Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport to EL Paso International MSP → ELP
997 nautical miles (1,148 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 223°, about 223° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 10 h 17 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 23-knot headwind), arriving about 9:59 am MDT (15:59 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: 100 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
- SIGMET 7C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 1:55 am CDT (06:55 UTC). Over the route from 658 to 818 nm out.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120455 MKCC WST 120455 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7C VALID UNTIL 0655Z TX OK CO NM FROM 40NNW PUB-70WSW LBL-40NE CME-40ESE RSK-30ENE HBU-40NNW PUB AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
- SIGMET 9C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 30 knots, until 1:55 am CDT (06:55 UTC). Over the last 150 nm of the route.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120455 MKCC WST 120455 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 9C VALID UNTIL 0655Z TX NM FROM 50NNW CME-40ENE CME-50SE ELP-20WSW ELP-30E TCS-50NNW CME AREA TS MOV FROM 22030KT. TOPS TO FL300.
- 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 150 to 678 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Near the route, 828 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 MSP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 at 16,500 ft, 11 nm northwest, 10:25 pm CDT (03:25 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: during the climb. At the departure end, 11 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
MSP UA /OV MSP235040/TM 0325/FL165/TP A321/TB CONS LGT /RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through MSP
- Where
- 40 nm southwest (235°) of MSP
- Time
- 03:25 UTC
- Height
- at 16,500 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- continuous light
- Remarks
- during the climb
- B738 at 36,000 ft, 44 nm northwest, 10:11 pm CDT (03:11 UTC): -40 °C, wind 245° at 69 knots, remarks: produced by skypath. 808 nm along the route, 44 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
SXU UA /OV ACH146017 /TM 0311 /FL360 /TP B738 /TA M40 /WV 24569KT /RM PRODUCED BY SKYPATH
- Report
- a routine report filed through SXU
- Where
- 17 nm southeast (146°) of ACH
- Time
- 03:11 UTC
- Height
- at 36,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Temperature
- −40 °C
- Wind
- from 245° at 69 knots
- Remarks
- produced by skypath
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 (MSP, MCW, FSD, OMA, GRI, SLN, GCK, AMA, TCC, ROW, ELP). 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 35 kt | +35 kt | 21 °C | 85 kt | 11 h 44 min | 11:26 am MDT (17:26 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 33 kt | +33 kt | 19 °C | 87 kt | 11 h 28 min | 11:10 am MDT (17:10 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | +27 kt | 14 °C | 93 kt | 10 h 43 min | 10:25 am MDT (16:25 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | +24 kt | 10 °C | 96 kt | 10 h 23 min | 10:05 am MDT (16:05 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | +23 kt | 6 °C | 97 kt | 10 h 17 min | 9:59 am MDT (15:59 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | +26 kt | 1 °C | 94 kt | 10 h 36 min | 10:18 am MDT (16:18 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 29 kt | +28 kt | -3 °C | 92 kt | 10 h 50 min | 10:32 am MDT (16:32 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 31 kt | +30 kt | -7 °C | 90 kt | 11 h 05 min | 10:47 am MDT (16:47 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 40 kt | +38 kt | -19 °C | 82 kt | 12 h 10 min | 11:52 am MDT (17:52 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 57 kt | +53 kt | -30 °C | 67 kt | 14 h 53 min | 2:35 pm MDT (20:35 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 59 kt | +48 kt | -39 °C | 72 kt | 13 h 51 min | 1:33 pm MDT (19:33 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 55 kt | +42 kt | -48 °C | 78 kt | 12 h 47 min | 12:29 pm MDT (18:29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSP | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 230/26 | 240/30 17° | 240/24 12° | 250/22 5° | 250/35 -10° | 260/36 -21° | 250/41 -36° | 250/49 -45° | 260/58 -52° |
| MCW | used from 50 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/30 17° | 230/14 12° | 240/17 6° | 250/22 -8° | 270/29 -20° | 250/34 -34° | 260/52 -43° | 260/59 -51° |
| FSD | used from 100 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 190/9 | 230/30 18° | 240/23 13° | 240/20 6° | 260/22 -9° | 250/31 -21° | 250/43 -36° | 260/49 -43° | 270/53 -47° |
| OMA | used from 199 nm out; 57 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 249 nm out; 52 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° | |
| SLN | used from 399 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 210/53 | 230/41 20° | 240/26 14° | 230/16 8° | 240/25 -7° | 240/35 -19° | 250/61 -30° | 260/65 -38° | 260/56 -49° |
| GCK | used from 449 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 220/48 21° | 230/37 14° | 250/30 8° | 230/37 -6° | 240/37 -20° | 240/69 -28° | 250/67 -37° | 260/58 -48° | |
| AMA | used from 648 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 210/38 | 230/29 14° | 240/29 7° | 220/27 -5° | 240/37 -18° | 240/66 -28° | 250/59 -37° | 260/47 -49° | |
| TCC | used from 698 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 210/42 | 230/33 14° | 230/32 6° | 220/35 -6° | 230/49 -19° | 240/72 -27° | 250/62 -36° | 250/52 -48° | |
| ROW | used from 798 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 190/33 | 210/27 14° | 220/28 6° | 230/36 -6° | 230/56 -15° | 230/63 -27° | 250/59 -37° | 260/57 -49° | |
| ELP | used from 947 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 290/17 | 210/11 13° | 200/18 5° | 220/46 -6° | 230/64 -14° | 230/63 -27° | 240/55 -37° | 240/44 -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 | no report just now | 841 ft | ||||
| MKT Mankato, MN | 50 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,020 ft | ||||
| SUX Sioux City, IA | 199 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,098 ft | ||||
| OLU Columbus, NE | 269 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,447 ft | ||||
| GRI Grand Island, NE | 319 nm out, 16 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,847 ft | ||||
| PHG Phillipsburg, KS | 409 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | no report just now | 1,910 ft | ||||
| GCK Garden City, KS | 539 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,890 ft | ||||
| EHA Elkhart, KS | 618 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 3,621 ft | ||||
| TCC Tucumcari, NM | 748 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | no report just now | 4,064 ft | ||||
| FSU Fort Sumner, NM | 808 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | no report just now | 4,164 ft | ||||
| ALM Alamogordo, NM | 937 nm out, 19 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 4,199 ft | ||||
| ELP El Paso, TX | destination | no report just now | 3,961 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,199 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ELP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:59 am MDT (15:59 UTC)
ELP has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 19 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 19 October · ZMP
- 6/8722 ALAMOGORDO, NM, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 3 nm from the route, 917 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZAB
Daylight
Sunset at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC), at ELP 6:36 pm MDT (00:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm MDT (01:01 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, EL Paso International.