Plan a flight · Sun 7:23 pm CDT (00:23 UTC)

Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport to Chicago Midway International MEM → MDW

418 nautical miles (481 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 014°, about 015° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 21 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 5-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:44 pm CDT (03:44 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MEM is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots; MDW is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 4 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: 1,329 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

No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.

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 MEM.

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

A319 at 39,000 ft, 2 nm south, 6:11 pm CDT (23:11 UTC): no chop turbulence, remarks: smooth. At the departure end, 2 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MEM UA /OV MEM/TM 2311/FL390/TP A319/TB NEG CHOP/RM SMOOTH
```
Report
a routine report filed through MEM
Where
over MEM
Time
23:11 UTC
Height
at 39,000 ft
Aircraft
A319
Turbulence
no chop
Remarks
smooth
B38M at 35,000 ft, 33 nm east, 4:34 pm CDT (21:34 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zme. 30 nm along the route, 33 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MKL UA /OV MKL225020/TM 2134/FL350/TP B38M/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM ZME
```
Report
a routine report filed through MKL
Where
20 nm southwest (225°) of MKL
Time
21:34 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
continuous light chop
Remarks
zme
BCS3 at 35,000 ft, 18 nm east, 7:13 pm CDT (00:13 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZME33. 60 nm along the route, 18 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DYR UA /OV DYR/TM 0013/FL350/TP BCS3/TB NEG/RM ZME33
```
Report
a routine report filed through DYR
Where
over DYR
Time
00:13 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
BCS3
Turbulence
none
Remarks
ZME33
B737 at 31,000 ft, 22 nm east, 7:13 pm CDT (00:13 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZME25. 139 nm along the route, 22 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PAH UA /OV CNG360015/TM 0013/FL310/TP B737/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZME25
```
Report
a routine report filed through PAH
Where
15 nm north (360°) of CNG
Time
00:13 UTC
Height
at 31,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
occasional light chop
Remarks
ZME25
E50P at 36,000 ft, 25 nm west, 4:25 pm CDT (21:25 UTC): light chop turbulence. 358 nm along the route, 25 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PNT UA /OV PNT/TM 2125/FL360/TP E50P/TB INTMT LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through PNT
Where
over PNT
Time
21:25 UTC
Height
at 36,000 ft
Aircraft
E50P
Turbulence
intermittent light chop
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
A319 at 15,000 ft, 47 nm east, 5:08 pm CDT (22:08 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: during the descent from 15,000 ft to 13,000 ft. At the destination end, 47 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PPO UA /OV PPO/TM 2208/FL150/TP A319/TB NEG/RM DURD 150-130
```
Report
a routine report filed through PPO
Where
over PPO
Time
22:08 UTC
Height
at 15,000 ft
Aircraft
A319
Turbulence
none
Remarks
during the descent from 15,000 ft to 13,000 ft

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 5 forecast points nearest it (MEM, CGI, EVV, SPI, 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	250° at 9 kt	−5 kt		125 kt	3 h 21 min	10:44 pm CDT (03:44 UTC)
5,500 ft	290° at 11 kt	+1 kt		119 kt	3 h 31 min	10:54 pm CDT (03:54 UTC)
7,500 ft	290° at 15 kt	+2 kt	14 °C	118 kt	3 h 33 min	10:56 pm CDT (03:56 UTC)
9,500 ft	290° at 19 kt	+4 kt	10 °C	116 kt	3 h 36 min	10:59 pm CDT (03:59 UTC)
11,500 ft	300° at 21 kt	+7 kt	5 °C	113 kt	3 h 42 min	11:05 pm CDT (04:05 UTC)
13,500 ft	310° at 22 kt	+9 kt	1 °C	111 kt	3 h 46 min	11:09 pm CDT (04:09 UTC)
15,500 ft	310° at 22 kt	+10 kt	-3 °C	110 kt	3 h 48 min	11:11 pm CDT (04:11 UTC)
17,500 ft	320° at 23 kt	+12 kt	-7 °C	108 kt	3 h 52 min	11:15 pm CDT (04:15 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	320° at 23 kt	+12 kt	-8 °C	108 kt	3 h 52 min	11:15 pm CDT (04:15 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	330° at 30 kt	+22 kt	-19 °C	98 kt	4 h 16 min	11:39 pm CDT (04:39 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	320° at 52 kt	+31 kt	-34 °C	89 kt	4 h 42 min	12:05 am CDT (05:05 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	320° at 60 kt	+36 kt	-43 °C	84 kt	4 h 59 min	12:22 am CDT (05:22 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	320° at 55 kt	+33 kt	-50 °C	87 kt	4 h 48 min	12:11 am CDT (05:11 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
MEM	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	240/9	280/14 17°	280/20 12°	290/25 5°	320/25 -6°	330/31 -18°	320/52 -32°	330/58 -41°	320/42 -50°
CGI	used from 50 nm out; 59 nm from the line	250/10	290/12 17°	290/18 11°	300/22 5°	320/25 -8°	330/30 -18°	320/53 -33°	320/66 -42°	320/56 -50°
EVV	used from 199 nm out; 72 nm from the line	310/13	340/26 16°	330/29 10°	330/32 4°	330/30 -9°	340/38 -20°	330/60 -35°	320/57 -41°	330/39 -48°
SPI	used from 249 nm out; 56 nm from the line	210/13	260/11 17°	270/18 10°	290/21 4°	310/20 -8°	330/25 -19°	320/49 -34°	320/60 -44°	320/59 -50°
JOT	used from 348 nm out; 28 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
MEM Memphis, TN	departure	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 22,000 feet	from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	340 ft	6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC)
NQA Millington, TN	20 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	322 ft	23:50 UTC
HKA Blytheville, AR	50 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line	reported, no category	calm		none	255 ft	23:53 UTC
EIW New Madrid, MO	90 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line	no report just now				295 ft
CGI Cape Girardeau, MO	129 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the west-southwest (240°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	341 ft	20:53 UTC
MWA Marion, IL	169 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	471 ft	00:15 UTC
SLO Salem, IL	219 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	573 ft	00:15 UTC
DEC Decatur, IL	289 nm out, 19 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	9 mi	none	681 ft	23:54 UTC
CMI Champaign/Urbana, IL	309 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	754 ft	23:53 UTC
DTG Dwight, IL	368 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line	no report just now				632 ft
IKK Kankakee, IL	378 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	629 ft	00:15 UTC
MDW Chicago, IL	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet	from the south (170°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	619 ft	6:53 pm CDT (23:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 754 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, 10:44 pm CDT (03:44 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 MEM, the departure

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 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 MEM 6:30 pm CDT (23:30 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 after sunset there (6:16 pm CDT (23:16 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 lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · 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: Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport, Chicago Midway International.