Phoenix Sky Harbor International to Buffalo Niagara International PHX → BUF
1,658 nautical miles (1,908 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 060°, about 048° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 9 h 07 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 62-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:11 pm EDT (18:11 UTC). 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: 395 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 TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 30 to 160 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 60 to 479 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 70 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 80 to 210 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 270 to 400 nm out.
- 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 360 to 1109 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, fog). Over the last 320 nm of 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 PHX.
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 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 12 forecast points nearest it (PHX, ABQ, ALS, PUB, GCK, SLN, MKC, BRL, JOT, FWA, CLE, BUF). 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 | 240° at 24 kt | −24 kt | 144 kt | 11 h 31 min | 4:35 pm EDT (20:35 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 250° at 22 kt | −23 kt | 22 °C | 143 kt | 11 h 36 min | 4:40 pm EDT (20:40 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 20 kt | −21 kt | 13 °C | 141 kt | 11 h 46 min | 4:50 pm EDT (20:50 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 19 kt | −20 kt | 10 °C | 140 kt | 11 h 51 min | 4:55 pm EDT (20:55 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | −23 kt | 5 °C | 143 kt | 11 h 36 min | 4:40 pm EDT (20:40 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 24 kt | −26 kt | 1 °C | 146 kt | 11 h 21 min | 4:25 pm EDT (20:25 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 27 kt | −29 kt | -3 °C | 149 kt | 11 h 08 min | 4:12 pm EDT (20:12 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 30 kt | −32 kt | -7 °C | 152 kt | 10 h 54 min | 3:58 pm EDT (19:58 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 31 kt | −33 kt | -8 °C | 153 kt | 10 h 50 min | 3:54 pm EDT (19:54 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 40 kt | −42 kt | -20 °C | 162 kt | 10 h 14 min | 3:18 pm EDT (19:18 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 56 kt | −58 kt | -31 °C | 178 kt | 9 h 19 min | 2:23 pm EDT (18:23 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 60 kt | −62 kt | -39 °C | 182 kt | 9 h 07 min | 2:11 pm EDT (18:11 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 58 kt | −58 kt | -49 °C | 178 kt | 9 h 19 min | 2:23 pm EDT (18:23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHX | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 190/15 | 210/25 12° | 200/34 4° | 200/34 2° | 220/58 -9° | 220/75 -19° | 220/91 -28° | 220/100 -35° | 220/95 -47° |
| ABQ | used from 150 nm out; 115 nm from the line | 220/19 9° | 220/35 3° | 230/50 -8° | 240/64 -19° | 230/83 -26° | 230/85 -36° | 230/80 -48° | ||
| ALS | used from 350 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 240/35 3° | 230/54 -9° | 240/66 -19° | 230/85 -26° | 240/87 -34° | 240/70 -47° | |||
| PUB | used from 449 nm out; 89 nm from the line | 260/45 11° | 240/38 6° | 230/47 -8° | 230/51 -19° | 240/74 -29° | 240/82 -35° | 250/72 -48° | ||
| GCK | used from 499 nm out; 88 nm from the line | 240/40 22° | 240/40 14° | 240/38 7° | 230/39 -7° | 230/45 -20° | 250/73 -28° | 260/74 -36° | 260/64 -49° | |
| SLN | used from 699 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 230/49 | 240/41 22° | 230/26 15° | 220/21 7° | 240/38 -8° | 240/44 -21° | 260/77 -29° | 270/70 -36° | 270/63 -48° |
| MKC | used from 849 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 240/49 | 240/21 20° | 220/19 13° | 230/21 6° | 260/26 -7° | 250/37 -19° | 270/66 -31° | 270/65 -38° | 280/60 -48° |
| BRL | used from 999 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 250/32 | 250/19 17° | 260/15 11° | 270/16 3° | 290/23 -7° | 260/42 -20° | 270/52 -34° | 280/63 -39° | 290/64 -48° |
| JOT | used from 1149 nm out; 56 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° |
| FWA | used from 1299 nm out; 66 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° |
| CLE | used from 1448 nm out; 74 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° |
| BUF | used from 1548 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 300/11 | 330/15 11° | 340/26 8° | 330/28 2° | 340/31 -10° | 340/32 -21° | 340/52 -37° | 340/59 -46° | 330/66 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHX Phoenix, AZ | departure | no report just now | 1,134 ft | ||||
| SOW Show Low, AZ | 110 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 6,415 ft | ||||
| SAF Santa Fe, NM | 320 nm out, 23 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,348 ft | ||||
| AXX Angel Fire, NM | 380 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | no report just now | 8,379 ft | ||||
| GCK Garden City, KS | 609 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,890 ft | ||||
| MHK Manhattan, KS | 819 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,066 ft | ||||
| STJ St Joseph, MO | 909 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 826 ft | ||||
| BRL Burlington, IA | 1089 nm out, 1 nm east of the line | no report just now | 698 ft | ||||
| GYY Gary/Chicago, IN | 1269 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 596 ft | ||||
| DET Detroit, MI | 1468 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 624 ft | ||||
| CYQS St Thomas, | 1548 nm out, 9 nm north of the line | no report just now | 776 ft | ||||
| BUF Buffalo, NY | destination | no report just now | 726 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 8,379 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BUF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:11 pm EDT (18:11 UTC)
BUF has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 PHX 5:57 pm MST (00:57 UTC), at BUF 6:37 pm EDT (22:37 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm EDT (23:06 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: Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Buffalo Niagara International.