Plan a flight · Sun 9:40 pm CDT (02:40 UTC)

Chicago O'Hare International to Tucson International ORD → TUS

1,247 nautical miles (1,435 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 249°, about 252° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 12 h 59 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 24-knot headwind), arriving about 8:39 am MST (15:39 UTC). Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 7 knots; TUS is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) 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: 2,063 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

SIGMET 6W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 838 to 1037 nm out.

as issued

WSUS33 KKCI 120155
MKCW WST 120155
CONVECTIVE SIGMET 6W
VALID UNTIL 0355Z
CO NM
FROM 50SSW DEN-30NNE TBE-50SSW CME-50E SJN-20NE DVC-50SSW DEN
AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL340.

SIGMET 7W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 1087 to 1207 nm out.

as issued

WSUS33 KKCI 120155
MKCW WST 120155
CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7W
VALID UNTIL 0355Z
NM AZ
FROM 30NW SJN-30W TCS-60SE SSO-50SE TUS-70S INW-30NW SJN
DMSHG AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL310.

AIRMET TANGO 3W: 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 279 to 728 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 808 to 1107 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 848 to 1227 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1007 to 1207 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

B39M at 35,000 ft, 32 nm southeast, 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: smooth. At the departure end, 32 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
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
A321 at 32,000 ft, 26 nm north, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: pocket continuous light turbulence. 70 nm along the route, 26 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
RPJ UA /OV PLL/TM 0156/FL320/TP A321/TB CONS LGT/RM POCKET CONS LGT TB
```
Report
a routine report filed through RPJ
Where
over PLL
Time
01:56 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
continuous light
Remarks
pocket continuous light turbulence
UAL2499 at 28,000 ft, 43 nm northwest, 9:15 pm CDT (02:15 UTC): light chop turbulence. 160 nm along the route, 43 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ARP UAL2499 4138N 09137W 0215 F280 TB INTMT LGT CHOP IC
```
Report
a routine report filed through ARP
CRJ7 at 10,000 ft, 41 nm northwest, 6:49 pm CDT (23:49 UTC): remarks: light turbulence, bases above 10,000 ft, vsby 3 miles continuously, during the descent rnav runway 20 KSAF. 928 nm along the route, 41 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
SAF UA /OV KSAF/TM 2349/FL100 /TP CRJ7/RM LIGHT TURBULENCE, BASES ABOVE 100, VSBY 3 MILES CONTINUOUSLY, DURD RNAV RY20 KSAF
```
Report
a routine report filed through SAF
Where
over KSAF
Time
23:49 UTC
Height
at 10,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ7
Remarks
light turbulence, bases above 10,000 ft, vsby 3 miles continuously, during the descent rnav runway 20 KSAF
B737 at 14,000 ft, 37 nm northwest, 7:15 pm CDT (00:15 UTC): light turbulence above 14,000 ft. 978 nm along the route, 37 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ABQ UA /OV ABQ275007/TM 0015/FL140/TP B737/TB LGT ABV 140
```
Report
a routine report filed through ABQ
Where
7 nm west (275°) of ABQ
Time
00:15 UTC
Height
at 14,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
light above 14,000 ft
A321 descending, 2 nm southeast, 7:26 pm CDT (00:26 UTC): light chop turbulence. At the destination end, 2 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TUS UA /OV FINAL RWY 12/TM 0026/FLDURD/TP A321/TB LIGHT CHOP ON FINAL
```
Report
a routine report filed through TUS
Where
final runway 12
Time
00:26 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
light chop on final

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 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, BRL, DSM, MKC, SLN, GCK, TCC, ABQ, TUS). 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	220° at 34 kt	+32 kt	18 °C	88 kt	14 h 10 min	9:50 am MST (16:50 UTC)
6,500 ft	230° at 31 kt	+30 kt	16 °C	90 kt	13 h 51 min	9:31 am MST (16:31 UTC)
8,500 ft	230° at 26 kt	+26 kt	12 °C	94 kt	13 h 16 min	8:56 am MST (15:56 UTC)
10,500 ft	230° at 24 kt	+24 kt	9 °C	96 kt	12 h 59 min	8:39 am MST (15:39 UTC)
12,500 ft	230° at 24 kt	+24 kt	5 °C	96 kt	12 h 59 min	8:39 am MST (15:39 UTC)
14,500 ft	230° at 27 kt	+27 kt	0 °C	93 kt	13 h 25 min	9:05 am MST (16:05 UTC)
