Chicago O'Hare International to San Antonio International ORD → SAT
906 nautical miles (1,042 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 218°, about 221° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 26 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 2-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:57 am CDT (07:57 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 6 knots; SAT is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 10 knots, gusting to 20. 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: 3,868 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
No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.
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
- CRJ7 at 17,000 ft, 41 nm east, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): no turbulence. At the departure end, 41 nm east 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, 29 nm southeast, 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: smooth. At the departure end, 29 nm southeast 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
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 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 9 forecast points nearest it (JOT, SPI, STL, COU, SGF, FSM, DAL, CLL, SAT). 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 15 kt | +15 kt | 105 kt | 8 h 38 min | 4:09 am CDT (09:09 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 210° at 16 kt | +16 kt | 15 °C | 104 kt | 8 h 43 min | 4:14 am CDT (09:14 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 18 kt | +17 kt | 12 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 48 min | 4:19 am CDT (09:19 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | +15 kt | 9 °C | 105 kt | 8 h 38 min | 4:09 am CDT (09:09 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | +13 kt | 5 °C | 107 kt | 8 h 28 min | 3:59 am CDT (08:59 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | +12 kt | 1 °C | 108 kt | 8 h 23 min | 3:54 am CDT (08:54 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 270° at 18 kt | +10 kt | -3 °C | 110 kt | 8 h 14 min | 3:45 am CDT (08:45 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 18 kt | +9 kt | -6 °C | 111 kt | 8 h 10 min | 3:41 am CDT (08:41 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 18 kt | +7 kt | -17 °C | 113 kt | 8 h 01 min | 3:32 am CDT (08:32 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 35 kt | +4 kt | -31 °C | 116 kt | 7 h 49 min | 3:20 am CDT (08:20 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 38 kt | +3 kt | -41 °C | 117 kt | 7 h 45 min | 3:16 am CDT (08:16 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 44 kt | −2 kt | -51 °C | 122 kt | 7 h 26 min | 2:57 am CDT (07:57 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; 8 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° |
| SPI | used from 100 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 210/13 | 260/11 17° | 270/18 10° | 290/21 4° | 310/20 -8° | 330/25 -19° | 320/49 -34° | 320/60 -44° | 320/59 -50° |
| STL | used from 199 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 210/13 | 260/16 17° | 270/21 10° | 280/24 5° | 310/20 -7° | 320/22 -18° | 320/44 -33° | 320/59 -43° | 310/69 -51° |
| COU | used from 249 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 210/16 | 220/19 15° | 240/33 10° | 250/29 7° | 280/21 -6° | 280/19 -18° | 300/34 -31° | 300/40 -42° | 300/60 -52° |
| SGF | used from 299 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 210/21 | 210/21 16° | 240/28 12° | 260/24 7° | 280/21 -6° | 280/26 -18° | 290/38 -31° | 290/37 -41° | 300/49 -52° |
| FSM | used from 448 nm out; 30 nm from the line | 200/18 | 210/19 15° | 230/22 13° | 250/18 7° | 270/20 -5° | 280/24 -16° | 280/35 -30° | 290/37 -40° | 300/40 -52° |
| DAL | used from 597 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 180/21 | 190/24 15° | 230/20 12° | 220/23 8° | 240/22 -5° | 230/18 -15° | 280/33 -29° | 280/36 -39° | 300/33 -52° |
| CLL | used from 746 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 160/18 | 190/18 16° | 200/19 12° | 220/14 7° | 260/18 -5° | 250/20 -13° | 290/29 -29° | 290/31 -40° | 300/22 -53° |
| SAT | used from 846 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 130/22 | 140/24 18° | 170/19 13° | 190/13 7° | 240/15 -4° | 220/14 -13° | 270/11 -28° | 280/10 -40° | 310/18 -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 (170°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 680 ft | 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC) |
| LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL | 20 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 679 ft | 23:45 UTC |
| SPI Springfield, IL | 149 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 597 ft | 23:52 UTC |
| SUS St Louis, MO | 239 nm out, 20 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 463 ft | 23:54 UTC |
| TBN Fort Leonard Wood, MO | 318 nm out, 6 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,159 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| BBG Branson, MO | 408 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,302 ft | 23:45 UTC |
| FSM Fort Smith, AR | 498 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 469 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| PRX Paris, TX | 617 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 547 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| GVT Greenville, TX | 657 nm out, 9 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 534 ft | 23:15 UTC |
| CNW Waco, TX | 756 nm out, 7 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 470 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| GTU Georgetown, TX | 826 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 11 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 789 ft | 22:55 UTC |
| SAT San Antonio, TX | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 feet, a few clouds at 20,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 10 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 809 ft | 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,302 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SAT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:57 am CDT (07:57 UTC)
Wind from the southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,200 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SAT
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm CDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 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
- 6/0543 MCGREGOR, TX 14 nm from the route, 786 nm along the route · security · ZFW
- 6/5849 Austin, TX, Friday, October 2, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 7 nm from the route, 846 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZHU
Daylight
Sunset at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at SAT 7:06 pm CDT (00:06 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:30 pm CDT (00:30 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SAT is before sunrise there (7:33 am CDT (12:33 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, San Antonio International.