Philadelphia International to Des Moines International PHL → DSM
843 nautical miles (970 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 283°, about 295° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 32 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 8-knot headwind), arriving about 3:08 am CDT (08:08 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: 674 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 E16E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 32,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 25 knots, until 9:55 pm EDT (01:55 UTC). Over the first 69 nm of the route.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 112355 MKCE WST 112355 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 16E VALID UNTIL 0155Z NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND NJ NY CSTL WTRS FROM SAX-30SE JFK-10N DCA-60ENE EKN-SAX AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 22025KT. TOPS TO FL320.
- SIGMET E17E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the west at 15 knots, until 9:55 pm EDT (01:55 UTC). Near the route, 258 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 112355 MKCE WST 112355 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 17E VALID UNTIL 0155Z PA MD VA NC WV OH KY FROM 30WSW EWC-20E RIC-70NNE ILM-70W BKW-10ESE APE-30WSW EWC AREA TS MOV FROM 28015KT. TOPS TO FL310.
- 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 first 188 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 149 nm of the route.
- 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 30 to 159 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the route from 59 to 238 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 89 to 238 nm out.
- 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 288 to 416 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 PHL.
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 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 10 forecast points nearest it (ACY, PSB, AGC, CLE, CMH, FWA, JOT, DBQ, BRL, DSM). 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 | 270° at 8 kt | +8 kt | 13 °C | 112 kt | 7 h 32 min | 3:08 am CDT (08:08 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 290° at 12 kt | +11 kt | 14 °C | 109 kt | 7 h 44 min | 3:20 am CDT (08:20 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 290° at 11 kt | +11 kt | 10 °C | 109 kt | 7 h 44 min | 3:20 am CDT (08:20 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 290° at 10 kt | +10 kt | 7 °C | 110 kt | 7 h 40 min | 3:16 am CDT (08:16 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 10 kt | +9 kt | 3 °C | 111 kt | 7 h 36 min | 3:12 am CDT (08:12 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 290° at 11 kt | +11 kt | -2 °C | 109 kt | 7 h 44 min | 3:20 am CDT (08:20 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 290° at 13 kt | +12 kt | -6 °C | 108 kt | 7 h 48 min | 3:24 am CDT (08:24 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 13 kt | +13 kt | -9 °C | 107 kt | 7 h 53 min | 3:29 am CDT (08:29 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 17 kt | +16 kt | -21 °C | 104 kt | 8 h 06 min | 3:42 am CDT (08:42 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 30 kt | +28 kt | -34 °C | 92 kt | 9 h 10 min | 4:46 am CDT (09:46 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 36 kt | +34 kt | -42 °C | 86 kt | 9 h 48 min | 5:24 am CDT (10:24 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 44 kt | +42 kt | -50 °C | 78 kt | 10 h 48 min | 6:24 am CDT (11:24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACY | used from 0 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 230/15 | 230/22 15° | 230/31 11° | 230/27 6° | 230/40 -7° | 230/51 -17° | 230/71 -31° | 230/81 -41° | 230/86 -53° |
| PSB | used from 50 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 260/13 13° | 220/12 8° | 220/11 4° | 230/27 -11° | 210/31 -21° | 220/73 -32° | 220/75 -40° | 230/66 -50° | |
| AGC | used from 149 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 140/12 | 350/10 12° | L/V 9° | L/V 3° | 200/11 -11° | 220/21 -22° | 220/47 -33° | 230/51 -39° | 230/45 -48° |
| CLE | used from 248 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 340/5 | 320/13 14° | 300/12 8° | 310/10 2° | 310/14 -10° | 340/14 -23° | 320/27 -35° | 260/28 -40° | 250/36 -48° |
| CMH | used from 347 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 340/14 | 320/13 12° | 350/12 8° | 360/10 2° | 350/27 -10° | 340/20 -22° | 320/31 -35° | 270/25 -39° | 260/32 -48° |
| FWA | used from 397 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 350/9 | 350/24 15° | 360/25 9° | 360/29 4° | 350/31 -10° | 340/39 -22° | 330/40 -37° | 320/38 -43° | 320/48 -48° |
| JOT | used from 545 nm out; 28 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° |
| DBQ | used from 645 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 220/23 | 240/22 16° | 240/24 10° | 260/18 5° | 270/16 -8° | 290/27 -19° | 310/42 -35° | 320/55 -44° | 300/71 -52° |
| BRL | used from 694 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 200/20 | 250/21 16° | 240/22 10° | 260/20 5° | 270/16 -7° | 290/22 -18° | 320/41 -34° | 320/56 -43° | 310/68 -53° |
| DSM | used from 793 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 200/32 | 240/27 17° | 260/19 10° | 260/16 5° | 260/19 -7° | 240/22 -19° | 270/20 -32° | 270/38 -42° | 290/58 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHL Philadelphia, PA | departure | no report just now | 35 ft | ||||
| LNS Lancaster, PA | 50 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 402 ft | ||||
| AOO Altoona, PA | 139 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,503 ft | ||||
| JST Johnstown, PA | 169 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,284 ft | ||||
| MFD Mansfield, OH | 337 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,297 ft | ||||
| OWX Ottawa, OH | 407 nm out, 1 nm east of the line | no report just now | 763 ft | ||||
| FWA Fort Wayne, IN | 456 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 814 ft | ||||
| GYY Gary/Chicago, IN | 565 nm out, 19 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 596 ft | ||||
| LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL | 595 nm out, 16 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 679 ft | ||||
| MLI Moline, IL | 704 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 589 ft | ||||
| PEA Pella, IA | 813 nm out, 8 nm south of the line | no report just now | 885 ft | ||||
| DSM Des Moines, IA | destination | no report just now | 957 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,284 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DSM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:08 am CDT (08:08 UTC)
DSM has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, 248 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 17 nm from the route, 258 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
Daylight
Sunset at PHL 6:26 pm EDT (22:26 UTC), at DSM 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:07 pm CDT (00:07 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DSM is before sunrise there (7:23 am CDT (12:23 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: Philadelphia International, Des Moines International.