Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport to Billings Logan International MSP → BIL
648 nautical miles (746 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 280°, about 280° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 06 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 7-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:03 am MDT (06:03 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MSP is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 6 knots; BIL is IFR, wind from the north (010°) at 15 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: 732 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 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 140 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the last 319 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 219 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 20 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Near the route, at the destination end.
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 MSP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B39M at 34,000 ft, 24 nm south, 6:25 pm CDT (23:25 UTC): light chop turbulence. 30 nm along the route, 24 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
MSP UA /OV MSP240040/TM 2325/FL340/TP B39M/TB LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through MSP
- Where
- 40 nm southwest (240°) of MSP
- Time
- 23:25 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- light chop
- B39M at 35,000 ft, 10 nm south, 6:28 pm CDT (23:28 UTC): light chop turbulence. 229 nm along the route, 10 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
ABR UA /OV ABR230015/TM 2328/FL350/TP B39M/TB LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through ABR
- Where
- 15 nm southwest (230°) of ABR
- Time
- 23:28 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- light chop
- A306 at 4,700 ft, 4 nm west, 7:51 pm CDT (00:51 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 4 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
BIL UA /OV BIL280001/TM 0051/FL047/TP A306/SK BASE 047
- Report
- a routine report filed through BIL
- Where
- 1 nm west (280°) of BIL
- Time
- 00:51 UTC
- Height
- at 4,700 ft
- Aircraft
- A306
- Sky
- base 4,700 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 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 (MSP, AXN, ABR, PIR, DIK, MLS, BIL). 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 | 120° at 8 kt | −7 kt | 7 °C | 127 kt | 5 h 06 min | 12:03 am MDT (06:03 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 170° at 9 kt | −3 kt | 12 °C | 123 kt | 5 h 16 min | 12:13 am MDT (06:13 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 200° at 14 kt | +5 kt | 9 °C | 115 kt | 5 h 38 min | 12:35 am MDT (06:35 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 22 kt | +11 kt | 5 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 57 min | 12:54 am MDT (06:54 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 28 kt | +17 kt | 2 °C | 103 kt | 6 h 17 min | 1:14 am MDT (07:14 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 32 kt | +22 kt | -2 °C | 98 kt | 6 h 37 min | 1:34 am MDT (07:34 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 36 kt | +28 kt | -7 °C | 92 kt | 7 h 03 min | 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 39 kt | +32 kt | -10 °C | 88 kt | 7 h 22 min | 2:19 am MDT (08:19 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 44 kt | +38 kt | -21 °C | 82 kt | 7 h 54 min | 2:51 am MDT (08:51 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 45 kt | +37 kt | -36 °C | 83 kt | 7 h 48 min | 2:45 am MDT (08:45 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 57 kt | +48 kt | -44 °C | 72 kt | 9 h | 3:57 am MDT (09:57 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 73 kt | +68 kt | -51 °C | 52 kt | 12 h 28 min | 7:25 am MDT (13:25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSP | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 200/28 | 240/30 19° | 240/24 12° | 240/17 5° | 270/24 -10° | 270/33 -20° | 280/48 -35° | 290/55 -45° | 280/84 -54° |
| AXN | used from 50 nm out; 50 nm from the line | L/V | 220/23 17° | 230/24 12° | 240/25 5° | 260/32 -11° | 260/40 -21° | 270/50 -35° | 270/57 -45° | 270/81 -55° |
| ABR | used from 150 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 030/24 | 220/5 16° | 230/18 12° | 230/32 5° | 240/38 -10° | 250/37 -20° | 240/40 -35° | 240/56 -44° | 250/72 -52° |
| PIR | used from 299 nm out; 77 nm from the line | L/V 17° | 230/13 12° | 220/22 6° | 250/31 -9° | 250/34 -21° | 240/50 -35° | 230/61 -43° | 240/62 -51° | |
| DIK | used from 349 nm out; 76 nm from the line | 110/15 6° | 200/17 5° | 230/31 1° | 240/47 -10° | 240/52 -20° | 230/52 -36° | 240/57 -45° | 250/67 -51° | |
| MLS | used from 449 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 120/22 5° | 170/18 4° | 200/33 1° | 230/49 -10° | 230/58 -21° | 220/54 -37° | 230/64 -44° | 250/74 -49° | |
| BIL | used from 598 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 080/24 | 130/14 -1° | 180/33 0° | 210/43 -10° | 220/58 -21° | 200/55 -36° | 220/75 -44° | 240/83 -48° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSP Minneapolis, MN | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 841 ft | 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC) |
| LJF Litchfield, MN | 60 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | reported, no category | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,139 ft | 00:55 UTC |
| AQP Appleton, MN | 120 nm out, 1 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 15,000 feet, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 8 knots | 9 mi | none | 1,021 ft | 00:34 UTC |
| VVV Ortonville, MN | 140 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 10 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | 800 ft | 1,101 ft | 00:55 UTC |
| ABR Aberdeen, SD | 219 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,300 feet | from the north-northeast (030°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 1,300 ft | 1,301 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| MBG Mobridge, SD | 309 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,300 feet | from the north-northeast (030°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 1,300 ft | 1,716 ft | 00:52 UTC |
| LEM Lemmon, SD | 379 nm out, 15 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,572 ft | ||||
| HEI Hettinger, ND | 399 nm out, 19 nm north of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the northeast (050°) at 12 knots | 2 mi | 300 ft | 2,705 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| BIL Billings, MT | destination | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet Weather: light rain | from the north (010°) at 15 knots | 10+ mi | 800 ft | 3,662 ft | 6:53 pm MDT (00:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,662 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BIL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:03 am MDT (06:03 UTC)
Wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 2 miles, light snow, mist, freezing fog, a broken layer at 500 feet IFR
The whole forecast for BIL
- From Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 11 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain snow, mist, overcast at 500 feet
- From Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 2 miles, light snow, mist, freezing fog, a broken layer at 500 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am MDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 5 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 300 feet, a broken layer at 700 feet and more above
- From Mon 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 6 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 1,500 feet
The forecast for MSP, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 17 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 19 October · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC), at BIL 6:33 pm MDT (00:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm MDT (01:03 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BIL is before sunrise there (7:26 am MDT (13:26 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: Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport, Billings Logan International.