Plan a flight · Sun 10:12 pm CDT (03:12 UTC)

Quad Cities International to Denver International MLI → DEN

651 nautical miles (750 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 266°, about 265° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 27 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 19-knot headwind), arriving about 3:39 am MDT (09:39 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MLI is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 10 knots; DEN is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 16 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: 735 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 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 118 to 563 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 109 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 59 nm of 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 MLI.

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

UAL1340 at 40,000 ft, 18 nm north, 7:18 pm CDT (00:18 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, wind 244° at 70 knots. 464 nm along the route, 18 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ARP UAL1340 4046N 10049W 0018 F400 244/070KT TB OCNL MOD CHOP IC
```
Report
a routine report filed through ARP
B738 at 23,000 ft, 28 nm west, 9:34 pm CDT (02:34 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: during the climb ZDVWC-05. At the destination end, 28 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DVV270030/TM 0234/FL230/TP B738/TB MOD /RM DURC ZDVWC-05
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
30 nm west (270°) of DVV
Time
02:34 UTC
Height
at 23,000 ft
Aircraft
B738
Turbulence
moderate
Remarks
during the climb ZDVWC-05
GLF4 at 25,000 ft, 41 nm southwest, 9:05 pm CDT (02:05 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: during the climb ZDVWC-05. At the destination end, 41 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV FQF250040/TM 0205/FL250/TP GLF4/TB MOD /RM DURC ZDVWC-05
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
40 nm west (250°) of FQF
Time
02:05 UTC
Height
at 25,000 ft
Aircraft
GLF4
Turbulence
moderate
Remarks
during the climb ZDVWC-05
BCS1 at 24,000 ft, 28 nm west, 8:30 pm CDT (01:30 UTC): moderate turbulence from 22,000 ft to 24,000 ft, remarks: during the climb ZDVWC-05. At the destination end, 28 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DVV270030/TM 0130/FL240/TP BCS1/TB MOD 220-240/RM DURC ZDVWC-05
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
30 nm west (270°) of DVV
Time
01:30 UTC
Height
at 24,000 ft
Aircraft
BCS1
Turbulence
moderate from 22,000 ft to 24,000 ft
Remarks
during the climb ZDVWC-05
UAL2499 at 28,000 ft, 15 nm north, 9:15 pm CDT (02:15 UTC): light chop turbulence. 49 nm along the route, 15 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ARP UAL2499 4138N 09137W 0215 F280 TB INTMT LGT CHOP IC
```
Report
a routine report filed through ARP
B789 at 40,000 ft, 24 nm north, 7:22 pm CDT (00:22 UTC): light to moderate clear-air turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. 484 nm along the route, 24 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
SNY UA /OV SNY088081/TM 0022/FL400/TP B789/TB OCNL LGT-MOD CAT/RM ZDVWC
```
Report
a routine report filed through SNY
Where
81 nm east (088°) of SNY
Time
00:22 UTC
Height
at 40,000 ft
Aircraft
B789
Turbulence
occasional light to moderate clear-air turbulence
Remarks
zdvwc
B789 at 40,000 ft, 28 nm north, 7:22 pm CDT (00:22 UTC): light to moderate clear-air turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. 494 nm along the route, 28 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
SNY UA /OV SNY088072/TM 0022/FL400/TP B789/TB OCNL LGT-MOD CAT /RM ZDVWC
```
Report
a routine report filed through SNY
Where
72 nm east (088°) of SNY
Time
00:22 UTC
Height
at 40,000 ft
Aircraft
B789
Turbulence
occasional light to moderate clear-air turbulence
Remarks
zdvwc
B737 descending, 3 nm south, 9:29 pm CDT (02:29 UTC): no turbulence up to 10,000 ft. At the destination end, 3 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 0229/FLDURD/TP B737/TB NEG BLO 100
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
over DEN
Time
02:29 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
no below 10,000 ft
E55P at 38,000 ft, 48 nm south, 8:23 pm CDT (01:23 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-05. At the destination end, 48 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV FQF200040/TM 0123/FL380/TP E55P/TB LGT CHOP/RM ZDVWC-05
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
40 nm south (200°) of FQF
Time
01:23 UTC
Height
at 38,000 ft
Aircraft
E55P
Turbulence
light chop
Remarks
ZDVWC-05
B737 descending, 3 nm south, 8:23 pm CDT (01:23 UTC): no turbulence up to 10,000 ft. At the destination end, 3 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 0123/FLDURD/TP B737/TB NEG BLO 100
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
over DEN
Time
01:23 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
no below 10,000 ft
GLF6 at 40,000 ft, 44 nm south, 7:48 pm CDT (00:48 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-46. At the destination end, 44 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
COS UA /OV COS340020/TM 0048/FL400/TP GLF6/TB LGT-MOD CHOP/RM ZDVWC-46
```
Report
a routine report filed through COS
Where
20 nm north (340°) of COS
Time
00:48 UTC
Height
at 40,000 ft
Aircraft
GLF6
Turbulence
light to moderate chop
Remarks
ZDVWC-46
A321 descending, 3 nm south, 7:26 pm CDT (00:26 UTC): no turbulence up to 10,000 ft. At the destination end, 3 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 0026/FLDURD/TP A321/TB NEG BLO 100
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
over DEN
Time
00:26 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
no below 10,000 ft
