Philadelphia International to Chicago Executive PHL → PWK
589 nautical miles (678 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 287°, about 299° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 16 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 8-knot headwind), arriving about 1:26 pm CDT (18:26 UTC). Right now PHL is marginal VFR, wind from the north-northwest (340°) at 14 knots, gusting to 22; PWK is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) 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: 1 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 first 469 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 210 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 90 to 230 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Near the route, 160 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 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 08:00–15:00 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 7 forecast points nearest it (ACY, PSB, AGC, CLE, FWA, MKG, JOT). 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 | 330° at 12 kt | +9 kt | 12 °C | 111 kt | 5 h 18 min | 1:28 pm CDT (18:28 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 340° at 14 kt | +8 kt | 12 °C | 112 kt | 5 h 16 min | 1:26 pm CDT (18:26 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 340° at 15 kt | +10 kt | 9 °C | 110 kt | 5 h 21 min | 1:31 pm CDT (18:31 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 330° at 17 kt | +12 kt | 5 °C | 108 kt | 5 h 27 min | 1:37 pm CDT (18:37 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 320° at 19 kt | +15 kt | 1 °C | 105 kt | 5 h 37 min | 1:47 pm CDT (18:47 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 22 kt | +17 kt | -2 °C | 103 kt | 5 h 43 min | 1:53 pm CDT (18:53 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 24 kt | +20 kt | -6 °C | 100 kt | 5 h 53 min | 2:03 pm CDT (19:03 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 26 kt | +22 kt | -9 °C | 98 kt | 6 h 01 min | 2:11 pm CDT (19:11 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 29 kt | +24 kt | -21 °C | 96 kt | 6 h 08 min | 2:18 pm CDT (19:18 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 35 kt | +30 kt | -36 °C | 90 kt | 6 h 33 min | 2:43 pm CDT (19:43 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 48 kt | +42 kt | -43 °C | 78 kt | 7 h 33 min | 3:43 pm CDT (20:43 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 48 kt | +42 kt | -51 °C | 78 kt | 7 h 33 min | 3:43 pm CDT (20:43 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 | 350/12 | 340/12 11° | 340/12 6° | 340/13 2° | 270/10 -10° | 240/17 -23° | 230/46 -33° | 230/46 -40° | 240/46 -49° |
| PSB | used from 50 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 020/21 12° | 360/28 7° | 360/29 1° | 350/33 -10° | 350/42 -22° | 350/49 -37° | 340/63 -43° | 350/39 -52° | |
| AGC | used from 200 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 340/11 | 350/12 11° | 360/25 7° | 340/30 2° | 340/41 -8° | 340/44 -21° | 350/59 -36° | 340/68 -42° | 340/50 -51° |
| CLE | used from 249 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 310/7 | 350/20 14° | 340/16 9° | 320/21 2° | 320/32 -8° | 330/34 -20° | 330/45 -36° | 320/60 -45° | 320/64 -51° |
| FWA | used from 399 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 270/20 | 300/16 15° | 290/14 10° | 280/17 3° | 290/25 -7° | 280/30 -19° | 280/34 -35° | 290/48 -44° | 300/64 -52° |
| MKG | used from 499 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 260/28 | 260/18 15° | 250/16 9° | 260/22 4° | 280/31 -9° | 270/35 -21° | 270/44 -35° | 270/42 -45° | 290/61 -51° |
| JOT | used from 549 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
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 | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,400 feet, a broken layer at 5,500 feet, a broken layer at 19,000 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 14 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | 1,400 ft | 35 ft | 8:54 am EDT (12:54 UTC) |
| LNS Lancaster, PA | 50 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,900 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,900 ft | 402 ft | 12:53 UTC |
| MDT Harrisburg, PA | 70 nm out, 3 nm west of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,500 feet | from the northwest (320°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 2,500 ft | 310 ft | 11:56 UTC |
| JST Johnstown, PA | 170 nm out, 21 nm south of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the west-northwest (300°) at 9 knots | 2 mi | 200 ft | 2,284 ft | 13:01 UTC |
| IDI Indiana, PA | 180 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 500 ft | 1,419 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| BVI Beaver Falls, PA | 239 nm out, 12 nm southwest of the line, tower | reported, no category | calm | none | 1,252 ft | 19:47 UTC | |
| CLE Cleveland, OH | 319 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,300 feet Weather: mist | from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots | 6 mi | 1,300 ft | 799 ft | 12:51 UTC |
| TOL Toledo, OH | 399 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the south-southwest (200°) at 4 knots | 1 mi | 300 ft | 683 ft | 12:52 UTC |
| USE Wauseon, OH | 419 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots | 0.75 mi | 200 ft | 780 ft | 12:55 UTC |
| EKM Elkhart, IN | 499 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 777 ft | 12:55 UTC |
| MGC Michigan City, IN | 539 nm out, 17 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 654 ft | 12:55 UTC |
| PWK Chicago/Prospect Heights/Wheeling, IL | destination | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 644 ft | 7:52 am CDT (12:52 UTC) |
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 PWK when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:26 pm CDT (18:26 UTC)
PWK has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
The forecast for PHL, the departure
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility 6 miles, mist, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 15, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Tue 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 15,000 feet
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, 230 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8888 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 12 nm from the route, 259 nm along the route · security · today · ZOB
- 6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, 259 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8992 Monroe, MI, Thursday, October 15, 2026 Local 21 nm from the route, 389 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Thursday 15 October · ZOB
Daylight
Sunset at PHL 6:26 pm EDT (22:26 UTC), at PWK 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:43 pm CDT (23:43 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, Chicago Executive.