Santa FE Regional to Dallas-Fort Worth International SAF → DFW
478 nautical miles (550 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 107°, about 099° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 55 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 44-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:19 am CDT (06:19 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SAF is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots; DFW is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 11 knots. 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: 3,432 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 3C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 30 knots, until 10:55 pm MDT (04:55 UTC). Over the route from 40 to 90 nm out.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120255 MKCC WST 120255 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 3C VALID UNTIL 0455Z TX NM FROM 50SE CIM-70WNW MRF-30W ELP-10W FTI-50SE CIM AREA TS MOV FROM 22030KT. TOPS TO FL300.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the first 90 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 100 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 SAF.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B738 at 36,000 ft, 26 nm south, 9:11 pm MDT (03:11 UTC): -40 °C, wind 245° at 69 knots, remarks: produced by skypath. 70 nm along the route, 26 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
SXU UA /OV ACH146017 /TM 0311 /FL360 /TP B738 /TA M40 /WV 24569KT /RM PRODUCED BY SKYPATH
- Report
- a routine report filed through SXU
- Where
- 17 nm southeast (146°) of ACH
- Time
- 03:11 UTC
- Height
- at 36,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Temperature
- −40 °C
- Wind
- from 245° at 69 knots
- Remarks
- produced by skypath
- A320 at 35,000 ft, 17 nm north, 6:43 pm MDT (00:43 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZFW47. 269 nm along the route, 17 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
CDS UA /OV CDS270030/TM 0043/FL350/TP A320/TB LGT CHOP/RM ZFW47
- Report
- a routine report filed through CDS
- Where
- 30 nm west (270°) of CDS
- Time
- 00:43 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A320
- Turbulence
- light chop
- Remarks
- ZFW47
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 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 (ABQ, TCC, LBB, SPS, DAL). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 210° at 35 kt | −6 kt | 18 °C | 126 kt | 3 h 48 min | 2:12 am CDT (07:12 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | −10 kt | 14 °C | 130 kt | 3 h 41 min | 2:05 am CDT (07:05 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | −12 kt | 13 °C | 132 kt | 3 h 37 min | 2:01 am CDT (07:01 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | −12 kt | 8 °C | 132 kt | 3 h 37 min | 2:01 am CDT (07:01 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | −12 kt | 4 °C | 132 kt | 3 h 37 min | 2:01 am CDT (07:01 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | −12 kt | 0 °C | 132 kt | 3 h 37 min | 2:01 am CDT (07:01 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | −12 kt | -4 °C | 132 kt | 3 h 37 min | 2:01 am CDT (07:01 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 26 kt | −12 kt | -5 °C | 132 kt | 3 h 37 min | 2:01 am CDT (07:01 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 38 kt | −23 kt | -17 °C | 143 kt | 3 h 21 min | 1:45 am CDT (06:45 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 58 kt | −44 kt | -27 °C | 164 kt | 2 h 55 min | 1:19 am CDT (06:19 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 53 kt | −44 kt | -37 °C | 164 kt | 2 h 55 min | 1:19 am CDT (06:19 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 46 kt | −42 kt | -49 °C | 162 kt | 2 h 57 min | 1:21 am CDT (06:21 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
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABQ | used from 0 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 220/27 11° | 210/35 5° | 220/46 -9° | 230/62 -20° | 240/78 -25° | 240/80 -35° | 240/56 -47° | ||
| TCC | used from 50 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 210/42 | 230/33 14° | 230/32 6° | 220/35 -6° | 230/49 -19° | 240/72 -27° | 250/62 -36° | 250/52 -48° | |
| LBB | used from 199 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 200/36 18° | 220/19 15° | 240/20 8° | 230/24 -4° | 240/37 -16° | 250/57 -28° | 250/51 -38° | 270/47 -50° | |
| SPS | used from 299 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 200/39 | 220/28 17° | 230/27 12° | 240/15 9° | 250/15 -4° | 250/24 -15° | 260/45 -28° | 270/43 -39° | 280/45 -51° |
| DAL | used from 448 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 190/29 | 220/23 17° | 220/17 13° | 250/18 8° | 230/18 -5° | 240/18 -15° | 270/34 -29° | 280/33 -39° | 300/36 -51° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAF Santa Fe, NM | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 6,348 ft | 8:53 pm MDT (02:53 UTC) |
| LVS Las Vegas, NM | 40 nm out, 17 nm northeast of the line | reported, no category | from the south-southeast (160°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,877 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| SXU Santa Rosa, NM | 80 nm out, 17 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 20 knots, gusting to 33 | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 4,791 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| TCC Tucumcari, NM | 119 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,064 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| HRX Hereford, TX | 189 nm out, 15 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 20 knots, gusting to 23 | 10+ mi | none | 3,787 ft | 03:10 UTC |
| PVW Plainview, TX | 229 nm out, 14 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,374 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| ONY Olney, TX | 388 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,275 ft | ||||
| AFW Fort Worth, TX | 458 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 723 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| DFW Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | destination | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 606 ft | 9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,877 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DFW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:19 am CDT (06:19 UTC)
Wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for DFW
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for SAF, the departure
- From Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind variable at 20 knots, gusting to 35, light thunderstorms with rain, a broken layer at 6,000 feet (thunderheads)
- From Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 9/2934 DALLAS, TX 11 nm from the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · ZFW
- 6/8646 Arlington, TX, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Friday, October 16, 2026 UTC 8 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at SAF 6:33 pm MDT (00:33 UTC), at DFW 6:58 pm CDT (23:58 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:23 pm CDT (00:23 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DFW is before sunrise there (7:29 am CDT (12:29 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: Santa FE Regional, Dallas-Fort Worth International.