Chicago O'Hare International to Southwest Florida International ORD → RSW
975 nautical miles (1,122 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 160°, about 163° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 6 h 46 min at the quickest height in today's winds (11,500 ft, a 24-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:34 am EDT (06:34 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: 6,349 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 338 to 458 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 6W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Near the route, 368 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 398 to 518 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 7,000 ft. Near the route, 478 nm along 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 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 10 forecast points nearest it (JOT, IND, LOU, BNA, TYS, ATL, CSG, TLH, JAX, PIE). 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 | 300° at 15 kt | −11 kt | 131 kt | 7 h 27 min | 3:15 am EDT (07:15 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 320° at 20 kt | −19 kt | 139 kt | 7 h 01 min | 2:49 am EDT (06:49 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | −21 kt | 13 °C | 141 kt | 6 h 55 min | 2:43 am EDT (06:43 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 320° at 25 kt | −23 kt | 10 °C | 143 kt | 6 h 49 min | 2:37 am EDT (06:37 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 320° at 26 kt | −24 kt | 7 °C | 144 kt | 6 h 46 min | 2:34 am EDT (06:34 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 310° at 26 kt | −23 kt | 2 °C | 143 kt | 6 h 49 min | 2:37 am EDT (06:37 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 310° at 25 kt | −20 kt | -2 °C | 140 kt | 6 h 58 min | 2:46 am EDT (06:46 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 300° at 24 kt | −18 kt | -6 °C | 138 kt | 7 h 04 min | 2:52 am EDT (06:52 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 24 kt | −18 kt | -7 °C | 138 kt | 7 h 04 min | 2:52 am EDT (06:52 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 26 kt | −18 kt | -18 °C | 138 kt | 7 h 04 min | 2:52 am EDT (06:52 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 27 kt | −16 kt | -34 °C | 136 kt | 7 h 10 min | 2:58 am EDT (06:58 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 26 kt | −9 kt | -41 °C | 129 kt | 7 h 33 min | 3:21 am EDT (07:21 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 23 kt | −7 kt | -50 °C | 127 kt | 7 h 41 min | 3:29 am EDT (07:29 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; 21 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; 37 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° |
| LOU | used from 199 nm out; 32 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° |
| BNA | used from 299 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 280/13 | 340/34 16° | 330/38 10° | 330/44 5° | 330/39 -8° | 330/38 -19° | 320/49 -34° | 330/53 -40° | 330/35 -47° |
| TYS | used from 348 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 290/19 | 310/22 11° | 330/25 7° | 330/34 3° | 320/37 -7° | 300/37 -18° | 300/37 -34° | 280/29 -39° | 270/29 -48° |
| ATL | used from 448 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 300/23 | 320/26 14° | 320/34 10° | 320/41 5° | 290/32 -6° | 290/31 -18° | 280/28 -33° | 260/32 -41° | 250/28 -50° |
| CSG | used from 597 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 300/20 | 330/41 15° | 320/42 11° | 320/41 7° | 300/33 -6° | 290/33 -18° | 270/32 -34° | 260/31 -41° | 260/24 -51° |
| TLH | used from 647 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 300/17 | 340/32 17° | 320/27 13° | 300/27 8° | 280/23 -7° | 250/37 -17° | 230/44 -33° | 220/53 -41° | 220/48 -51° |
| JAX | used from 746 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 280/14 | 300/22 16° | 260/27 15° | 260/26 9° | 240/41 -6° | 230/38 -16° | 220/44 -32° | 200/49 -41° | 200/52 -53° |
| PIE | used from 796 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 310/7 | 270/12 17° | 270/14 13° | 260/14 8° | 240/22 -5° | 230/24 -16° | 220/26 -31° | 200/31 -41° | 180/33 -53° |
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 | no report just now | 680 ft | ||||
| GYY Gary/Chicago, IN | 30 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 596 ft | ||||
| BMG Bloomington, IN | 179 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 845 ft | ||||
| SDF Louisville, KY | 249 nm out, 19 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 500 ft | ||||
| TZV Tompkinsville, KY | 328 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,036 ft | ||||
| CHA Chattanooga, TN | 438 nm out, 17 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 682 ft | ||||
| PDK Atlanta, GA | 518 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 998 ft | ||||
| MCN Macon, GA | 597 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 354 ft | ||||
| VLD Valdosta, GA | 707 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 203 ft | ||||
| BKV Brooksville, FL | 856 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 76 ft | ||||
| PGD Punta Gorda, FL | 945 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 25 ft | ||||
| RSW Fort Myers, FL | destination | no report just now | 29 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,036 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RSW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:34 am EDT (06:34 UTC)
RSW has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8693 Atlanta, GA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 4 nm from the route, 518 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZTL
- 6/6783 Perry, GA, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 UTC 4 nm from the route, 607 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 19 October · ZTL
- 6/8792 Lake City, FL, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 Local on the route, 736 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZJX
Daylight
Sunset at ORD 6:16 pm CDT (23:16 UTC), at RSW 7:03 pm EDT (23:03 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:26 pm EDT (23:26 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at RSW is before sunrise there (7:24 am EDT (11:24 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: Chicago O'Hare International, Southwest Florida International.