Raleigh-Durham International to Albany International RDU → ALB
473 nautical miles (544 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 028°, about 037° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 20 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 83-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:28 am EDT (04:28 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: 490 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 7E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 33,000 ft, moving from the west at 15 knots, until 11:55 pm EDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 128 to 207 nm out.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120155 MKCE WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7E VALID UNTIL 0355Z PA MD VA DC WV OH FROM 10NNE JST-30WNW SBY-40ENE RIC-50SW BKW-20SE APE-10NNE JST AREA TS MOV FROM 28015KT. TOPS TO FL330.
- SIGMET 6E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 11:55 pm EDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 236 to 355 nm out.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120155 MKCE WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 6E VALID UNTIL 0355Z NY NJ PA DE MD AND DE NJ NY MD CSTL WTRS FROM 20WNW SAX-70S HTO-50ESE SBY-30WSW HAR-20WNW SAX AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 22020KT. TOPS TO FL300.
- 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 last 384 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 315 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 13,000 ft. Over the last 148 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 89 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 1C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the last 39 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 RDU.
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 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 5 forecast points nearest it (RDU, RIC, ACY, AVP, ALB). 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 | 180° at 21 kt | −18 kt | 138 kt | 3 h 26 min | 1:34 am EDT (05:34 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 200° at 23 kt | −23 kt | 143 kt | 3 h 18 min | 1:26 am EDT (05:26 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 25 kt | −25 kt | 11 °C | 145 kt | 3 h 16 min | 1:24 am EDT (05:24 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 26 kt | −26 kt | 9 °C | 146 kt | 3 h 14 min | 1:22 am EDT (05:22 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 28 kt | −27 kt | 6 °C | 147 kt | 3 h 13 min | 1:21 am EDT (05:21 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | −29 kt | 2 °C | 149 kt | 3 h 10 min | 1:18 am EDT (05:18 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 32 kt | −31 kt | -2 °C | 151 kt | 3 h 08 min | 1:16 am EDT (05:16 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 35 kt | −32 kt | -6 °C | 152 kt | 3 h 07 min | 1:15 am EDT (05:15 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 36 kt | −33 kt | -7 °C | 153 kt | 3 h 05 min | 1:13 am EDT (05:13 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 54 kt | −51 kt | -17 °C | 171 kt | 2 h 46 min | 12:54 am EDT (04:54 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 75 kt | −72 kt | -31 °C | 192 kt | 2 h 28 min | 12:36 am EDT (04:36 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 87 kt | −83 kt | -41 °C | 203 kt | 2 h 20 min | 12:28 am EDT (04:28 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 85 kt | −82 kt | -52 °C | 202 kt | 2 h 20 min | 12:28 am EDT (04:28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDU | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 240/28 | 250/22 10° | 230/30 11° | 230/40 7° | 230/45 -4° | 220/69 -15° | 220/83 -29° | 210/84 -40° | 220/75 -52° |
| RIC | used from 49 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 190/33 | 200/29 14° | 210/31 12° | 210/38 6° | 230/42 -7° | 230/68 -16° | 220/84 -29° | 220/86 -40° | 220/81 -52° |
| ACY | used from 197 nm out; 95 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° |
| AVP | used from 296 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 110/36 | 190/34 13° | 230/11 8° | 230/16 4° | 230/26 -8° | 220/40 -19° | 230/73 -33° | 230/98 -41° | 230/87 -51° |
| ALB | used from 394 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 160/27 | 190/16 9° | 200/29 7° | 230/21 3° | 240/24 -9° | 240/43 -19° | 230/65 -33° | 240/91 -42° | 230/99 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDU Raleigh/Durham, NC | departure | no report just now | 435 ft | ||||
| HNZ Oxford, NC | 30 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 526 ft | ||||
| BKT Blackstone, VA | 79 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 437 ft | ||||
| RIC Richmond, VA | 118 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 167 ft | ||||
| EZF Fredericksburg, VA | 158 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 85 ft | ||||
| MTN Baltimore, MD | 236 nm out, 1 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 22 ft | ||||
| LNS Lancaster, PA | 276 nm out, 19 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 402 ft | ||||
| ABE Allentown, PA | 325 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 393 ft | ||||
| MPO Mount Pocono, PA | 355 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,915 ft | ||||
| MSV Monticello, NY | 394 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,403 ft | ||||
| ALB Albany, NY | destination | no report just now | 284 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,915 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ALB when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:28 am EDT (04:28 UTC)
ALB has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, 197 nm along the route · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 24 nm from the route, 197 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
- 6/8800 Baltimore, MD, Saturday, October 17, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 6 nm from the route, 227 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Saturday 17 October · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at RDU 6:43 pm EDT (22:43 UTC), at ALB 6:18 pm EDT (22:18 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:46 pm EDT (22:46 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ALB is before sunrise there (7:04 am EDT (11:04 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: Raleigh-Durham International, Albany International.