B737 at 14,000 ft, 28 nm south, 7:20 pm CDT (00:20 UTC): light to moderate turbulence, remarks: light to moderate from 14,000 ft to 16,000 ft occn light above 16,000 ft. At the destination end, 28 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DEN170025/TM 0020/FL140/TP B737/TB LGT-MOD/RM LGT-MOD 140-160 OCCN LGT ABOVE 160
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
25 nm south (170°) of DEN
Time
00:20 UTC
Height
at 14,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
light to moderate
Remarks
light to moderate from 14,000 ft to 16,000 ft occn light above 16,000 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 6 forecast points nearest it (BRL, DSM, OMA, GRI, GLD, DEN). 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	230° at 38 kt	+33 kt	21 °C	87 kt	7 h 29 min	4:41 am MDT (10:41 UTC)
6,500 ft	240° at 34 kt	+31 kt	17 °C	89 kt	7 h 19 min	4:31 am MDT (10:31 UTC)
8,500 ft	240° at 25 kt	+24 kt	13 °C	96 kt	6 h 47 min	3:59 am MDT (09:59 UTC)
10,500 ft	240° at 22 kt	+20 kt	9 °C	100 kt	6 h 31 min	3:43 am MDT (09:43 UTC)
12,500 ft	240° at 21 kt	+19 kt	5 °C	101 kt	6 h 27 min	3:39 am MDT (09:39 UTC)
14,500 ft	240° at 23 kt	+21 kt	1 °C	99 kt	6 h 35 min	3:47 am MDT (09:47 UTC)
16,500 ft	240° at 24 kt	+23 kt	-4 °C	97 kt	6 h 43 min	3:55 am MDT (09:55 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	250° at 25 kt	+25 kt	-8 °C	95 kt	6 h 51 min	4:03 am MDT (10:03 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	240° at 33 kt	+32 kt	-20 °C	88 kt	7 h 24 min	4:36 am MDT (10:36 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	250° at 49 kt	+48 kt	-32 °C	72 kt	9 h 02 min	6:14 am MDT (12:14 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	260° at 55 kt	+56 kt	-38 °C	64 kt	10 h 10 min	7:22 am MDT (13:22 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	260° at 57 kt	+58 kt	-48 °C	62 kt	10 h 30 min	7:42 am MDT (13:42 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
BRL	used from 0 nm out; 38 nm from the line	230/24	240/29 15°	290/16 10°	280/15 4°	260/23 -7°	260/32 -19°	260/36 -33°	280/48 -41°	280/59 -52°
DSM	used from 99 nm out; 24 nm from the line	230/40	250/33 17°	250/18 12°	240/17 5°	260/28 -8°	270/34 -19°	260/41 -33°	260/55 -41°	270/62 -51°
OMA	used from 197 nm out; 25 nm from the line	220/47	240/33 19°	250/18 11°	230/17 6°	260/29 -8°	250/33 -19°	250/51 -33°	260/61 -40°	270/62 -49°
GRI	used from 296 nm out; 34 nm from the line		230/35 21°	230/23 13°	220/20 7°	240/25 -8°	240/37 -20°	250/49 -33°	260/57 -38°	260/58 -47°
GLD	used from 444 nm out; 79 nm from the line		230/49	230/42 15°	220/26 8°	240/18 -7°	230/27 -21°	240/62 -30°	240/61 -35°	250/57 -47°
DEN	used from 592 nm out; 35 nm from the line			240/21 14°	250/44 6°	220/49 -8°	220/49 -21°	230/54 -30°	240/57 -35°	240/49 -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
MLI Moline, IL	departure	VFR	from the south (180°) at 10 knots	10+ mi	none	589 ft	9:52 pm CDT (02:52 UTC)
MUT Muscatine, IA	30 nm out, 3 nm south of the line	reported, no category	calm	10+ mi	none	547 ft	02:55 UTC
OXV Knoxville, IA	118 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 23,000 feet	from the south (180°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	928 ft	02:55 UTC
DSM Des Moines, IA	138 nm out, 17 nm north of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 23,000 feet	from the south (190°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	23,000 ft	957 ft	02:54 UTC
OMA Omaha, NE	247 nm out, 15 nm north of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet	from the south-southeast (160°) at 10 knots	10+ mi	25,000 ft	984 ft	02:52 UTC
LNK Lincoln, NE	286 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southeast (160°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	1,218 ft	02:54 UTC
GRI Grand Island, NE	355 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (170°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	1,847 ft	02:53 UTC
LXN Lexington, NE	424 nm out, 11 nm north of the line	VFR	from the southeast (140°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	2,412 ft	02:55 UTC
IML Imperial, NE	503 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the south-southeast (150°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	3,276 ft	02:53 UTC
AKO Akron, CO	582 nm out, 4 nm north of the line	VFR	from the south (180°) at 14 knots, gusting to 22	10+ mi	none	4,716 ft	02:53 UTC
FMM Fort Morgan, CO	602 nm out, 19 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the southeast (130°) at 17 knots, gusting to 24	10+ mi	none	4,595 ft	02:55 UTC
DEN Denver, CO	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 14,000 feet, a broken layer at 22,000 feet	from the south-southwest (200°) at 16 knots	10+ mi	22,000 ft	5,433 ft	8:53 pm MDT (02:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 5,433 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At DEN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:39 am MDT (09:39 UTC)

Wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 22,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for DEN

From Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 14 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 14,000 feet, a broken layer at 22,000 feet
From Mon 1:00 am MDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 22,000 feet
From Mon 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 4:00 pm MDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

The forecast for MLI, the departure

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 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 MLI 6:26 pm CDT (23:26 UTC), at DEN 6:24 pm MDT (00:24 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:51 pm MDT (00:51 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DEN is before sunrise there (7:05 am MDT (13:05 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 northern Rockies · 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: Quad Cities International, Denver International.