Miami International to Chicago/Rockford International MIA → RFD
1,076 nautical miles (1,239 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 338°, about 343° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 10 h 03 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 13-knot headwind), arriving about 11:48 am CDT (16:48 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: 736 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 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 508 to 548 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 578 nm along the route.
- 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 598 to 897 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Near the route, 608 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 MIA.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 at 35,000 ft, 11 nm northeast, 12:26 am EDT (04:26 UTC): light chop turbulence. 169 nm along the route, 11 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ORL UA /OV ORL/TM 0426/FL350/TP A321/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through ORL
- Where
- over ORL
- Time
- 04:26 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
- B38M at 36,000 ft, 22 nm northeast, 12:28 am EDT (04:28 UTC): light chop turbulence. 359 nm along the route, 22 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
AMG UA /OV AMG/TM 0428/FL360/TP B38M/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through AMG
- Where
- over AMG
- Time
- 04:28 UTC
- Height
- at 36,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
- B38M at 29,000 ft, 7 nm west, 12:52 am EDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 967 nm along the route, 7 nm west 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
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 11 forecast points nearest it (MIA, MLB, JAX, CSG, ATL, TYS, BNA, LOU, EVV, IND, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 300° at 16 kt | +13 kt | 107 kt | 10 h 03 min | 11:48 am CDT (16:48 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 310° at 17 kt | +16 kt | 15 °C | 104 kt | 10 h 21 min | 12:06 pm CDT (17:06 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 310° at 19 kt | +17 kt | 12 °C | 103 kt | 10 h 27 min | 12:12 pm CDT (17:12 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 310° at 18 kt | +16 kt | 9 °C | 104 kt | 10 h 21 min | 12:06 pm CDT (17:06 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 310° at 17 kt | +15 kt | 5 °C | 105 kt | 10 h 15 min | 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 300° at 18 kt | +15 kt | 1 °C | 105 kt | 10 h 15 min | 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 290° at 20 kt | +15 kt | -3 °C | 105 kt | 10 h 15 min | 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 22 kt | +15 kt | -6 °C | 105 kt | 10 h 15 min | 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 25 kt | +17 kt | -18 °C | 103 kt | 10 h 27 min | 12:12 pm CDT (17:12 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 29 kt | +24 kt | -33 °C | 96 kt | 11 h 12 min | 12:57 pm CDT (17:57 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 31 kt | +23 kt | -41 °C | 97 kt | 11 h 06 min | 12:51 pm CDT (17:51 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 29 kt | +19 kt | -51 °C | 101 kt | 10 h 39 min | 12:24 pm CDT (17:24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIA | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 150/7 | 140/5 17° | 160/5 14° | L/V 9° | 230/8 -5° | 230/8 -17° | 150/11 -32° | 150/25 -41° | 180/29 -51° |
| MLB | used from 50 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 230/6 | 230/12 17° | 240/13 12° | 240/14 7° | 240/20 -5° | 240/24 -16° | 210/21 -32° | 190/33 -41° | 200/36 -52° |
| JAX | used from 199 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 290/14 | 300/16 17° | 280/22 14° | 280/24 8° | 250/32 -6° | 250/37 -17° | 230/50 -31° | 220/52 -41° | 220/51 -52° |
| CSG | used from 399 nm out; 81 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° |
| ATL | used from 448 nm out; 48 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° |
| TYS | used from 598 nm out; 54 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° |
| BNA | used from 648 nm out; 63 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° |
| LOU | used from 747 nm out; 45 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° |
| EVV | used from 797 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 280/15 | 290/12 17° | 310/16 10° | 320/13 5° | 310/22 -6° | 320/26 -18° | 320/38 -33° | 310/56 -41° | 320/55 -51° |
| IND | used from 847 nm out; 52 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° |
| JOT | used from 947 nm out; 53 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIA Miami, FL | departure | no report just now | 9 ft | ||||
| FXE Fort Lauderdale, FL | 20 nm out, 15 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 13 ft | ||||
| ISM Orlando, FL | 159 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 82 ft | ||||
| GNV Gainesville, FL | 259 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 151 ft | ||||
| EZM Eastman, GA | 409 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 303 ft | ||||
| MCN Macon, GA | 448 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 354 ft | ||||
| CHA Chattanooga, TN | 608 nm out, 19 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 682 ft | ||||
| GLW Glasgow, KY | 737 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | no report just now | 716 ft | ||||
| FRH French Lick, IN | 827 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 792 ft | ||||
| HUF Terre Haute, IN | 897 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 589 ft | ||||
| ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL | 1036 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 712 ft | ||||
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | destination | no report just now | 742 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 792 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RFD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:48 am CDT (16:48 UTC)
RFD has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/3634 DISNEY WORLD THEME PARK, ORLANDO, FL 2 nm from the route, 169 nm along the route · security · ZJX
- 6/6783 Perry, GA, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 UTC 14 nm from the route, 439 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 19 October · ZTL
Daylight
Sunset at MIA 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC), at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:47 pm CDT (23:47 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: Miami International, Chicago/Rockford International.