turbulence from 18,000 ft to 22,000 ft, remarks: mountain wave a 10-knot loss of airspeed entered by zoa fdcs. 1119 nm along the route, 44 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LOL UA /OV BIH300011/TM 2324/FL 180/TP E75L/TB MOD 180-220/RM MTN WAVE /-10 ENTERED BY ZOA FDCS AWC-WEB
```
Report
a routine report filed through LOL
Where
11 nm northwest (300°) of BIH
Time
23:24 UTC
Height
at 18,000 ft
Aircraft
E75L
Turbulence
moderate from 18,000 ft to 22,000 ft
Remarks
mountain wave a 10-knot loss of airspeed entered by zoa fdcs
B738 at 35,000 ft, 47 nm north, 6:30 pm CDT (23:30 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-07. 420 nm along the route, 47 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
AKO UA /OV AKO270030/TM 2330/FL350/TP B738/TB CONS LGT /RM ZDVWC-07
```
Report
a routine report filed through AKO
Where
30 nm west (270°) of AKO
Time
23:30 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
B738
Turbulence
continuous light
Remarks
ZDVWC-07

16 more routine reports are on the map.

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 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 11 forecast points nearest it (MKC, SLN, GLD, DEN, GJT, BCE, ELY, BIH, FAT, SAC, SFO). 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	200° at 21 kt	+7 kt		113 kt	11 h 30 min	4:27 am PDT (11:27 UTC)
6,500 ft	210° at 21 kt	+11 kt	13 °C	109 kt	11 h 55 min	4:52 am PDT (11:52 UTC)
8,500 ft	210° at 24 kt	+14 kt	10 °C	106 kt	12 h 15 min	5:12 am PDT (12:12 UTC)
10,500 ft	220° at 26 kt	+18 kt	6 °C	102 kt	12 h 44 min	5:41 am PDT (12:41 UTC)
12,500 ft	230° at 27 kt	+21 kt	2 °C	99 kt	13 h 07 min	6:04 am PDT (13:04 UTC)
14,500 ft	230° at 30 kt	+24 kt	-3 °C	96 kt	13 h 32 min	6:29 am PDT (13:29 UTC)
16,500 ft	230° at 33 kt	+27 kt	-7 °C	93 kt	13 h 58 min	6:55 am PDT (13:55 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	230° at 35 kt	+29 kt	-10 °C	91 kt	14 h 16 min	7:13 am PDT (14:13 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	220° at 40 kt	+29 kt	-22 °C	91 kt	14 h 16 min	7:13 am PDT (14:13 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	230° at 53 kt	+44 kt	-29 °C	76 kt	17 h 06 min	10:03 am PDT (17:03 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	240° at 55 kt	+49 kt	-37 °C	71 kt	18 h 18 min	11:15 am PDT (18:15 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	240° at 55 kt	+51 kt	-46 °C	69 kt	18 h 50 min	11:47 am PDT (18:47 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; 33 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°
SLN	used from 50 nm out; 71 nm from the line	190/37	220/39 20°	240/31 14°	250/24 7°	260/25 -7°	250/26 -17°	250/44 -31°	260/47 -40°	260/47 -50°
GLD	used from 250 nm out; 50 nm from the line		190/29	200/30 15°	240/23 8°	250/39 -7°	230/39 -19°	230/57 -31°	240/67 -39°	250/62 -49°
DEN	used from 400 nm out; 44 nm from the line			190/31 16°	210/32 7°	240/41 -8°	230/47 -21°	240/56 -32°	250/65 -37°	250/61 -47°
GJT	used from 550 nm out; 68 nm from the line			210/40 11°	210/46 3°	210/61 -10°	210/68 -22°	220/57 -29°	230/59 -36°	240/66 -46°
BCE	used from 750 nm out; 90 nm from the line				210/47 0°	200/50 -12°	220/31 -23°	220/56 -26°	220/58 -35°	230/58 -45°
ELY	used from 850 nm out; 67 nm from the line			210/20 4°	240/21 -1°	230/37 -13°	200/58 -25°	220/73 -27°	220/73 -36°	220/69 -44°
BIH	used from 1049 nm out; 67 nm from the line		L/V	210/14 6°	210/20 -2°	230/26 -14°	220/32 -24°	220/63 -27°	220/56 -35°	230/50 -44°
FAT	used from 1149 nm out; 77 nm from the line	180/7	170/9 7°	200/20 3°	210/27 -3°	240/27 -14°	230/38 -24°	220/57 -27°	230/42 -33°	230/41 -44°
SAC	used from 1199 nm out; 49 nm from the line	270/5	L/V 5°	L/V -1°	240/11 -5°	250/22 -15°	270/25 -24°	260/31 -27°	240/39 -33°	240/39 -42°
SFO	used from 1249 nm out; 25 nm from the line	220/11	L/V 5°	280/7 1°	270/15 -3°	290/23 -14°	310/29 -24°	280/26 -28°	250/30 -34°	250/36 -43°

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 Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet	from the south (170°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	1,027 ft	6:53 pm CDT (23:53 UTC)
MHK Manhattan, KS	90 nm out, 15 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	1,066 ft	23:52 UTC
HLC Hill City, KS	240 nm out, 7 nm south of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 11 knots, gusting to 19	10+ mi	none	2,238 ft	23:53 UTC
CBK Colby, KS	290 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 15 knots, gusting to 20	10+ mi	none	3,188 ft	23:15 UTC
APA Denver, CO	470 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 10,000 feet, a broken layer at 14,000 feet, a broken layer at 22,000 feet	from the south-southwest (200°) at 22 knots, gusting to 33	10+ mi	14,000 ft	5,884 ft	23:53 UTC
GJT Grand Junction, CO	640 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southeast (160°) at 16 knots, gusting to 24	10+ mi	none	4,861 ft	23:53 UTC
FOM Fillmore, UT	820 nm out, 3 nm south of the line	VFR Sky: overcast at 5,000 feet	from the west (270°) at 18 knots	10+ mi	5,000 ft	4,984 ft	23:35 UTC
HTH Hawthorne, NV	1119 nm out, 19 nm north of the line	VFR	from the north-northwest (340°) at 17 knots	10+ mi	none	4,230 ft	23:35 UTC
LVK Livermore, CA	1269 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 8,000 feet	from the west-northwest (300°) at 14 knots	10+ mi	none	399 ft	23:53 UTC
SFO San Francisco, CA	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet	from the west-southwest (250°) at 15 knots, gusting to 23	10+ mi	none	13 ft	3:56 pm PDT (22:56 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 5,884 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, 4:27 am PDT (11:27 UTC)

Wind from the south-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for SFO

From Sun 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 16 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet
From Sun 7:00 pm PDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-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 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

6/7094 45NM NE MERCED, CA, Sunday, October 4, 2026 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 UTC 21 nm from the route, 1179 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 20 October · ZOA
6/7231 Santa Clara, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 16 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZOA
6/7455 SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Thursday, October 8, 2026 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 Local 10 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 11 October · ZOA
6/6741 SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Thursday, October 8, 2026 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 Local 7 nm from the route, at the destination end · air shows/sports · until 11 October · ZOA

Daylight

Sunset at MCI 6:46 pm CDT (23:46 UTC), at SFO 6:36 pm PDT (01:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SFO is before sunrise there (7:14 am PDT (14:14 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

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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 Francisco International.