Seattle-Tacoma International to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International SEA → CVG
1,703 nautical miles (1,960 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 093°, about 077° magnetic at the departure end (variation 16E). At 120 knots that is 10 h 35 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 41-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:05 am EDT (14:05 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: 2,556 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 1C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 9:55 pm PDT (04:55 UTC). Over the route from 717 to 797 nm out.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120255 MKCC WST 120255 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 1C VALID UNTIL 0455Z SD ND MT WY FROM 30WSW DIK-50NW DPR-60WNW RAP-50ENE SHR-30WSW DIK AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL300.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 159 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 20,000 ft. Over the route from 60 to 508 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 229 to 568 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 249 to 458 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 279 to 936 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Near the route, 578 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Near the route, 747 nm along 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). Near the route, 1016 nm along the route.
- 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 1185 to 1285 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 last 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 SEA.
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 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 17 forecast points nearest it (SEA, YKM, GEG, LWS, GPI, GTF, BIL, MLS, RAP, PIR, FSD, MCW, DBQ, BRL, JOT, IND, CVG). 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 | 240° at 12 kt | −7 kt | 127 kt | 13 h 25 min | 12:55 pm EDT (16:55 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 210° at 6 kt | 0 | 8 °C | 120 kt | 14 h 12 min | 1:42 pm EDT (17:42 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 6 kt | −2 kt | 9 °C | 122 kt | 13 h 58 min | 1:28 pm EDT (17:28 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 6 kt | −3 kt | 4 °C | 123 kt | 13 h 51 min | 1:21 pm EDT (17:21 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 10 kt | −4 kt | 1 °C | 124 kt | 13 h 44 min | 1:14 pm EDT (17:14 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 12 kt | −6 kt | -3 °C | 126 kt | 13 h 31 min | 1:01 pm EDT (17:01 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 14 kt | −9 kt | -7 °C | 129 kt | 13 h 12 min | 12:42 pm EDT (16:42 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | −11 kt | -10 °C | 131 kt | 13 h | 12:30 pm EDT (16:30 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 16 kt | −12 kt | -11 °C | 132 kt | 12 h 54 min | 12:24 pm EDT (16:24 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 19 kt | −15 kt | -22 °C | 135 kt | 12 h 37 min | 12:07 pm EDT (16:07 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 24 kt | −20 kt | -36 °C | 140 kt | 12 h 10 min | 11:40 am EDT (15:40 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 38 kt | −35 kt | -41 °C | 155 kt | 10 h 59 min | 10:29 am EDT (14:29 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 44 kt | −41 kt | -46 °C | 161 kt | 10 h 35 min | 10:05 am EDT (14:05 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEA | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 050/7 | 050/11 1° | 050/12 -5° | 030/31 -7° | 010/61 -15° | 010/69 -26° | 360/73 -40° | 360/62 -47° | 330/21 -43° |
| YKM | used from 50 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 070/10 | 040/15 -1° | 020/27 -8° | 030/25 -13° | 020/48 -20° | 010/83 -27° | 010/77 -37° | 010/49 -40° | 350/14 -41° |
| GEG | used from 149 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 080/16 -2° | 050/17 -7° | 080/9 -10° | 190/33 -21° | 180/31 -32° | L/V -35° | L/V -37° | 270/8 -40° | |
| LWS | used from 249 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 070/10 | 080/12 -2° | 030/12 -6° | 080/7 -10° | 170/34 -21° | 160/46 -32° | 200/33 -35° | 220/22 -35° | 230/18 -38° |
| GPI | used from 299 nm out; 87 nm from the line | 070/19 -5° | 100/16 -7° | 080/10 -8° | 130/8 -19° | 170/37 -28° | 200/50 -40° | 210/43 -40° | 220/41 -42° | |
| GTF | used from 349 nm out; 88 nm from the line | 070/11 | 080/15 -7° | 110/19 -9° | 190/25 -14° | 200/34 -23° | 200/54 -39° | 220/66 -40° | 220/77 -44° | |
| BIL | used from 498 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 080/13 | 180/9 -2° | 210/38 0° | 220/51 -11° | 210/46 -22° | 210/58 -35° | 230/73 -39° | 230/72 -45° | |
| MLS | used from 647 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 150/23 2° | 190/29 4° | 210/44 2° | 220/32 -10° | 210/36 -21° | 200/48 -37° | 230/63 -40° | 240/71 -47° | |
| RAP | used from 747 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 180/23 12° | 200/38 13° | 210/38 6° | 220/28 -10° | 230/34 -21° | 230/37 -36° | 250/52 -38° | 250/59 -46° | |
| PIR | used from 847 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 170/22 19° | 190/25 13° | 210/32 6° | 240/23 -9° | 250/32 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/44 -40° | 260/52 -47° | |
| FSD | used from 996 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 190/9 | 230/30 18° | 240/23 13° | 240/20 6° | 260/22 -9° | 250/31 -21° | 250/43 -36° | 260/49 -43° | 270/53 -47° |
| MCW | used from 1195 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/30 17° | 230/14 12° | 240/17 6° | 250/22 -8° | 270/29 -20° | 250/34 -34° | 260/52 -43° | 260/59 -51° |
| DBQ | used from 1295 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -52° |
| BRL | used from 1345 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 230/24 | 240/29 15° | 290/16 10° | 280/15 4° | 260/23 -7° | 260/32 -19° | 260/36 -33° | 280/48 -41° | 280/59 -52° |
| JOT | used from 1444 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -52° |
| IND | used from 1544 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 290/16 | 310/20 16° | 320/21 10° | 330/13 3° | 300/25 -7° | 320/32 -19° | 330/46 -34° | 320/61 -43° | 320/63 -50° |
| CVG | used from 1643 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/32 16° | 350/35 10° | 350/30 3° | 330/30 -7° | 340/44 -20° | 340/58 -35° | 330/72 -41° | 320/36 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEA Seattle, WA | departure | no report just now | 432 ft | ||||
| MWH Moses Lake, WA | 120 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,188 ft | ||||
| MSO Missoula, MT | 339 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,205 ft | ||||
| HLN Helena, MT | 428 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,877 ft | ||||
| BIL Billings, MT | 578 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,662 ft | ||||
| PIR Pierre, SD | 936 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,744 ft | ||||
| FSD Sioux Falls, SD | 1096 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,430 ft | ||||
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | 1335 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 869 ft | ||||
| MLI Moline, IL | 1394 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 589 ft | ||||
| IND Indianapolis, IN | 1613 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 796 ft | ||||
| CVG Covington, KY | destination | no report just now | 896 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,877 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CVG when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:05 am EDT (14:05 UTC)
CVG has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
Daylight
Sunset at SEA 6:27 pm PDT (01:27 UTC), at CVG 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:31 pm EDT (23:31 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: Seattle-Tacoma International, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International.