Plan a flight · Mon 1:33 am CDT (06:33 UTC)

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International to San Francisco International MSY → SFO

1,657 nautical miles (1,907 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 295°, about 296° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 13 h 42 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 1-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:15 pm PDT (20:15 UTC). Right now MSY is VFR, wind calm; SFO is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 8 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: 1,048 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 TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 779 to 1378 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 849 to 1178 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1058 to 1258 nm out.
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 1138 to 1208 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Near the route, 1168 nm along the route.
AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 1178 to 1328 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the route from 1388 to 1408 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 80 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

PC12 at 14,000 ft, 2 nm northwest, 1:06 am CDT (06:06 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: zab fdcs. 749 nm along the route, 2 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVN UA /OV TXO260060/TM 0606/FL140/TP PC12/TB MOD/RM ZAB FDCS
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVN
Where
60 nm west (260°) of TXO
Time
06:06 UTC
Height
at 14,000 ft
Aircraft
PC12
Turbulence
moderate
Remarks
zab fdcs
B38M at 14,000 ft, 22 nm south, 12:47 am CDT (05:47 UTC): light rime icing, 6 °C. 1268 nm along the route, 22 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LAS UA /OV LAS059040/TM 0547/FL140/TP B38M/TA 06/IC LGT RIME
```
Report
a routine report filed through LAS
Where
40 nm northeast (059°) of LAS
Time
05:47 UTC
Height
at 14,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Temperature
6 °C
Icing
light rime
A319 at 18,000 ft, 14 nm south, 10:45 pm CDT (03:45 UTC): light rime icing from 18,000 ft to 20,000 ft, -16 °C, remarks: zlawc. 1278 nm along the route, 14 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LAS UA /OV BLD017030/TM 0345/FL180/TP A319/TA M16/IC LGT RIME 200-180/RM ZLAWC AWC-WEB
```
Report
a routine report filed through LAS
Where
30 nm north (017°) of BLD
Time
03:45 UTC
Height
at 18,000 ft
Aircraft
A319
Temperature
−16 °C
Icing
light rime from 20,000 ft to 18,000 ft
Remarks
zlawc
B737 at 19,000 ft, 33 nm south, 12:45 am CDT (05:45 UTC): light turbulence. 1288 nm along the route, 33 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LAS UA /OV LAS050012/TM 0545/FL190/TP B737/TB LGT
```
Report
a routine report filed through LAS
Where
12 nm northeast (050°) of LAS
Time
05:45 UTC
Height
at 19,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
light

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 15 forecast points nearest it (MSY, LCH, SHV, DAL, ABI, LBB, TCC, ABQ, FMN, PRC, BCE, LAS, BIH, FAT, SFO). 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	200° at 20 kt	−1 kt	14 °C	121 kt	13 h 42 min	1:15 pm PDT (20:15 UTC)
6,500 ft	200° at 19 kt	+1 kt	14 °C	119 kt	13 h 55 min	1:28 pm PDT (20:28 UTC)
8,500 ft	210° at 19 kt	+5 kt	10 °C	115 kt	14 h 25 min	1:58 pm PDT (20:58 UTC)
10,500 ft	220° at 19 kt	+7 kt	6 °C	113 kt	14 h 40 min	2:13 pm PDT (21:13 UTC)
12,500 ft	220° at 20 kt	+9 kt	2 °C	111 kt	14 h 56 min	2:29 pm PDT (21:29 UTC)
14,500 ft	220° at 23 kt	+11 kt	-2 °C	109 kt	15 h 12 min	2:45 pm PDT (21:45 UTC)
16,500 ft	220° at 25 kt	+12 kt	-6 °C	108 kt	15 h 21 min	2:54 pm PDT (21:54 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	220° at 27 kt	+13 kt	-9 °C	107 kt	15 h 29 min	3:02 pm PDT (22:02 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	230° at 35 kt	+20 kt	-19 °C	100 kt	16 h 34 min	4:07 pm PDT (23:07 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	240° at 46 kt	+35 kt	-29 °C	85 kt	19 h 30 min	7:03 pm PDT (02:03 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	250° at 46 kt	+37 kt	-37 °C	83 kt	19 h 58 min	7:31 pm PDT (02:31 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	250° at 37 kt	+32 kt	-48 °C	88 kt	18 h 50 min	6:23 pm PDT (01:23 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
MSY	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	110/5	150/6 19°	L/V 12°	310/5 7°	310/13 -4°	290/20 -16°	330/36 -31°	330/37 -41°	350/43 -52°
LCH	used from 100 nm out; 58 nm from the line	160/21	160/18 18°	180/13 12°	230/6 8°	280/10 -4°	260/13 -14°	310/29 -30°	320/32 -40°	330/33 -53°
SHV	used from 200 nm out; 61 nm from the line	200/18	230/24 18°	230/24 12°	240/14 8°	260/12 -4°	240/11 -15°	300/31 -29°	300/32 -40°	300/36 -52°
