The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 4:42 am CDT (09:42 UTC)

Chicago O'Hare International to Reno/Tahoe International ORD → RNO

1,449 nautical miles (1,667 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 275°, about 278° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 14 h 21 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 19-knot headwind), arriving about 5:03 pm PDT (00:03 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: 712 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 W18W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 5:55 am CDT (10:55 UTC). Over the route from 1149 to 1239 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120903 CCA
    MKCW WST 120903 COR
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 18W
    VALID UNTIL 1055Z
    UT ID NV
    FROM 30E TWF-10W MLD-10SE ILC-50WSW ILC-60NE OAL-30E TWF
    AREA TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL300.
    ***COR PTS***
  • SIGMET W18W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 5:55 am CDT (10:55 UTC). Over the route from 1179 to 1209 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120855
    MKCW WST 120855
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 18W
    VALID UNTIL 1055Z
    AZ UT NV
    FROM 20WNW BVL-30N BCE-60SSW BCE-50NNE LAS-60NNW ELY-20WNW BVL
    AREA TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL300.
  • 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). Over the route from 100 to 609 nm out.
  • 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 500 to 709 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 719 to 959 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 729 to 1019 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 769 to 899 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 819 to 1299 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 839 to 869 nm out.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 859 to 1349 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 1099 to 1179 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 60 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 ORD.

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 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 11 forecast points nearest it (JOT, DBQ, DSM, OMA, ONL, BFF, RKS, SLC, ELY, BAM, RNO). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft250° at 23 kt+22 kt22 °C98 kt14 h 47 min5:29 pm PDT (00:29 UTC)
6,500 ft250° at 22 kt+21 kt18 °C99 kt14 h 38 min5:20 pm PDT (00:20 UTC)
8,500 ft240° at 21 kt+19 kt10 °C101 kt14 h 21 min5:03 pm PDT (00:03 UTC)
10,500 ft240° at 24 kt+21 kt5 °C99 kt14 h 38 min5:20 pm PDT (00:20 UTC)
12,500 ft230° at 27 kt+23 kt0 °C97 kt14 h 56 min5:38 pm PDT (00:38 UTC)
14,500 ft230° at 28 kt+24 kt-4 °C96 kt15 h 06 min5:48 pm PDT (00:48 UTC)
16,500 ft230° at 29 kt+24 kt-9 °C96 kt15 h 06 min5:48 pm PDT (00:48 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180220° at 30 kt+24 kt-13 °C96 kt15 h 06 min5:48 pm PDT (00:48 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240230° at 38 kt+33 kt-23 °C87 kt16 h 39 min7:21 pm PDT (02:21 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 46 kt+42 kt-32 °C78 kt18 h 35 min9:17 pm PDT (04:17 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340240° at 49 kt+46 kt-37 °C74 kt19 h 35 min10:17 pm PDT (05:17 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390250° at 47 kt+47 kt-45 °C73 kt19 h 51 min10:33 pm PDT (05:33 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
JOTused from 0 nm out; 32 nm from the line250/25260/22 14°250/17 9°270/21 5°280/28 -8°280/36 -20°270/41 -35°280/57 -42°290/65 -50°
DBQused from 50 nm out; 54 nm from the line250/27260/23 17°240/26 10°260/30 4°280/26 -9°280/36 -21°270/41 -36°280/52 -41°290/67 -48°
DSMused from 200 nm out; 50 nm from the line250/47260/25 20°240/19 11°240/31 5°250/26 -9°260/38 -20°260/47 -34°270/58 -37°270/61 -47°
OMAused from 300 nm out; 63 nm from the line230/47240/33 21°230/22 13°220/27 5°240/35 -8°250/43 -21°260/47 -33°260/59 -36°270/58 -46°
ONLused from 400 nm out; 58 nm from the line250/31 22°230/27 16°220/25 8°230/25 -9°220/29 -22°250/42 -33°250/48 -36°250/52 -46°
BFFused from 599 nm out; 75 nm from the line280/28260/39 11°240/34 5°210/38 -11°210/52 -22°230/61 -31°230/61 -36°240/56 -45°
RKSused from 799 nm out; 122 nm from the line250/9230/21 -1°210/43 -14°220/59 -23°220/55 -32°220/53 -35°220/48 -44°
SLCused from 999 nm out; 60 nm from the line200/16210/23 4°220/34 -3°210/40 -16°220/66 -23°220/64 -31°220/57 -36°220/50 -43°
ELYused from 1149 nm out; 90 nm from the line210/34 1°220/40 -4°220/39 -17°210/51 -24°220/65 -30°220/60 -37°220/56 -44°
BAMused from 1249 nm out; 41 nm from the line280/9 -2°260/18 -8°190/47 -19°200/50 -29°210/56 -29°220/54 -34°220/45 -42°
RNOused from 1349 nm out; 75 nm from the line010/6270/12 -3°220/26 -10°280/13 -19°350/44 -24°320/30 -32°260/22 -36°240/24 -42°

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
ORD Chicago, IL departure no report just now 680 ft
RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL 50 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 742 ft
CID Cedar Rapids, IA 170 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 869 ft
SUX Sioux City, IA 380 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 1,098 ft
TIF Thedford, NE 569 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line no report just now 2,925 ft
BFF Scottsbluff, NE 699 nm out, 1 nm south of the line no report just now 3,967 ft
SAA Saratoga, WY 849 nm out, 10 nm south of the line no report just now 7,014 ft
FBR Fort Bridger, WY 1009 nm out, 13 nm north of the line no report just now 7,038 ft
SLC Salt Lake City, UT 1079 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 4,230 ft
ENV Wendover, UT 1179 nm out, 6 nm north of the line no report just now 4,236 ft
SPZ Silver Springs, NV 1429 nm out, 12 nm southeast of the line no report just now 4,265 ft
RNO Reno, NV destination no report just now 4,414 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 7,038 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At RNO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:03 pm PDT (00:03 UTC)

RNO has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.

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

No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.

Daylight

Sunset at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at RNO 6:23 pm PDT (01:23 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:50 pm PDT (01:50 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

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: Chicago O'Hare International, Reno/Tahoe International.