San Diego International to Columbia Metro Airport SAN → CAE
1,801 nautical miles (2,073 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 078°, about 067° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11E). At 120 knots that is 10 h 28 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 52-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:52 pm EDT (21:52 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: 1 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 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 10 to 40 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 20 to 448 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 259 to 348 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 358 to 537 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 368 to 408 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: 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 826 to 1005 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 1622 to 1682 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). Near the route, 1632 nm along the route.
- 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 1652 to 1692 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 SAN.
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 08:00–15:00 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 16 forecast points nearest it (SAN, BLH, PHX, ABQ, ROW, TCC, AMA, SPS, OKC, FSM, LIT, MEM, HSV, ATL, GSP, CAE). 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 | 250° at 17 kt | −17 kt | 137 kt | 13 h 09 min | 8:33 pm EDT (00:33 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | −17 kt | 137 kt | 13 h 09 min | 8:33 pm EDT (00:33 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | −17 kt | 12 °C | 137 kt | 13 h 09 min | 8:33 pm EDT (00:33 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | −16 kt | 9 °C | 136 kt | 13 h 15 min | 8:39 pm EDT (00:39 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | −17 kt | 5 °C | 137 kt | 13 h 09 min | 8:33 pm EDT (00:33 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 21 kt | −20 kt | 2 °C | 140 kt | 12 h 52 min | 8:16 pm EDT (00:16 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | −24 kt | -2 °C | 144 kt | 12 h 30 min | 7:54 pm EDT (23:54 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 28 kt | −27 kt | -6 °C | 147 kt | 12 h 15 min | 7:39 pm EDT (23:39 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 29 kt | −28 kt | -7 °C | 148 kt | 12 h 10 min | 7:34 pm EDT (23:34 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 38 kt | −37 kt | -18 °C | 157 kt | 11 h 28 min | 6:52 pm EDT (22:52 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 49 kt | −51 kt | -29 °C | 171 kt | 10 h 32 min | 5:56 pm EDT (21:56 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 49 kt | −52 kt | -38 °C | 172 kt | 10 h 28 min | 5:52 pm EDT (21:52 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 45 kt | −48 kt | -49 °C | 168 kt | 10 h 43 min | 6:07 pm EDT (22:07 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAN | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 240/10 | 220/19 6° | 230/26 2° | 230/29 -3° | 230/43 -11° | 220/61 -20° | 220/72 -29° | 220/75 -38° | 220/71 -48° |
| BLH | used from 50 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 240/19 | 210/20 10° | 200/27 4° | 210/34 -2° | 220/59 -10° | 220/67 -20° | 220/75 -29° | 230/78 -38° | 220/90 -47° |
| PHX | used from 199 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 190/15 | 210/25 12° | 200/34 4° | 200/34 2° | 220/58 -9° | 220/75 -19° | 220/91 -28° | 220/100 -35° | 220/95 -47° |
| ABQ | used from 398 nm out; 130 nm from the line | 220/19 9° | 220/35 3° | 230/50 -8° | 240/64 -19° | 230/83 -26° | 230/85 -36° | 230/80 -48° | ||
| ROW | used from 597 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 230/12 | 230/17 13° | 220/30 7° | 230/41 -5° | 240/52 -17° | 230/66 -28° | 240/63 -38° | 240/60 -50° | |
| TCC | used from 647 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 240/20 | 230/22 13° | 230/27 6° | 230/40 -7° | 240/55 -18° | 240/74 -27° | 240/68 -37° | 250/64 -49° | |
| AMA | used from 746 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 230/32 | 230/28 14° | 230/27 7° | 230/38 -6° | 230/50 -17° | 250/69 -28° | 260/62 -37° | 270/65 -49° | |
| SPS | used from 846 nm out; 80 nm from the line | 220/35 | 220/31 18° | 230/16 14° | 230/10 8° | 250/18 -5° | 250/32 -16° | 260/51 -28° | 280/46 -38° | 300/50 -50° |
| OKC | used from 946 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 220/43 | 230/31 17° | 260/13 16° | 270/11 7° | 240/20 -6° | 250/32 -17° | 260/60 -28° | 280/50 -37° | 290/45 -50° |
| FSM | used from 1045 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 230/33 | 260/23 15° | 240/23 11° | 230/18 8° | 230/20 -8° | 250/31 -17° | 280/51 -30° | 280/52 -39° | 300/47 -51° |
| LIT | used from 1194 nm out; 30 nm from the line | 250/22 | 250/25 18° | 240/23 12° | 240/20 7° | 250/17 -6° | 260/25 -17° | 300/45 -29° | 300/49 -40° | 310/43 -51° |
| MEM | used from 1294 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 250/19 | 260/19 17° | 270/20 12° | 270/16 6° | 270/21 -6° | 290/27 -17° | 300/37 -30° | 300/49 -40° | 310/40 -51° |
| HSV | used from 1443 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 300/20 | 310/14 16° | 310/18 10° | 310/15 4° | 320/19 -5° | 290/16 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 320/47 -41° | 330/42 -50° |
| ATL | used from 1592 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 330/32 | 340/36 17° | 350/34 10° | 340/25 6° | 330/27 -6° | 350/35 -18° | 330/49 -32° | 340/47 -41° | 340/27 -51° |
| GSP | used from 1692 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 340/30 | 360/24 13° | 350/29 10° | 340/33 6° | 340/40 -7° | 350/44 -19° | 340/59 -31° | 350/55 -41° | 300/29 -50° |
| CAE | used from 1742 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 340/17 | 330/15 12° | 320/22 9° | 320/31 5° | 330/35 -7° | 320/33 -19° | 340/40 -32° | 350/43 -39° | 320/35 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAN San Diego, CA | departure | no report just now | 16 ft | ||||
| RNM Ramona, CA | 20 nm out, 15 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,394 ft | ||||
| GEU Glendale, AZ | 249 nm out, 2 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,071 ft | ||||
| ONM Socorro, NM | 518 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 4,875 ft | ||||
| CVN Clovis, NM | 717 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 4,215 ft | ||||
| AXS Altus, OK | 896 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,433 ft | ||||
| LAW Lawton, OK | 946 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,110 ft | ||||
| LIT Little Rock, AR | 1254 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 266 ft | ||||
| TUP Tupelo, MS | 1423 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 346 ft | ||||
| HSV Huntsville, AL | 1523 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 628 ft | ||||
| AHN Athens, GA | 1692 nm out, 13 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 812 ft | ||||
| CAE Columbia, SC | destination | no report just now | 235 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,875 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CAE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:52 pm EDT (21:52 UTC)
CAE has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/2652 Coyote Wells, CA, Saturday, July 4, 2026 through Saturday, January 2, 2027 Local 18 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 2 January · ZLA
- 6/4812 El Centro, CA, Wednesday, July 15, 2026 through Tuesday, July 13, 2027 Local 5 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 13 July · ZLA
- 6/2656 Coyote Wells, CA, Saturday, July 4, 2026 through Saturday, January 2, 2027 Local 22 nm from the route, 90 nm along the route · security · until 2 January · ZLA
- 6/2657 Calexico, CA, Saturday, July 4, 2026 through Saturday, January 2, 2027 Local 22 nm from the route, 90 nm along the route · security · until 2 January · ZLA
- 6/8722 ALAMOGORDO, NM, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 5 nm from the route, 567 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZAB
Daylight
Sunset at SAN 6:18 pm PDT (01:18 UTC), at CAE 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:19 pm EDT (23:19 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: San Diego International, Columbia Metro Airport.