Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport to Ontario International MSP → ONT
1,296 nautical miles (1,492 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 248°, about 248° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 12 h 58 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 20-knot headwind), arriving about 4:43 pm PDT (23:43 UTC). Right now MSP is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 7 knots; ONT is marginal VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 3 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: 15 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 W20W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 26,000 ft, moving from the south at 35 knots, until 6:55 am CDT (11:55 UTC). Over the route from 1007 to 1017 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120955 MKCW WST 120955 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 20W VALID UNTIL 1155Z AZ UT NV FROM 50E ELY-40ENE BCE-70NNE PGS-70N LAS-ELY-50E ELY AREA TS MOV FROM 20035KT. TOPS TO FL260.
- 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 route from 100 to 459 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, 269 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 439 to 758 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 508 to 997 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 558 to 748 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 628 to 1067 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 688 to 837 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the last 528 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1017 to 1047 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 50 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 MSP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B763 at 23,000 ft, 29 nm southeast, 5:26 am CDT (10:26 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. 618 nm along the route, 29 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN278037/TM 1026/FL230/TP B763/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 37 nm west (278°) of DEN
- Time
- 10:26 UTC
- Height
- at 23,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B763
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
- Remarks
- zdvwc
- B744 at 1,700 ft, 41 nm west, 4:24 am CDT (09:24 UTC): a few clouds above 1,700 ft, remarks: during the descent runway 25L lax. At the destination end, 41 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
LAX UA /OV KLAX/TM 0924/FL017/TP B744/SK FEW017/RM DURD RY25L LAX
- Report
- a routine report filed through LAX
- Where
- over KLAX
- Time
- 09:24 UTC
- Height
- at 1,700 ft
- Aircraft
- B744
- Sky
- a few clouds from 1,700 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent runway 25L lax
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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 9 forecast points nearest it (MSP, FSD, ONL, BFF, DEN, GJT, BCE, LAS, ONT). 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 | 240° at 20 kt | +20 kt | 15 °C | 100 kt | 12 h 58 min | 4:43 pm PDT (23:43 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | +23 kt | 14 °C | 97 kt | 13 h 22 min | 5:07 pm PDT (00:07 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | +26 kt | 10 °C | 94 kt | 13 h 47 min | 5:32 pm PDT (00:32 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 28 kt | +27 kt | 5 °C | 93 kt | 13 h 56 min | 5:41 pm PDT (00:41 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | +29 kt | 1 °C | 91 kt | 14 h 15 min | 6:00 pm PDT (01:00 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 33 kt | +32 kt | -4 °C | 88 kt | 14 h 44 min | 6:29 pm PDT (01:29 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 37 kt | +35 kt | -9 °C | 85 kt | 15 h 15 min | 7:00 pm PDT (02:00 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 40 kt | +38 kt | -12 °C | 82 kt | 15 h 48 min | 7:33 pm PDT (02:33 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 49 kt | +47 kt | -22 °C | 73 kt | 17 h 45 min | 9:30 pm PDT (04:30 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 57 kt | +57 kt | -32 °C | 63 kt | 20 h 34 min | 12:19 am PDT (07:19 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 60 kt | +61 kt | -37 °C | 59 kt | 21 h 58 min | 1:43 am PDT (08:43 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 59 kt | +60 kt | -45 °C | 60 kt | 21 h 36 min | 1:21 am PDT (08:21 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 | 250/12 | 250/17 17° | 240/26 12° | 250/26 5° | 280/26 -9° | 280/32 -22° | 270/37 -38° | 280/47 -41° | 280/55 -48° |
| FSD | used from 100 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 210/20 | 230/23 21° | 220/25 14° | 230/30 5° | 230/26 -9° | 240/30 -21° | 270/33 -36° | 260/47 -37° | 270/58 -47° |
| ONL | used from 249 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 250/31 22° | 230/27 16° | 220/25 8° | 230/25 -9° | 220/29 -22° | 250/42 -33° | 250/48 -36° | 250/52 -46° | |
| BFF | used from 399 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 280/28 | 260/39 11° | 240/34 5° | 210/38 -11° | 210/52 -22° | 230/61 -31° | 230/61 -36° | 240/56 -45° | |
| DEN | used from 548 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 270/24 11° | 230/13 5° | 230/48 -8° | 230/46 -20° | 230/63 -30° | 240/78 -36° | 240/78 -48° | ||
| GJT | used from 648 nm out; 91 nm from the line | 220/26 6° | 230/39 0° | 220/55 -13° | 230/60 -23° | 230/78 -31° | 230/80 -35° | 230/74 -44° | ||
| BCE | used from 847 nm out; 84 nm from the line | 200/32 -2° | 210/57 -15° | 220/71 -22° | 220/69 -30° | 220/64 -38° | 220/67 -44° | |||
| LAS | used from 1047 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 210/20 8° | 210/29 4° | 200/32 -3° | 200/51 -15° | 210/64 -21° | 220/70 -30° | 220/66 -38° | 220/55 -44° | |
| ONT | used from 1196 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 250/11 | 200/20 4° | 210/27 3° | 220/26 -4° | 240/32 -13° | 220/52 -21° | 220/67 -30° | 220/72 -37° | 220/65 -46° |
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 18,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 18,000 ft | 841 ft | 4:53 am CDT (09:53 UTC) |
| TKC Tracy, MN | 110 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 1,335 ft | 10:35 UTC |
| FSD Sioux Falls, SD | 169 nm out, 13 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,430 ft | 09:56 UTC |
| ANW Ainsworth, NE | 329 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: fog | from the north-northeast (020°) at 5 knots | 0.25 mi | 300 ft | 2,588 ft | 10:35 UTC |
| IBM Kimball, NE | 508 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,925 ft | 10:35 UTC |
| FNL Fort Collins/Loveland, CO | 588 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,020 ft | 09:56 UTC |
| GJT Grand Junction, CO | 768 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 7,500 feet | from the southeast (130°) at 16 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | 7,500 ft | 4,861 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| CNY Moab, UT | 828 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,579 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| KNB Kanab, UT | 987 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | reported, no category | from the southeast (140°) at 0 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,867 ft | 10:35 UTC |
| HND Las Vegas, NV | 1127 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,491 ft | 09:56 UTC |
| SBD San Bernardino, CA | 1276 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,400 feet, a broken layer at 2,800 feet, overcast at 3,700 feet Weather: rain | from the west-southwest (250°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 2,800 ft | 1,159 ft | 10:40 UTC |
| ONT Ontario, CA | destination | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,900 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 3 knots | 8 mi | 3,000 ft | 944 ft | 3:38 am PDT (10:38 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,020 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ONT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:43 pm PDT (23:43 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ONT
- From Mon 2:00 am PDT (09:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- At times between Mon 2:00 am PDT (09:00 UTC) and 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am PDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm PDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
The forecast for MSP, the departure
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 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
- From Tue 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 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 19 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 19 October · ZMP
- 6/8890 LAS VEGAS, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, 1117 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
- 6/8808 Las Vegas, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 23 nm from the route, 1127 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZLA
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local 6 nm from the route, 1137 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
- 4/3635 DISNEYLAND THEME PARK, ANAHEIM,, CA 19 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC), at ONT 6:18 pm PDT (01:18 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:44 pm PDT (01:44 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, Ontario International.