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Plan a flight · Mon 1:19 am EDT (05:19 UTC)

Raleigh-Durham International to San Diego International RDU → SAN

1,902 nautical miles (2,188 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 276°, about 285° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9W). At 120 knots that is 18 h 28 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 17-knot headwind), arriving about 4:47 pm PDT (23:47 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: 413 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

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 7C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 2:55 am EDT (06:55 UTC). Over the route from 1185 to 1304 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS32 KKCI 120455
    MKCC WST 120455
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7C
    VALID UNTIL 0655Z
    TX OK CO NM
    FROM 40NNW PUB-70WSW LBL-40NE CME-40ESE RSK-30ENE HBU-40NNW PUB
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
  • AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 20 to 179 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 100 to 189 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 129 to 289 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). Over the route from 139 to 408 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: 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 757 to 1055 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 1235 to 1603 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the last 647 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1563 to 1643 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, 1603 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 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 02:00–09:00 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 17 forecast points nearest it (RDU, TRI, TYS, BNA, CGI, LIT, SGF, FSM, TUL, OKC, GAG, AMA, TCC, ABQ, PHX, BLH, SAN). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft230° at 18 kt+17 kt15 °C103 kt18 h 28 min4:47 pm PDT (23:47 UTC)
6,500 ft240° at 17 kt+17 kt13 °C103 kt18 h 28 min4:47 pm PDT (23:47 UTC)
8,500 ft250° at 17 kt+18 kt10 °C102 kt18 h 39 min4:58 pm PDT (23:58 UTC)
10,500 ft250° at 17 kt+18 kt7 °C102 kt18 h 39 min4:58 pm PDT (23:58 UTC)
12,500 ft240° at 18 kt+19 kt4 °C101 kt18 h 50 min5:09 pm PDT (00:09 UTC)
14,500 ft240° at 21 kt+22 kt0 °C98 kt19 h 24 min5:43 pm PDT (00:43 UTC)
16,500 ft240° at 24 kt+25 kt-4 °C95 kt20 h 01 min6:20 pm PDT (01:20 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180240° at 27 kt+27 kt-7 °C93 kt20 h 27 min6:46 pm PDT (01:46 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 36 kt+36 kt-18 °C84 kt22 h 39 min8:58 pm PDT (03:58 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300250° at 49 kt+51 kt-29 °C69 kt27 h 34 min1:53 am PDT (08:53 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340260° at 53 kt+55 kt-38 °C65 kt29 h 16 min3:35 am PDT (10:35 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390260° at 43 kt+45 kt-48 °C75 kt25 h 22 min11:41 pm PDT (06:41 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
RDUused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line280/33300/23 11°300/28 8°290/28 4°260/41 -6°240/52 -18°230/66 -31°230/76 -39°240/52 -49°
TRIused from 100 nm out; 58 nm from the line330/22 11°330/29 7°330/32 3°330/36 -8°320/34 -19°320/36 -34°320/43 -39°320/46 -47°
TYSused from 199 nm out; 36 nm from the line320/20340/18 11°340/32 9°340/36 4°330/37 -7°330/38 -19°330/50 -34°330/53 -38°330/44 -48°
BNAused from 299 nm out; 60 nm from the line310/20340/20 17°330/24 10°340/22 5°330/26 -6°340/29 -18°330/52 -33°320/62 -41°340/45 -50°
CGIused from 448 nm out; 77 nm from the line240/20270/15 15°280/15 11°300/13 6°290/20 -6°280/24 -18°300/34 -32°300/47 -41°310/49 -51°
LITused from 597 nm out; 94 nm from the line220/21230/17 16°250/24 12°260/15 7°260/13 -5°280/25 -16°290/35 -30°300/42 -40°300/40 -52°
SGFused from 647 nm out; 73 nm from the line230/33230/28 15°250/20 13°240/18 7°250/20 -6°250/24 -17°280/42 -31°280/49 -40°290/46 -51°
FSMused from 697 nm out; 59 nm from the line210/27250/23 16°250/20 13°240/17 8°250/18 -6°260/31 -16°280/42 -30°280/44 -40°290/38 -51°
TULused from 797 nm out; 13 nm from the line210/37240/29 17°260/15 14°260/11 7°240/22 -6°250/29 -16°270/45 -29°270/47 -40°280/44 -50°
OKCused from 896 nm out; 31 nm from the line200/44230/32 18°240/13 15°240/10 9°240/20 -5°250/27 -16°260/47 -28°270/48 -39°270/45 -50°
GAGused from 946 nm out; 57 nm from the line220/40 19°230/28 14°240/23 8°230/21 -6°240/31 -19°250/66 -29°260/58 -38°260/47 -49°
AMAused from 1045 nm out; 50 nm from the line210/38230/29 14°240/29 7°220/27 -5°240/37 -18°240/66 -28°250/59 -37°260/47 -49°
TCCused from 1145 nm out; 41 nm from the line210/42230/33 14°230/32 6°220/35 -6°230/49 -19°240/72 -27°250/62 -36°250/52 -48°
ABQused from 1294 nm out; 39 nm from the line220/27 11°210/35 5°220/46 -9°230/62 -20°240/78 -25°240/80 -35°240/56 -47°
PHXused from 1494 nm out; 124 nm from the line150/5200/21 12°200/27 6°200/35 3°220/58 -8°220/69 -19°220/87 -26°230/93 -35°230/79 -47°
BLHused from 1693 nm out; 53 nm from the line210/13200/21 11°200/22 5°210/25 -1°210/51 -10°220/61 -20°220/81 -29°220/92 -34°220/79 -45°
SANused from 1842 nm out; 35 nm from the line200/11200/23 7°210/27 4°210/31 -3°220/56 -10°220/56 -19°220/52 -30°220/64 -37°220/67 -44°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
RDU Raleigh/Durham, NC departure no report just now 435 ft
GSO Greensboro, NC 60 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower no report just now 925 ft
MQY Smyrna, TN 378 nm out, 15 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 543 ft
JWN Nashville, TN 398 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower no report just now 501 ft
ASG Springdale, AR 747 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower no report just now 1,352 ft
RVS Tulsa, OK 836 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line, tower no report just now 638 ft
AMA Amarillo, TX 1115 nm out, 18 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 3,606 ft
TCC Tucumcari, NM 1215 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line no report just now 4,064 ft
ABQ Albuquerque, NM 1354 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 5,354 ft
DVT Phoenix, AZ 1643 nm out, 12 nm southeast of the line, tower no report just now 1,478 ft
RNM Ramona, CA 1882 nm out, 14 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 1,394 ft
SAN San Diego, CA destination no report just now 16 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 5,354 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At SAN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:47 pm PDT (23:47 UTC)

SAN has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

  • 6/0708 Goodlettsville, TN, Saturday, August 1, 2026 through Sunday, August 1, 2027 UTC 6 nm from the route, 388 nm along the route · security · until 1 August · ZME
  • 6/4812 El Centro, CA, Wednesday, July 15, 2026 through Tuesday, July 13, 2027 Local on the route, at the destination end · security · until 13 July · ZLA
  • 6/2652 Coyote Wells, CA, Saturday, July 4, 2026 through Saturday, January 2, 2027 Local 21 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 2 January · ZLA

Daylight

Sunset at RDU 6:43 pm EDT (22:43 UTC), at SAN 6:19 pm PDT (01:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:44 pm PDT (01:44 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

Radar now, the Southeast
Radar now, the Southeast · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Plains
Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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, San Diego International.