Plan a flight · Sun 8:23 pm CDT (01:23 UTC)

Chicago O'Hare International to Columbia Metro Airport ORD → CAE

579 nautical miles (667 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 144°, about 147° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 56 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 27-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:19 am EDT (05:19 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 7 knots; CAE is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 5 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: 2,333 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 290 to 390 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 330 to 459 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 7,000 ft. Over the route from 420 to 509 nm out.

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 ORD.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

A321 at 30,000 ft, 16 nm northeast, 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC): moderate turbulence. 370 nm along the route, 16 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV AZQ170020/TM 2345/FL300/TP A321/TB MOD
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
20 nm south (170°) of AZQ
Time
23:45 UTC
Height
at 30,000 ft
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
moderate
PA46 at 23,000 ft, 46 nm northeast, 6:28 pm CDT (23:28 UTC): moderate chop turbulence from 22,000 ft to 23,000 ft, remarks: ZTLFD-44. 430 nm along the route, 46 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TRI UA /OV HMV090010/TM 2328/FL230/TP PA46/TB LGT- MOD CHOP 230-220/RM ZTLFD-44
```
Report
a routine report filed through TRI
Where
10 nm east (090°) of HMV
Time
23:28 UTC
Height
at 23,000 ft
Aircraft
PA46
Turbulence
light moderate chop from 23,000 ft to 22,000 ft
Remarks
ZTLFD-44
CRJ7 at 17,000 ft, 38 nm northeast, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): no turbulence. At the departure end, 38 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BEH UA /OV ELX270040/TM 0004/FL170/TP CRJ7/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through BEH
Where
40 nm west (270°) of ELX
Time
00:04 UTC
Height
at 17,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ7
Turbulence
none
B39M at 35,000 ft, 4 nm southwest, 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: smooth. 30 nm along the route, 4 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IKK UA /OV CGT/TM 0029/FL350/TP B39M/TB NEG/RM SMOOTH
```
Report
a routine report filed through IKK
Where
over CGT
Time
00:29 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
none
Remarks
smooth
E170 at 23,000 ft, 21 nm southwest, 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC): light turbulence. 130 nm along the route, 21 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV VHP315020/TM 2314/FL230/TP E170/TB LGT
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
20 nm northwest (315°) of VHP
Time
23:14 UTC
Height
at 23,000 ft
Aircraft
E170
Turbulence
light
B744 climbing, 24 nm northeast, 7:02 pm CDT (00:02 UTC): light turbulence, overcast. 220 nm along the route, 24 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV 10 N CVG/TM 0002/FLDURC/TP B744/SK B022 OVC T036/TB LT TB SFC-036
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
10 north cvg
Time
00:02 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
B744
Sky
B022 overcast T036
Turbulence
lt turbulence from the surface to 3,600 ft
A333 at 4,000 ft, 11 nm east, 5:44 pm CDT (22:44 UTC): overcast. 220 nm along the route, 11 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV CVG270010/TM 2244/FL040/TP A333/SK B025 OVC T035
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
10 nm west (270°) of CVG
Time
22:44 UTC
Height
at 4,000 ft
Aircraft
A333
Sky
B025 overcast T035
B737 at 23,000 ft, 19 nm northeast, 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC): light turbulence. 230 nm along the route, 19 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV CVG/TM 2351/FL230/TP B737/TB LGT
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
over CVG
Time
23:51 UTC
Height
at 23,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
light
B739 climbing, 15 nm northeast, 6:31 pm CDT (23:31 UTC): overcast. 230 nm along the route, 15 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV 5 W CVG/TM 2331/FLDURC/TP B739/SK B026 OVC T036
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
5 west cvg
Time
23:31 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
B739
Sky
B026 overcast T036
E170 climbing, 50 nm southwest, 5:26 pm CDT (22:26 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 240 nm along the route, 50 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
SDF UA /OV SDF/TM 2226/FLDURC/TP E170/SK B022 T036
```
Report
a routine report filed through SDF
Where
over SDF
Time
22:26 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
E170
Sky
B022 T036
B712 at 600 ft, 10 nm southwest, 8:06 pm CDT (01:06 UTC): overcast. 280 nm along the route, 10 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LEX UA /OV KLEX/TM 0106/FL006/TP B712/SK OVC B006
```
Report
a routine report filed through LEX
Where
over KLEX
Time
01:06 UTC
Height
at 600 ft
Aircraft
B712
Sky
overcast B006
CRJ9 descending, 10 nm southwest, 6:43 pm CDT (23:43 UTC): overcast up to 6,200 ft; overcast above 1,800 ft. 280 nm along the route, 10 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LEX UA /OV LEX/TM 2343/FLDURD/TP CRJ9/SK TOPS OVC062 BASES OVC018
```
Report
a routine report filed through LEX
Where
over LEX
Time
23:43 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
CRJ9
Sky
tops OVC062 bases OVC018
CRJ9 at 28,000 ft, 41 nm northeast, 5:33 pm CDT (22:33 UTC): light turbulence. 280 nm along the route, 41 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV FGX/TM 2233/FL280/TP CRJ9/TB LGT
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
over FGX
Time
22:33 UTC
Height
at 28,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ9
Turbulence
light
S22T descending, 29 nm northeast, 7:24 pm CDT (00:24 UTC): a broken layer above 2,600 ft, remarks: during the descent RY23 tri. 420 nm along the route, 29 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TRI UA /OV KTRI050002/TM 0024/FLUNKN/TP S22T/SK BKN026-TOPUNKN/RM DURD RY23 TRI
```
Report
a routine report filed through TRI
Where
2 nm northeast (050°) of KTRI
Time
00:24 UTC
Height
height not given
Aircraft
S22T
Sky
a broken layer from 2,600 ft, tops unknown
Remarks
during the descent RY23 tri

2 more routine reports are on the map.

