Chicago Midway International to Sarasota/Bradenton International MDW → SRQ
901 nautical miles (1,037 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 162°, about 166° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 42 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 38-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MDW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots; SRQ is VFR, wind from the north (360°) 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: 1,017 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 99 to 436 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 386 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Near the route, 485 nm along 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 MDW.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B38M at 29,000 ft, 40 nm southwest, 11:52 pm CDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 59 nm along the route, 40 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
TIP UA /OV RBS/TM 0452/FL290/TP B38M/TB NEG 230-290
- Report
- a routine report filed through TIP
- Where
- over RBS
- Time
- 04:52 UTC
- Height
- at 29,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- no from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft
- B738 at 37,000 ft, 40 nm west, 11:27 pm CDT (04:27 UTC): light chop turbulence. 663 nm along the route, 40 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
TLH UA /OV TLH353039/TM 0427/FL370/TP B738/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through TLH
- Where
- 39 nm north (353°) of TLH
- Time
- 04:27 UTC
- Height
- at 37,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
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 9 forecast points nearest it (JOT, IND, LOU, BNA, TYS, ATL, CSG, TLH, PIE). 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 | 310° at 18 kt | −15 kt | 135 kt | 6 h 40 min | 7:58 am EDT (11:58 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 330° at 21 kt | −20 kt | 140 kt | 6 h 26 min | 7:44 am EDT (11:44 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 330° at 23 kt | −22 kt | 14 °C | 142 kt | 6 h 21 min | 7:39 am EDT (11:39 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 330° at 22 kt | −22 kt | 10 °C | 142 kt | 6 h 21 min | 7:39 am EDT (11:39 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 330° at 19 kt | −18 kt | 7 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 32 min | 7:50 am EDT (11:50 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 320° at 19 kt | −18 kt | 3 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 32 min | 7:50 am EDT (11:50 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 310° at 21 kt | −18 kt | -1 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 32 min | 7:50 am EDT (11:50 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 300° at 23 kt | −18 kt | -6 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 32 min | 7:50 am EDT (11:50 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 23 kt | −18 kt | -7 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 32 min | 7:50 am EDT (11:50 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 27 kt | −22 kt | -18 °C | 142 kt | 6 h 21 min | 7:39 am EDT (11:39 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 40 kt | −37 kt | -33 °C | 157 kt | 5 h 44 min | 7:02 am EDT (11:02 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 43 kt | −38 kt | -41 °C | 158 kt | 5 h 42 min | 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 36 kt | −32 kt | -50 °C | 152 kt | 5 h 56 min | 7:14 am EDT (11:14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOT | used from 0 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -52° |
| IND | used from 99 nm out; 30 nm from the line | 290/16 | 310/20 16° | 320/21 10° | 330/13 3° | 300/25 -7° | 320/32 -19° | 330/46 -34° | 320/61 -43° | 320/63 -50° |
| LOU | used from 198 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 310/18 | 340/28 16° | 340/29 10° | 350/27 3° | 330/27 -7° | 340/39 -19° | 330/58 -33° | 330/67 -41° | 330/40 -49° |
| BNA | used from 297 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 310/20 | 340/20 17° | 330/24 10° | 340/22 5° | 330/26 -6° | 340/29 -18° | 330/52 -33° | 320/62 -41° | 340/45 -50° |
| TYS | used from 396 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 320/20 | 340/18 11° | 340/32 9° | 340/36 4° | 330/37 -7° | 330/38 -19° | 330/50 -34° | 330/53 -38° | 330/44 -48° |
| ATL | used from 446 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 320/30 | 330/37 16° | 340/44 11° | 330/35 7° | 310/33 -6° | 300/38 -18° | 330/58 -33° | 330/48 -40° | 320/34 -49° |
| CSG | used from 545 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 310/24 | 340/35 17° | 340/37 12° | 330/22 8° | 310/30 -7° | 290/30 -18° | 340/57 -32° | 340/55 -41° | 320/33 -49° |
| TLH | used from 644 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/31 18° | 340/24 13° | 310/17 8° | 280/22 -7° | 300/25 -17° | 320/28 -33° | 320/24 -41° | 320/25 -50° |
| PIE | used from 792 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 350/6 | L/V 18° | 290/6 14° | 280/9 9° | 250/18 -6° | 250/23 -17° | 240/30 -31° | 220/31 -41° | 220/30 -52° |
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 | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 619 ft | 11:53 pm CDT (04:53 UTC) |
| LAF Lafayette, IN | 89 nm out, 10 nm east of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 605 ft | 05:12 UTC |
| BMG Bloomington, IN | 168 nm out, 2 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 200 feet Weather: mist | calm | 5 mi | none | 845 ft | 05:09 UTC |
| SDF Louisville, KY | 238 nm out, 24 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 500 ft | 04:56 UTC |
| TZV Tompkinsville, KY | 317 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,036 ft | ||||
| CHA Chattanooga, TN | 426 nm out, 7 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 682 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| FTY Atlanta, GA | 505 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 841 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| OPN Thomaston, GA | 554 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | reported, no category | from the west-northwest (300°) at 3 knots | none | 797 ft | 05:15 UTC | |
| VLD Valdosta, GA | 693 nm out, 17 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 203 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| CDK Cedar Key, FL | 792 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | no report just now | 11 ft | ||||
| PIE St Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 871 nm out, 2 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 10 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| SRQ Sarasota/Bradenton, FL | destination | VFR | from the north (360°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 29 ft | 12:53 am EDT (04:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,036 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SRQ when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC)
Wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SRQ
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for MDW, the departure
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 30,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 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
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/6783 Perry, GA, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 UTC 20 nm from the route, 594 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 19 October · ZTL
Daylight
Sunset at MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC), at SRQ 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:28 pm EDT (23:28 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SRQ is before sunrise there (7:28 am EDT (11:28 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, Sarasota/Bradenton International.