DAL	used from 300 nm out; 59 nm from the line	190/29	220/23 17°	220/17 13°	250/18 8°	230/18 -5°	240/18 -15°	270/34 -29°	280/33 -39°	300/36 -51°
ABI	used from 449 nm out; 56 nm from the line		200/31 17°	210/21 15°	240/15 9°	250/14 -4°	250/24 -14°	250/36 -28°	270/35 -38°	290/41 -50°
LBB	used from 549 nm out; 56 nm from the line		200/36 18°	220/19 15°	240/20 8°	230/24 -4°	240/37 -16°	250/57 -28°	250/51 -38°	270/47 -50°
TCC	used from 699 nm out; 50 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°
ABQ	used from 799 nm out; 57 nm from the line			220/27 11°	210/35 5°	220/46 -9°	230/62 -20°	240/78 -25°	240/80 -35°	240/56 -47°
FMN	used from 948 nm out; 74 nm from the line			220/28 9°	220/40 2°	220/53 -10°	220/62 -22°	230/79 -28°	240/91 -34°	230/71 -45°
PRC	used from 1098 nm out; 100 nm from the line			210/25 5°	200/30 1°	220/55 -10°	220/61 -21°	220/84 -28°	230/90 -34°	230/73 -45°
BCE	used from 1148 nm out; 86 nm from the line				220/27 -1°	210/40 -13°	220/54 -21°	220/64 -30°	220/64 -34°	220/52 -44°
LAS	used from 1198 nm out; 87 nm from the line		210/21 10°	200/18 5°	200/23 -2°	210/49 -14°	210/63 -21°	220/58 -30°	220/61 -35°	210/56 -44°
BIH	used from 1398 nm out; 45 nm from the line		L/V	240/7 1°	190/13 -3°	200/26 -16°	210/43 -26°	220/54 -28°	220/51 -35°	220/47 -43°
FAT	used from 1498 nm out; 34 nm from the line	130/16	160/20 5°	190/28 -1°	210/25 -5°	220/27 -15°	230/21 -26°	220/42 -29°	220/44 -35°	220/44 -44°
SFO	used from 1597 nm out; 35 nm from the line	120/13	090/14 5°	040/14 -1°	350/17 -5°	360/42 -14°	360/64 -23°	350/38 -32°	300/19 -37°	250/18 -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	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet	calm	10+ mi	25,000 ft	3 ft	12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC)
BTR Baton Rouge, LA	60 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	69 ft	05:53 UTC
JSO Jacksonville, TX	280 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line	VFR	from the south (170°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	677 ft	06:15 UTC
FWS Fort Worth, TX	389 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (170°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	700 ft	05:55 UTC
LBB Lubbock, TX	629 nm out, 13 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 16 knots	10+ mi	none	3,282 ft	05:53 UTC
FSU Fort Sumner, NM	759 nm out, 3 nm south of the line	no report just now				4,164 ft
AEG Albuquerque, NM	889 nm out, 2 nm west of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 12,000 feet	from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	5,837 ft	06:15 UTC
GCN Grand Canyon, AZ	1158 nm out, 17 nm south of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 600 feet, a broken layer at 3,800 feet, overcast at 4,700 feet	from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	3,800 ft	6,608 ft	06:05 UTC
BTY Beatty, NV	1388 nm out, 7 nm south of the line	no report just now				3,169 ft
MER Atwater, CA	1567 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	190 ft	23:55 UTC
SFO San Francisco, CA	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet	from the south (180°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	13 ft	10:56 pm PDT (05:56 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,608 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At SFO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:15 pm PDT (20:15 UTC)

Wind from the northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for SFO

From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet
From Mon 11:00 am PDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 3:00 pm PDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the west at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 8:00 pm PDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the west at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

The forecast for MSY, the departure

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

6/8646 Arlington, TX, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Friday, October 16, 2026 UTC 15 nm from the route, 389 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW
6/8890 LAS VEGAS, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 8 nm from the route, 1298 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
6/7094 45NM NE MERCED, CA, Sunday, October 4, 2026 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 UTC 9 nm from the route, 1528 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 20 October · ZOA
6/7231 Santa Clara, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 10 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZOA

Daylight

Sunset at MSY 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC), at SFO 6:36 pm PDT (01:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 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 lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, San Francisco International.