Plan a flight · Mon 2:05 am CDT (07:05 UTC)

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 25 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 32-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:30 am EDT (13:30 UTC). Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots; RSW is low IFR, wind calm. 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 109 to 448 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 398 nm along the route.
AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Near the route, 428 nm along the route.
AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 498 to 508 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

B38M at 29,000 ft, 40 nm west, 11:52 pm CDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 80 nm along the route, 40 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TIP UA /OV RBS/TM 0452/FL290/TP B38M/TB NEG 230-290
```
Report
a routine report filed through TIP
Where
over RBS
Time
04:52 UTC
Height
at 29,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
no from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft
B38M at 36,000 ft, 49 nm east, 11:28 pm CDT (04:28 UTC): light chop turbulence. 677 nm along the route, 49 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
AMG UA /OV AMG/TM 0428/FL360/TP B38M/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through AMG
Where
over AMG
Time
04:28 UTC
Height
at 36,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
occasional light chop

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 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	310° at 17 kt	−15 kt		135 kt	7 h 13 min	10:18 am EDT (14:18 UTC)
5,500 ft	330° at 19 kt	−18 kt		138 kt	7 h 04 min	10:09 am EDT (14:09 UTC)
7,500 ft	330° at 21 kt	−20 kt	14 °C	140 kt	6 h 58 min	10:03 am EDT (14:03 UTC)
9,500 ft	330° at 22 kt	−21 kt	10 °C	141 kt	6 h 55 min	10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC)
11,500 ft	320° at 19 kt	−18 kt	7 °C	138 kt	7 h 04 min	10:09 am EDT (14:09 UTC)
13,500 ft	320° at 19 kt	−18 kt	3 °C	138 kt	7 h 04 min	10:09 am EDT (14:09 UTC)
15,500 ft	310° at 21 kt	−17 kt	-1 °C	137 kt	7 h 07 min	10:12 am EDT (14:12 UTC)
17,500 ft	300° at 23 kt	−17 kt	-6 °C	137 kt	7 h 07 min	10:12 am EDT (14:12 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	300° at 23 kt	−17 kt	-7 °C	137 kt	7 h 07 min	10:12 am EDT (14:12 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	300° at 27 kt	−21 kt	-18 °C	141 kt	6 h 55 min	10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	310° at 36 kt	−32 kt	-33 °C	152 kt	6 h 25 min	9:30 am EDT (13:30 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	310° at 37 kt	−32 kt	-41 °C	152 kt	6 h 25 min	9:30 am EDT (13:30 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	310° at 32 kt	−26 kt	-50 °C	146 kt	6 h 41 min	9:46 am EDT (13:46 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
JOT	used from 0 nm out; 21 nm from the line	250/23	270/22 15°	250/16 10°	240/9 4°	280/22 -7°	280/29 -19°	300/29 -34°	290/50 -43°	300/64 -52°
IND	used from 100 nm out; 37 nm from the line	290/16	310/20 16°	320/21 10°	330/13 3°	300/25 -7°	320/32 -19°	330/46 -34°	320/61 -43°	320/63 -50°
LOU	used from 199 nm out; 32 nm from the line	310/18	340/28 16°	340/29 10°	350/27 3°	330/27 -7°	340/39 -19°	330/58 -33°	330/67 -41°	330/40 -49°
BNA	used from 299 nm out; 69 nm from the line	310/20	340/20 17°	330/24 10°	340/22 5°	330/26 -6°	340/29 -18°	330/52 -33°	320/62 -41°	340/45 -50°
TYS	used from 348 nm out; 65 nm from the line	320/20	340/18 11°	340/32 9°	340/36 4°	330/37 -7°	330/38 -19°	330/50 -34°	330/53 -38°	330/44 -48°
ATL	used from 448 nm out; 55 nm from the line	320/30	330/37 16°	340/44 11°	330/35 7°	310/33 -6°	300/38 -18°	330/58 -33°	330/48 -40°	320/34 -49°
CSG	used from 597 nm out; 65 nm from the line	310/24	340/35 17°	340/37 12°	330/22 8°	310/30 -7°	290/30 -18°	340/57 -32°	340/55 -41°	320/33 -49°
TLH	used from 647 nm out; 75 nm from the line	320/18	350/31 18°	340/24 13°	310/17 8°	280/22 -7°	300/25 -17°	320/28 -33°	320/24 -41°	320/25 -50°
JAX	used from 746 nm out; 75 nm from the line	290/14	300/16 17°	280/22 14°	280/24 8°	250/32 -6°	250/37 -17°	230/50 -31°	220/52 -41°	220/51 -52°
PIE	used from 796 nm out; 66 nm from the line	350/6	L/V 18°	290/6 14°	280/9 9°	250/18 -6°	250/23 -17°	240/30 -31°	220/31 -41°	220/30 -52°

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 30,000 feet	from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	680 ft	1:51 am CDT (06:51 UTC)
GYY Gary/Chicago, IN	30 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	596 ft	06:55 UTC
BMG Bloomington, IN	179 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line, tower	low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: mist	calm	0.75 mi	200 ft	845 ft	06:55 UTC
SDF Louisville, KY	249 nm out, 19 nm east of the line, tower	marginal VFR Weather: mist	calm	5 mi	none	500 ft	06:56 UTC
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	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	682 ft	06:53 UTC
PDK Atlanta, GA	518 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the northwest (310°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	998 ft	06:53 UTC
MCN Macon, GA	597 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the west (270°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	354 ft	06:53 UTC
VLD Valdosta, GA	707 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	203 ft	06:53 UTC
BKV Brooksville, FL	856 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	9 mi	none	76 ft	06:53 UTC
PGD Punta Gorda, FL	945 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 300 feet, a few clouds at 900 feet, a broken layer at 1,400 feet	from the north (010°) at 5 knots	9 mi	1,400 ft	25 ft	06:53 UTC
RSW Fort Myers, FL	destination	low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog	calm	0.25 mi	200 ft	29 ft	2:53 am EDT (06:53 UTC)

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, 9:30 am EDT (13:30 UTC)

Wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for RSW

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 200 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 1 mile, mist, a broken layer at 200 feet
From Mon 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

The forecast for ORD, the departure

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the 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

6/6783 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

Daylight

Sunset at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at RSW 7:02 pm EDT (23:02 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:25 pm EDT (23:25 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, Southwest Florida International.