Louis Armstrong New Orleans International to San Diego International MSY → SAN
1,387 nautical miles (1,596 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 284°, about 285° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 11 h 39 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 1-knot headwind), arriving about 4:27 am PDT (11:27 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 680 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 W64W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 37,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 7:55 pm CDT (00:55 UTC). Over the route from 848 to 1077 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 112255 MKCW WST 112255 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 64W VALID UNTIL 0055Z TX NM AZ FROM 50ENE PGS-60SE ABQ-10W ELP-30E TUS-70SE EED-50ENE PGS AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL370.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 838 to 1077 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 868 to 1057 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 908 to 1057 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 1287 to 1367 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 6E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 20 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 MSY.
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 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 11 forecast points nearest it (MSY, LCH, CLL, ABI, INK, ROW, ELP, TUS, PHX, BLH, SAN). 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 | 190° at 16 kt | +1 kt | 17 °C | 119 kt | 11 h 39 min | 4:27 am PDT (11:27 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 200° at 17 kt | +3 kt | 15 °C | 117 kt | 11 h 51 min | 4:39 am PDT (11:39 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 200° at 18 kt | +6 kt | 11 °C | 114 kt | 12 h 10 min | 4:58 am PDT (11:58 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 20 kt | +10 kt | 8 °C | 110 kt | 12 h 37 min | 5:25 am PDT (12:25 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 22 kt | +13 kt | 4 °C | 107 kt | 12 h 58 min | 5:46 am PDT (12:46 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | +16 kt | 1 °C | 104 kt | 13 h 20 min | 6:08 am PDT (13:08 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | +18 kt | -3 °C | 102 kt | 13 h 36 min | 6:24 am PDT (13:24 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 28 kt | +20 kt | -6 °C | 100 kt | 13 h 52 min | 6:40 am PDT (13:40 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 37 kt | +29 kt | -16 °C | 91 kt | 15 h 15 min | 8:03 am PDT (15:03 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 42 kt | +35 kt | -28 °C | 85 kt | 16 h 19 min | 9:07 am PDT (16:07 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 44 kt | +41 kt | -38 °C | 79 kt | 17 h 33 min | 10:21 am PDT (17:21 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 40 kt | +40 kt | -50 °C | 80 kt | 17 h 20 min | 10:08 am PDT (17:08 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSY | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | L/V | 020/6 18° | L/V 12° | 300/11 7° | 330/15 -4° | 320/22 -16° | 330/38 -32° | 350/47 -42° | 340/56 -52° |
| LCH | used from 100 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 190/6 | 180/8 18° | 170/13 12° | 220/12 7° | 290/10 -4° | 280/15 -14° | 320/30 -31° | 320/32 -40° | 320/39 -53° |
| CLL | used from 249 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 160/18 | 190/18 16° | 200/19 12° | 220/14 7° | 260/18 -5° | 250/20 -13° | 290/29 -29° | 290/31 -40° | 300/22 -53° |
| ABI | used from 399 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 180/26 17° | 220/18 12° | 230/25 8° | 230/28 -5° | 240/29 -14° | 250/35 -28° | 270/37 -39° | 280/37 -51° | |
| INK | used from 599 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 160/27 20° | 190/18 13° | 240/19 7° | 250/23 -4° | 250/33 -15° | 230/45 -28° | 250/45 -39° | 270/49 -50° | |
| ROW | used from 748 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 180/23 | 190/24 15° | 210/27 7° | 230/35 -6° | 240/53 -17° | 240/62 -27° | 250/64 -38° | 260/60 -50° | |
| ELP | used from 798 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 200/15 | 200/16 15° | 200/17 6° | 220/40 -6° | 240/53 -16° | 230/62 -27° | 240/63 -38° | 250/59 -49° | |
| TUS | used from 948 nm out; 101 nm from the line | 220/17 15° | 210/32 7° | 210/43 5° | 210/49 -7° | 220/64 -18° | 220/83 -26° | 230/81 -36° | 230/72 -48° | |
| PHX | used from 1097 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 210/19 | 210/20 14° | 200/20 6° | 210/40 1° | 220/58 -8° | 220/68 -20° | 220/82 -26° | 230/83 -34° | 230/69 -46° |
| BLH | used from 1197 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 230/22 | 210/24 11° | 230/23 5° | 230/26 0° | 220/38 -10° | 230/52 -19° | 220/58 -28° | 220/69 -34° | 220/59 -45° |
| SAN | used from 1297 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 200/10 | 240/19 9° | 240/27 5° | 230/22 -1° | 220/40 -10° | 220/49 -19° | 220/54 -29° | 220/61 -35° | 220/56 -44° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSY New Orleans, LA | departure | no report just now | 3 ft | ||||
| LFT Lafayette, LA | 90 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 40 ft | ||||
| CWF Lake Charles, LA | 150 nm out, 21 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 16 ft | ||||
| GRK Fort Hood (Killeen), TX | 399 nm out, 18 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,015 ft | ||||
| SJT San Angelo, TX | 539 nm out, 22 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,918 ft | ||||
| MAF Midland, TX | 628 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,872 ft | ||||
| CNM Carlsbad, NM | 728 nm out, 12 nm north of the line | no report just now | 3,294 ft | ||||
| LRU Las Cruces, NM | 868 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | no report just now | 4,456 ft | ||||
| MZJ Marana, AZ | 1087 nm out, 8 nm south of the line | no report just now | 1,893 ft | ||||
| CGZ Casa Grande, AZ | 1117 nm out, 19 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,464 ft | ||||
| NYL Yuma, AZ | 1257 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 213 ft | ||||
| SAN San Diego, CA | destination | no report just now | 16 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,456 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SAN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:27 am PDT (11:27 UTC)
SAN has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/0543 MCGREGOR, TX 5 nm from the route, 379 nm along the route · security · ZFW
- 6/4240 SAN ANGELO, TX, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 21 nm from the route, 529 nm along the route · security · until 1 November · ZFW
- 6/2656 Coyote Wells, CA, Saturday, July 4, 2026 through Saturday, January 2, 2027 Local on the route, 1267 nm along the route · security · until 2 January · ZLA
- 6/2657 Calexico, CA, Saturday, July 4, 2026 through Saturday, January 2, 2027 Local on the route, 1267 nm along the route · security · until 2 January · ZLA
- 6/2652 Coyote Wells, CA, Saturday, July 4, 2026 through Saturday, January 2, 2027 Local 5 nm from the route, 1307 nm along the route · security · until 2 January · ZLA
- 6/4812 El Centro, CA, Wednesday, July 15, 2026 through Tuesday, July 13, 2027 Local 17 nm from the route, 1327 nm along the route · security · until 13 July · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at MSY 6:34 pm CDT (23:34 UTC), at SAN 6:19 pm PDT (01:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:44 pm PDT (01:44 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SAN is before sunrise there (6:50 am PDT (13:50 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: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, San Diego International.
