Phoenix Sky Harbor International to San Francisco International PHX → SFO
565 nautical miles (650 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 299°, about 287° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 45 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 1-knot headwind), arriving about 9:33 pm PDT (04:33 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: 9,508 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 W64W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 37,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 5:55 pm MST (00:55 UTC). Over the first 79 nm of the route.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 112255 MKCW WST 112255 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 64W VALID UNTIL 0055Z TX NM AZ FROM 50ENE PGS-60SE ABQ-10W ELP-30E TUS-70SE EED-50ENE PGS AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL370.
- 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, 50 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 89 to 258 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 129 to 277 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 168 to 317 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 178 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the route from 327 to 357 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 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 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 7 forecast points nearest it (PHX, PRC, BLH, LAS, WJF, FAT, SFO). 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 | 210° at 17 kt | +1 kt | 9 °C | 119 kt | 4 h 45 min | 9:33 pm PDT (04:33 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 210° at 17 kt | +1 kt | 8 °C | 119 kt | 4 h 45 min | 9:33 pm PDT (04:33 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 20 kt | +4 kt | 5 °C | 116 kt | 4 h 52 min | 9:40 pm PDT (04:40 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 24 kt | +6 kt | 1 °C | 114 kt | 4 h 57 min | 9:45 pm PDT (04:45 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 29 kt | +8 kt | -3 °C | 112 kt | 5 h 03 min | 9:51 pm PDT (04:51 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 31 kt | +10 kt | -6 °C | 110 kt | 5 h 08 min | 9:56 pm PDT (04:56 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 33 kt | +11 kt | -9 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 11 min | 9:59 pm PDT (04:59 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 34 kt | +12 kt | -12 °C | 108 kt | 5 h 14 min | 10:02 pm PDT (05:02 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 44 kt | +16 kt | -21 °C | 104 kt | 5 h 26 min | 10:14 pm PDT (05:14 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 53 kt | +14 kt | -27 °C | 106 kt | 5 h 20 min | 10:08 pm PDT (05:08 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 53 kt | +15 kt | -34 °C | 105 kt | 5 h 23 min | 10:11 pm PDT (05:11 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 50 kt | +17 kt | -44 °C | 103 kt | 5 h 29 min | 10:17 pm PDT (05:17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHX | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 210/19 | 210/20 14° | 200/20 6° | 210/40 1° | 220/58 -8° | 220/68 -20° | 220/82 -26° | 230/83 -34° | 230/69 -46° |
| PRC | used from 50 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 200/36 6° | 210/46 0° | 220/60 -10° | 220/75 -19° | 220/66 -26° | 230/70 -33° | 230/59 -45° | ||
| BLH | used from 99 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 230/22 | 210/24 11° | 230/23 5° | 230/26 0° | 220/38 -10° | 230/52 -19° | 220/58 -28° | 220/69 -34° | 220/59 -45° |
| LAS | used from 198 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 200/25 11° | 230/22 5° | 240/25 -1° | 220/37 -12° | 220/44 -21° | 210/52 -27° | 210/60 -34° | 220/58 -44° | |
| WJF | used from 248 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 220/30 8° | 240/28 5° | 230/34 -2° | 220/34 -13° | 220/48 -20° | 220/47 -29° | 210/48 -34° | 220/52 -44° | |
| FAT | used from 347 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 180/7 | 170/9 7° | 200/20 3° | 210/27 -3° | 240/27 -14° | 230/38 -24° | 220/57 -27° | 230/42 -33° | 230/41 -44° |
| SFO | used from 495 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 220/11 | L/V 5° | 280/7 1° | 270/15 -3° | 290/23 -14° | 310/29 -24° | 280/26 -28° | 250/30 -34° | 250/36 -43° |
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 | ||||
| GEU Glendale, AZ | 20 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,071 ft | ||||
| HII Lake Havasu City, AZ | 139 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | no report just now | 782 ft | ||||
| IYK Inyokern, CA | 317 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 2,457 ft | ||||
| PTV Porterville, CA | 377 nm out, 22 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 443 ft | ||||
| FAT Fresno, CA | 426 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 335 ft | ||||
| MER Atwater, CA | 476 nm out, 22 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 190 ft | ||||
| RHV San Jose, CA | 535 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 135 ft | ||||
| SFO San Francisco, CA | destination | no report just now | 13 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,457 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SFO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:33 pm PDT (04:33 UTC)
SFO has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8783 38NM NE BAKERSFIELD, CA, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Friday, October 23, 2026 UTC 22 nm from the route, 337 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 23 October · ZLA
- 6/7231 Santa Clara, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 4 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZOA
- 6/7455 SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Thursday, October 8, 2026 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 Local 10 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 11 October · ZOA
- 6/6741 SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Thursday, October 8, 2026 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 Local 7 nm from the route, at the destination end · air shows/sports · until 11 October · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at PHX 5:58 pm MST (00:58 UTC), at SFO 6:36 pm PDT (01:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SFO is after sunset there (6:38 pm PDT (01:38 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, San Francisco International.