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 eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 7 forecast points nearest it (JOT, IND, CVG, LOU, TRI, GSP, CAE). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

Height	Average wind	Head- or tailwind	Temperature	Ground speed	Time en route	Arrival
3,500 ft	310° at 13 kt	−12 kt		132 kt	4 h 23 min	1:46 am EDT (05:46 UTC)
5,500 ft	320° at 20 kt	−20 kt	11 °C	140 kt	4 h 08 min	1:31 am EDT (05:31 UTC)
7,500 ft	320° at 23 kt	−23 kt	11 °C	143 kt	4 h 03 min	1:26 am EDT (05:26 UTC)
9,500 ft	320° at 24 kt	−24 kt	8 °C	144 kt	4 h 01 min	1:24 am EDT (05:24 UTC)
11,500 ft	330° at 25 kt	−25 kt	5 °C	145 kt	4 h	1:23 am EDT (05:23 UTC)
13,500 ft	320° at 25 kt	−25 kt	1 °C	145 kt	4 h	1:23 am EDT (05:23 UTC)
15,500 ft	320° at 25 kt	−25 kt	-3 °C	145 kt	4 h	1:23 am EDT (05:23 UTC)
17,500 ft	310° at 25 kt	−24 kt	-7 °C	144 kt	4 h 01 min	1:24 am EDT (05:24 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	310° at 25 kt	−24 kt	-8 °C	144 kt	4 h 01 min	1:24 am EDT (05:24 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	310° at 29 kt	−27 kt	-20 °C	147 kt	3 h 56 min	1:19 am EDT (05:19 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	290° at 31 kt	−25 kt	-34 °C	145 kt	4 h	1:23 am EDT (05:23 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	280° at 35 kt	−25 kt	-41 °C	145 kt	4 h	1:23 am EDT (05:23 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	290° at 37 kt	−27 kt	-48 °C	147 kt	3 h 56 min	1:19 am EDT (05:19 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
JOT	used from 0 nm out; 28 nm from the line	230/11	290/12 16°	300/19 10°	320/19 4°	300/17 -9°	330/31 -20°	320/49 -37°	320/53 -45°	320/67 -49°
IND	used from 100 nm out; 34 nm from the line	320/10	350/30 16°	350/32 10°	350/30 4°	340/31 -10°	340/42 -21°	340/49 -37°	320/46 -41°	320/47 -47°
CVG	used from 200 nm out; 22 nm from the line	350/13	340/20 13°	340/22 8°	350/30 3°	340/30 -9°	340/38 -21°	330/37 -35°	320/38 -40°	310/35 -47°
LOU	used from 300 nm out; 93 nm from the line	320/15	340/24 14°	330/28 9°	340/34 4°	340/37 -9°	340/42 -20°	320/39 -35°	320/45 -39°	330/40 -47°
TRI	used from 350 nm out; 50 nm from the line		310/28 11°	320/32 7°	330/30 2°	300/28 -9°	280/34 -21°	250/37 -31°	240/39 -38°	250/35 -48°
GSP	used from 450 nm out; 32 nm from the line	300/22	310/22 11°	300/22 7°	290/28 5°	270/36 -5°	250/42 -18°	230/54 -31°	230/59 -40°	230/65 -50°
CAE	used from 549 nm out; 15 nm from the line	260/27	310/26 11°	280/31 9°	270/36 7°	250/39 -4°	230/57 -16°	220/74 -30°	220/83 -40°	220/73 -51°

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
ORD Chicago, IL	departure	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet	from the south (180°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	680 ft	7:51 pm CDT (00:51 UTC)
GYY Gary/Chicago, IN	30 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	calm	8 mi	none	596 ft	00:50 UTC
LAF Lafayette, IN	100 nm out, 19 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	605 ft	00:54 UTC
IND Indianapolis, IN	150 nm out, 19 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	796 ft	00:54 UTC
BAK Columbus, IN	190 nm out, 19 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	656 ft	00:45 UTC
LEX Lexington, KY	280 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower	IFR Sky: a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet	from the west (270°) at 6 knots	9 mi	800 ft	979 ft	00:59 UTC
RGA Richmond, KY	310 nm out, 13 nm southwest of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist	from the west-northwest (290°) at 7 knots	2 mi	300 ft	1,002 ft	01:15 UTC
CPF Hazard, KY	350 nm out, 22 nm northeast of the line	IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet	from the west (280°) at 8 knots	7 mi	500 ft	1,256 ft	23:55 UTC
GCY Greeneville, TN	420 nm out, 2 nm east of the line	IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet Weather: mist	from the west-southwest (240°) at 6 knots	4 mi	700 ft	1,607 ft	00:55 UTC
AVL Asheville, NC	469 nm out, 12 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	2,163 ft	00:54 UTC
EOE Newberry, SC	549 nm out, 11 nm west of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	570 ft	01:15 UTC
CAE Columbia, SC	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 feet	from the southwest (230°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	235 ft	8:56 pm EDT (00:56 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 2,163 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At CAE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:19 am EDT (05:19 UTC)

Wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for CAE

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet

The forecast for ORD, the departure

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet

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

6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 16 nm from the route, 230 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID

Daylight

Sunset at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at CAE 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:19 pm EDT (23:19 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CAE is before sunrise there (7:26 am EDT (11:26 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 · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · 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: Chicago O'Hare International, Columbia Metro Airport.