Quad Cities International to George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport MLI → IAH
727 nautical miles (837 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 200°, about 199° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 58 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 2-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:02 am CDT (14:02 UTC). Right now MLI is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots; IAH is VFR, wind calm. 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 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 first 120 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
Not fetched just now.
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 7 forecast points nearest it (BRL, COU, SGF, FSM, SHV, CLL, HOU). 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 | 220° at 24 kt | +22 kt | 98 kt | 7 h 25 min | 10:29 am CDT (15:29 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 23 kt | +20 kt | 16 °C | 100 kt | 7 h 16 min | 10:20 am CDT (15:20 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | +13 kt | 13 °C | 107 kt | 6 h 48 min | 9:52 am CDT (14:52 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | +10 kt | 9 °C | 110 kt | 6 h 37 min | 9:41 am CDT (14:41 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 15 kt | +9 kt | 6 °C | 111 kt | 6 h 33 min | 9:37 am CDT (14:37 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | +9 kt | 2 °C | 111 kt | 6 h 33 min | 9:37 am CDT (14:37 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | +10 kt | -2 °C | 110 kt | 6 h 37 min | 9:41 am CDT (14:41 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 18 kt | +10 kt | -6 °C | 110 kt | 6 h 37 min | 9:41 am CDT (14:41 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 23 kt | +12 kt | -16 °C | 108 kt | 6 h 44 min | 9:48 am CDT (14:48 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 35 kt | +5 kt | -31 °C | 115 kt | 6 h 19 min | 9:23 am CDT (14:23 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 41 kt | +3 kt | -40 °C | 117 kt | 6 h 13 min | 9:17 am CDT (14:17 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 43 kt | −2 kt | -51 °C | 122 kt | 5 h 58 min | 9:02 am CDT (14:02 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; 26 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° |
| COU | used from 100 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -51° |
| SGF | used from 249 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 230/33 | 230/28 15° | 250/20 13° | 240/18 7° | 250/20 -6° | 250/24 -17° | 280/42 -31° | 280/49 -40° | 290/46 -51° |
| FSM | used from 349 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 210/27 | 250/23 16° | 250/20 13° | 240/17 8° | 250/18 -6° | 260/31 -16° | 280/42 -30° | 280/44 -40° | 290/38 -51° |
| SHV | used from 498 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 200/18 | 230/24 18° | 230/24 12° | 240/14 8° | 260/12 -4° | 240/11 -15° | 300/31 -29° | 300/32 -40° | 300/36 -52° |
| CLL | used from 647 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 170/22 | 170/26 18° | 200/15 14° | 240/13 8° | 240/15 -5° | 260/17 -13° | 290/27 -29° | 290/22 -40° | 320/30 -51° |
| HOU | used from 697 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 160/22 | 150/27 19° | 180/16 14° | 250/7 9° | 270/10 -5° | 270/16 -13° | 310/23 -29° | 310/26 -40° | 330/20 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLI Moline, IL | departure | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 2:52 am CDT (07:52 UTC) |
| BRL Burlington, IA | 50 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 698 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| UIN Quincy, IL | 100 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 768 ft | 07:54 UTC |
| JEF Jefferson City, MO | 189 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the east (100°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 549 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| TBN Fort Leonard Wood, MO | 239 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,159 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| BBG Branson, MO | 319 nm out, 20 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,302 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| RUE Russellville, AR | 388 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 409 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| TXK Texarkana, AR | 508 nm out, 2 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 389 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| GGG Longview, TX | 578 nm out, 13 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 365 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| OCH Nacogdoches, TX | 628 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | reported, no category | from the east (100°) at 3 knots | none | 343 ft | 07:56 UTC | |
| CXO Houston, TX | 707 nm out, 10 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 244 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| IAH Houston, TX | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,500 feet, overcast at 23,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 23,000 ft | 95 ft | 2:53 am CDT (07:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,302 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At IAH when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:02 am CDT (14:02 UTC)
Wind from the east-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for IAH
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC) and 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): light rain showers
The forecast for MLI, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 23 nm from the route, 159 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at MLI 6:26 pm CDT (23:26 UTC), at IAH 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm CDT (00:18 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: Quad Cities International, George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport.