The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 10:34 pm CDT (03:34 UTC)

Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport to John Wayne/Orange County MSP → SNA

1,321 nautical miles (1,520 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 57 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 18-knot headwind), arriving about 9:31 am PDT (16:31 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: 1,133 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

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 2C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 11:55 pm CDT (04:55 UTC). Near the route, 586 nm along the route.
    as issued
    WSUS32 KKCI 120255
    MKCC WST 120255
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 2C
    VALID UNTIL 0455Z
    NE CO WY
    FROM 40SE CZI-30WNW BFF-30SSE LAR-70NW LAR-40SE CZI
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL310.
  • 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, 119 nm along the route.
  • 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 427 to 427 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 437 to 953 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 506 to 1122 nm out.
  • 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 596 to 824 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 685 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 794 to 1211 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 854 to 1112 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Near the route, 963 nm along 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). Near the route, 1062 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the last 189 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

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 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.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft210° at 22 kt+18 kt15 °C102 kt12 h 57 min9:31 am PDT (16:31 UTC)
6,500 ft210° at 25 kt+22 kt13 °C98 kt13 h 29 min10:03 am PDT (17:03 UTC)
8,500 ft220° at 27 kt+25 kt10 °C95 kt13 h 54 min10:28 am PDT (17:28 UTC)
10,500 ft220° at 27 kt+27 kt6 °C93 kt14 h 12 min10:46 am PDT (17:46 UTC)
12,500 ft230° at 29 kt+28 kt2 °C92 kt14 h 22 min10:56 am PDT (17:56 UTC)
14,500 ft220° at 32 kt+31 kt-3 °C89 kt14 h 51 min11:25 am PDT (18:25 UTC)
16,500 ft220° at 35 kt+34 kt-7 °C86 kt15 h 22 min11:56 am PDT (18:56 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180220° at 37 kt+36 kt-11 °C84 kt15 h 44 min12:18 pm PDT (19:18 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240220° at 45 kt+44 kt-21 °C76 kt17 h 23 min1:57 pm PDT (20:57 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300230° at 50 kt+50 kt-32 °C70 kt18 h 52 min3:26 pm PDT (22:26 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340240° at 53 kt+53 kt-37 °C67 kt19 h 43 min4:17 pm PDT (23:17 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390240° at 51 kt+52 kt-46 °C68 kt19 h 26 min4:00 pm PDT (23:00 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
MSPused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line230/26240/30 17°240/24 12°250/22 5°250/35 -10°260/36 -21°250/41 -36°250/49 -45°260/58 -52°
FSDused from 99 nm out; 47 nm from the line190/9230/30 18°240/23 13°240/20 6°260/22 -9°250/31 -21°250/43 -36°260/49 -43°270/53 -47°
ONLused from 248 nm out; 36 nm from the line210/31 20°230/27 13°230/18 7°220/19 -8°240/26 -20°250/44 -35°270/52 -39°260/57 -47°
BFFused from 397 nm out; 72 nm from the line180/28220/33 15°210/31 7°230/32 -9°220/41 -21°220/40 -33°240/47 -36°250/54 -46°
DENused from 546 nm out; 50 nm from the line240/21 14°250/44 6°220/49 -8°220/49 -21°230/54 -30°240/57 -35°240/49 -45°
GJTused from 645 nm out; 94 nm from the line210/43 7°230/45 1°220/49 -12°220/62 -22°220/59 -28°230/60 -33°220/55 -45°
BCEused from 844 nm out; 89 nm from the line220/27 -1°210/40 -13°220/54 -21°220/64 -30°220/64 -34°220/52 -44°
LASused from 1043 nm out; 69 nm from the line210/21 10°200/18 5°200/23 -2°210/49 -14°210/63 -21°220/58 -30°220/61 -35°210/56 -44°
ONTused from 1192 nm out; 80 nm from the line190/8190/19 6°210/23 4°210/29 -3°210/47 -13°210/49 -19°220/47 -30°220/50 -36°220/55 -43°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
MSP Minneapolis, MN departure no report just now 841 ft
TKC Tracy, MN 109 nm out, 5 nm north of the line no report just now 1,335 ft
FSD Sioux Falls, SD 169 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 1,430 ft
ANW Ainsworth, NE 328 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line no report just now 2,588 ft
IBM Kimball, NE 506 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line no report just now 4,925 ft
FNL Fort Collins/Loveland, CO 586 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line, tower no report just now 5,020 ft
EGE Eagle, CO 685 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower no report just now 6,547 ft
CNY Moab, UT 824 nm out, 19 nm northwest of the line no report just now 4,579 ft
KNB Kanab, UT 993 nm out, 6 nm north of the line no report just now 4,867 ft
BVU Boulder City, NV 1122 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line no report just now 2,203 ft
SBD San Bernardino, CA 1281 nm out, 1 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 1,159 ft
SNA Santa Ana, CA destination no report just now 55 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,547 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At SNA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:31 am PDT (16:31 UTC)

SNA 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
  • 6/8890 LAS VEGAS, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 7 nm from the route, 1122 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
  • 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local 18 nm from the route, 1132 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
  • 4/3635 DISNEYLAND THEME PARK, ANAHEIM,, CA 5 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZLA

Daylight

Sunset at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC), at SNA 6:21 pm PDT (01:21 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:46 pm PDT (01:46 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
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Rockies
Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
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: Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport, John Wayne/Orange County.