Oakland County International to Seattle Paine Field International PTK → PAE
1,653 nautical miles (1,903 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 295°, about 302° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 13 h 13 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 5-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:41 am PDT (13:41 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: 2 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 20 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 578 to 617 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 827 to 1305 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 886 to 1384 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1135 to 1434 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 14,000 ft. Over the route from 1295 to 1524 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 25,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 0 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 PTK.
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 14 forecast points nearest it (MKG, GRB, LSE, MSP, AXN, ABR, DIK, MLS, GGW, GTF, GPI, GEG, YKM, SEA). 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 | 090° at 4 kt | −5 kt | 1 °C | 125 kt | 13 h 13 min | 6:41 am PDT (13:41 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 100° at 1 kt | −2 kt | 8 °C | 122 kt | 13 h 33 min | 7:01 am PDT (14:01 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 3 kt | +1 kt | 5 °C | 119 kt | 13 h 53 min | 7:21 am PDT (14:21 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 7 kt | +5 kt | 1 °C | 115 kt | 14 h 22 min | 7:50 am PDT (14:50 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 11 kt | +8 kt | -2 °C | 112 kt | 14 h 46 min | 8:14 am PDT (15:14 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 14 kt | +11 kt | -6 °C | 109 kt | 15 h 10 min | 8:38 am PDT (15:38 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | +13 kt | -10 °C | 107 kt | 15 h 27 min | 8:55 am PDT (15:55 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 20 kt | +15 kt | -13 °C | 105 kt | 15 h 45 min | 9:13 am PDT (16:13 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 26 kt | +24 kt | -23 °C | 96 kt | 17 h 13 min | 10:41 am PDT (17:41 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 35 kt | +33 kt | -37 °C | 87 kt | 19 h | 12:28 pm PDT (19:28 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 42 kt | +40 kt | -44 °C | 80 kt | 20 h 40 min | 2:08 pm PDT (21:08 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 53 kt | +52 kt | -49 °C | 68 kt | 24 h 19 min | 5:47 pm PDT (00:47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKG | used from 0 nm out; 103 nm from the line | 250/5 | 320/10 15° | 310/19 9° | 320/21 3° | 310/23 -10° | 330/37 -22° | 330/51 -38° | 320/44 -47° | 300/60 -49° |
| GRB | used from 199 nm out; 22 nm from the line | 240/24 | 260/18 16° | 270/20 11° | 290/14 4° | 280/24 -9° | 300/34 -21° | 310/51 -38° | 310/54 -48° | 300/71 -51° |
| LSE | used from 299 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 220/33 | 250/29 17° | 250/15 9° | 260/12 6° | 280/21 -9° | 280/33 -20° | 300/43 -36° | 310/56 -45° | 300/79 -53° |
| MSP | used from 398 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 200/28 | 240/30 19° | 240/24 12° | 240/17 5° | 270/24 -10° | 270/33 -20° | 280/48 -35° | 290/55 -45° | 280/84 -54° |
| AXN | used from 498 nm out; 26 nm from the line | L/V | 220/23 17° | 230/24 12° | 240/25 5° | 260/32 -11° | 260/40 -21° | 270/50 -35° | 270/57 -45° | 270/81 -55° |
| ABR | used from 598 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 030/24 | 220/5 16° | 230/18 12° | 230/32 5° | 240/38 -10° | 250/37 -20° | 240/40 -35° | 240/56 -44° | 250/72 -52° |
| DIK | used from 747 nm out; 90 nm from the line | 110/15 6° | 200/17 5° | 230/31 1° | 240/47 -10° | 240/52 -20° | 230/52 -36° | 240/57 -45° | 250/67 -51° | |
| MLS | used from 946 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 120/22 5° | 170/18 4° | 200/33 1° | 230/49 -10° | 230/58 -21° | 220/54 -37° | 230/64 -44° | 250/74 -49° | |
| GGW | used from 996 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 090/18 0° | 140/12 -2° | 150/13 -3° | 200/35 -12° | 230/56 -22° | 240/75 -37° | 240/81 -46° | 240/78 -49° | |
| GTF | used from 1096 nm out; 95 nm from the line | 070/21 | 080/18 -6° | 120/5 -5° | 180/30 -14° | 200/53 -24° | 210/80 -38° | 220/83 -44° | 230/68 -46° | |
| GPI | used from 1295 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 060/19 -3° | 110/11 -8° | 130/6 -8° | 200/40 -19° | 190/58 -28° | 200/101 -39° | 220/73 -43° | 230/41 -43° | |
| GEG | used from 1394 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 050/18 -2° | 060/19 -8° | L/V -11° | 160/11 -24° | 190/17 -31° | 200/19 -35° | 220/14 -37° | 250/11 -41° | |
| YKM | used from 1544 nm out; 86 nm from the line | 030/16 | 020/18 0° | 030/30 -8° | 030/23 -13° | 020/40 -23° | 010/73 -29° | 010/54 -36° | 360/29 -37° | 330/16 -40° |
| SEA | used from 1594 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 360/9 | 350/10 1° | 010/10 -5° | 030/20 -11° | 020/60 -17° | 010/86 -26° | 360/90 -40° | 010/68 -42° | 360/31 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTK Pontiac, MI | departure | no report just now | 980 ft | ||||
| FNT Flint, MI | 20 nm out, 11 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 782 ft | ||||
| ATW Appleton, WI | 239 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 918 ft | ||||
| STC St Cloud, MN | 488 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,030 ft | ||||
| AXN Alexandria, MN | 548 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,425 ft | ||||
| BIS Bismarck, ND | 777 nm out, 1 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,661 ft | ||||
| GDV Glendive, MT | 946 nm out, 11 nm south of the line | no report just now | 2,458 ft | ||||
| JDN Jordan, MT | 1036 nm out, 13 nm south of the line | no report just now | 2,667 ft | ||||
| GTF Great Falls, MT | 1215 nm out, 22 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,680 ft | ||||
| SFF Spokane, WA | 1454 nm out, 20 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,956 ft | ||||
| PAE Everett, WA | destination | no report just now | 606 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,680 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At PAE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:41 am PDT (13:41 UTC)
PAE has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 12 nm from the route, 458 nm along the route · security · until 19 October · ZMP
- 6/6654 28NM W TWISP, WA, Thursday, October 1, 2026 through Thursday, October 15, 2026 UTC 21 nm from the route, at the destination end · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 15 October · ZSE
Daylight
Sunset at PTK 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC), at PAE 6:26 pm PDT (01:26 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:57 pm PDT (01:57 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at PAE is before sunrise there (7:23 am PDT (14:23 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: Oakland County International, Seattle Paine Field International.