16,500 ft	230° at 30 kt	+30 kt	-4 °C	90 kt	13 h 51 min	9:31 am MST (16:31 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	230° at 32 kt	+32 kt	-7 °C	88 kt	14 h 10 min	9:50 am MST (16:50 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	240° at 42 kt	+42 kt	-19 °C	78 kt	15 h 59 min	11:39 am MST (18:39 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	240° at 59 kt	+60 kt	-29 °C	60 kt	20 h 47 min	4:27 pm MST (23:27 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	250° at 62 kt	+62 kt	-38 °C	58 kt	21 h 30 min	5:10 pm MST (00:10 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	260° at 57 kt	+56 kt	-49 °C	64 kt	19 h 29 min	3:09 pm MST (22:09 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; 22 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°
BRL	used from 100 nm out; 39 nm from the line	230/24	240/29 15°	290/16 10°	280/15 4°	260/23 -7°	260/32 -19°	260/36 -33°	280/48 -41°	280/59 -52°
DSM	used from 249 nm out; 80 nm from the line	230/40	250/33 17°	250/18 12°	240/17 5°	260/28 -8°	270/34 -19°	260/41 -33°	260/55 -41°	270/62 -51°
MKC	used from 299 nm out; 45 nm from the line	220/44	250/28 18°	250/18 13°	240/12 6°	280/24 -6°	240/34 -18°	260/47 -30°	260/51 -40°	270/58 -50°
SLN	used from 399 nm out; 61 nm from the line	210/53	230/41 20°	240/26 14°	230/16 8°	240/25 -7°	240/35 -19°	250/61 -30°	260/65 -38°	260/56 -49°
GCK	used from 549 nm out; 70 nm from the line		220/48 21°	230/37 14°	250/30 8°	230/37 -6°	240/37 -20°	240/69 -28°	250/67 -37°	260/58 -48°
TCC	used from 748 nm out; 80 nm from the line		210/42	230/33 14°	230/32 6°	220/35 -6°	230/49 -19°	240/72 -27°	250/62 -36°	250/52 -48°
ABQ	used from 898 nm out; 53 nm from the line			220/27 11°	210/35 5°	220/46 -9°	230/62 -20°	240/78 -25°	240/80 -35°	240/56 -47°
TUS	used from 1097 nm out; 125 nm from the line		210/13 13°	200/35 9°	210/40 5°	220/50 -7°	220/59 -18°	230/79 -26°	230/84 -35°	230/84 -48°

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	from the south-southeast (150°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	680 ft	8:51 pm CDT (01:51 UTC)
ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL	30 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	712 ft	01:52 UTC
MPZ Mount Pleasant, IA	170 nm out, 5 nm west of the line	VFR	from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	730 ft	02:15 UTC
STJ St Joseph, MO	349 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	826 ft	01:53 UTC
MHK Manhattan, KS	439 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 11 knots, gusting to 20	10+ mi	none	1,066 ft	01:52 UTC
DDC Dodge City, KS	608 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the south (170°) at 15 knots	9 mi	none	2,595 ft	01:52 UTC
HQG Hugoton, KS	688 nm out, 5 nm north of the line	VFR	from the south (180°) at 17 knots	10+ mi	none	3,134 ft	02:15 UTC
CAO Clayton, NM	778 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 20 knots	10+ mi	none	4,969 ft	01:55 UTC
BRG Belen, NM	987 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	5,199 ft	02:35 UTC
ONM Socorro, NM	1017 nm out, 18 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the south (170°) at 10 knots, gusting to 14	10+ mi	none	4,875 ft	02:35 UTC
SAD Safford, AZ	1167 nm out, 1 nm south of the line	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 9,500 feet	from the east-southeast (110°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	9,500 ft	3,178 ft	01:51 UTC
TUS Tucson, AZ	destination	VFR	from the west-southwest (240°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	2,643 ft	6:53 pm MST (01:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 5,199 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At TUS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:39 am MST (15:39 UTC)

Wind from the east-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for TUS

From Sun 6:00 pm MST (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet
From Sun 7:00 pm MST (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet
From Mon 12:00 am MST (07:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
From Mon 7:00 am MST (14:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am MST (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 8,000 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

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

Daylight

Sunset at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at TUS 5:55 pm MST (00:55 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:19 pm MST (01:19 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 southern Plains · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the southern Rockies · 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, Tucson International.