Chicago Midway International to Boeing Fld/King County International MDW → BFI
1,502 nautical miles (1,728 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 295°, about 299° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 13 h 18 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 7-knot headwind), arriving about 3:01 pm PDT (22:01 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: 4 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 C14C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 35,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 4:55 am CDT (09:55 UTC). Over the route from 607 to 676 nm out.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120755 MKCC WST 120755 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 14C VALID UNTIL 0955Z SD ND FROM 50SE DIK-50ENE DPR-40ENE RAP-50NNW RAP-50SE DIK AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL350.
- 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 80 to 298 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 route from 388 to 1233 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, 736 nm along the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 756 to 865 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 875 to 1343 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 945 to 1253 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the route from 1104 to 1472 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 MDW.
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 08:00–15:00 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 14 forecast points nearest it (JOT, DBQ, MCW, FSD, ABR, PIR, DIK, MLS, BIL, GTF, GPI, GEG, YKM, SEA). 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 | 250° at 9 kt | +7 kt | 2 °C | 113 kt | 13 h 18 min | 3:01 pm PDT (22:01 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 10 kt | +7 kt | 8 °C | 113 kt | 13 h 18 min | 3:01 pm PDT (22:01 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 12 kt | +7 kt | 6 °C | 113 kt | 13 h 18 min | 3:01 pm PDT (22:01 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 14 kt | +9 kt | 1 °C | 111 kt | 13 h 32 min | 3:15 pm PDT (22:15 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | +11 kt | -2 °C | 109 kt | 13 h 47 min | 3:30 pm PDT (22:30 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | +11 kt | -6 °C | 109 kt | 13 h 47 min | 3:30 pm PDT (22:30 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | +11 kt | -10 °C | 109 kt | 13 h 47 min | 3:30 pm PDT (22:30 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 16 kt | +10 kt | -13 °C | 110 kt | 13 h 39 min | 3:22 pm PDT (22:22 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 24 kt | +16 kt | -25 °C | 104 kt | 14 h 27 min | 4:10 pm PDT (23:10 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 27 kt | +20 kt | -36 °C | 100 kt | 15 h 01 min | 4:44 pm PDT (23:44 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 38 kt | +30 kt | -39 °C | 90 kt | 16 h 41 min | 6:24 pm PDT (01:24 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 48 kt | +42 kt | -45 °C | 78 kt | 19 h 15 min | 8:58 pm PDT (03:58 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOT | used from 0 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
| DBQ | used from 50 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
| MCW | used from 199 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 250/36 | 250/24 19° | 240/26 11° | 250/30 5° | 270/22 -9° | 260/30 -21° | 260/31 -36° | 280/53 -38° | 280/66 -48° |
| FSD | used from 348 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 210/20 | 230/23 21° | 220/25 14° | 230/30 5° | 230/26 -9° | 240/30 -21° | 270/33 -36° | 260/47 -37° | 270/58 -47° |
| ABR | used from 448 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 080/12 | 210/12 17° | 220/22 12° | 230/26 5° | 220/28 -10° | 230/41 -21° | 250/36 -36° | 260/47 -39° | 260/63 -47° |
| PIR | used from 547 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 230/15 15° | 220/22 14° | 220/24 6° | 200/32 -10° | 210/48 -22° | 240/45 -33° | 240/43 -37° | 250/55 -46° | |
| DIK | used from 647 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 190/12 5° | 230/29 7° | 220/33 1° | 220/43 -11° | 210/47 -23° | 220/53 -33° | 240/56 -40° | 250/72 -47° | |
| MLS | used from 746 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 290/17 -1° | 250/18 0° | 230/25 0° | 220/31 -11° | 220/32 -24° | 220/50 -32° | 220/60 -38° | 230/71 -46° | |
| BIL | used from 895 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 300/14 | 270/19 -2° | 260/26 -2° | 220/28 -13° | 210/51 -25° | 220/56 -33° | 220/61 -39° | 220/72 -45° | |
| GTF | used from 995 nm out; 51 nm from the line | L/V | L/V -7° | 240/8 -8° | 240/30 -14° | 240/40 -28° | 210/52 -38° | 210/76 -38° | 220/72 -43° | |
| GPI | used from 1144 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 090/8 -4° | 140/7 -7° | 090/10 -8° | 110/10 -19° | 210/25 -30° | 200/24 -40° | 210/31 -39° | 210/35 -42° | |
| GEG | used from 1243 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 060/7 -2° | 070/12 -6° | 050/8 -8° | 120/11 -21° | 110/18 -33° | 030/22 -37° | 040/6 -38° | 240/7 -41° | |
| YKM | used from 1393 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 360/6 | 360/11 -1° | 030/20 -7° | 040/21 -11° | 020/55 -18° | 010/84 -26° | 010/79 -40° | 010/45 -42° | 350/23 -42° |
| SEA | used from 1442 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 350/5 | 010/6 0° | 010/9 -4° | 010/27 -6° | 010/51 -15° | 360/58 -26° | 360/60 -41° | 350/55 -48° | 340/30 -45° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDW Chicago, IL | departure | no report just now | 619 ft | ||||
| DPA Chicago/West Chicago, IL | 20 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 758 ft | ||||
| PDC Prairie du Chien, WI | 169 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 660 ft | ||||
| JYG St James, MN | 328 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,067 ft | ||||
| MBG Mobridge, SD | 597 nm out, 16 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,716 ft | ||||
| LEM Lemmon, SD | 666 nm out, 18 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,572 ft | ||||
| MLS Miles City, MT | 826 nm out, 10 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,634 ft | ||||
| RPX Roundup, MT | 935 nm out, 9 nm south of the line | no report just now | 3,490 ft | ||||
| MSO Missoula, MT | 1164 nm out, 17 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,205 ft | ||||
| GEG Spokane, WA | 1313 nm out, 13 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,385 ft | ||||
| MWH Moses Lake, WA | 1383 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,188 ft | ||||
| BFI Seattle, WA | destination | no report just now | 21 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,490 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BFI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:01 pm PDT (22:01 UTC)
BFI has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC), at BFI 6:25 pm PDT (01:25 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:56 pm PDT (01:56 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: Chicago Midway International, Boeing Fld/King County International.