The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 11:42 pm PDT (06:42 UTC)

Sacramento International to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall SMF → BWI

2,076 nautical miles (2,389 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 075°, about 062° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 12 h 26 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 47-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:08 pm EDT (19:08 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: 723 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 W15W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 28,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 12:55 am PDT (07:55 UTC). Over the route from 250 to 339 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120555
    MKCW WST 120555
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 15W
    VALID UNTIL 0755Z
    UT NV
    FROM 60WNW BVL-10NE BVL-80E OAL-40SE OAL-20W OAL-60WNW BVL
    AREA TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL280.
  • SIGMET E22E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 40,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 12:55 am PDT (07:55 UTC). Over the last 80 nm of the route.
    as issued
    WSUS31 KKCI 120555
    MKCE WST 120555
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 22E
    VALID UNTIL 0755Z
    NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND MA RI DE NJ NY CSTL WTRS
    FROM 40E HTO-80SSW ACK-100ESE SIE-30SW CSN-40SSE JST-40E HTO
    AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL400.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 100 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 190 to 629 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 220 to 699 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 319 to 838 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 479 to 888 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 589 to 759 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 599 to 649 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 868 to 1407 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 479 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1877 to 2016 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 110 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 SMF.

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 21 forecast points nearest it (SAC, RNO, BAM, ELY, SLC, RKS, DEN, BFF, GRI, OMA, DSM, BRL, SPI, JOT, IND, FWA, CMH, AGC, EKN, PSB, RIC). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
5,500 ft250° at 14 kt−14 kt18 °C134 kt15 h 30 min6:12 pm EDT (22:12 UTC)
7,500 ft240° at 15 kt−15 kt11 °C135 kt15 h 23 min6:05 pm EDT (22:05 UTC)
9,500 ft250° at 14 kt−15 kt7 °C135 kt15 h 23 min6:05 pm EDT (22:05 UTC)
11,500 ft240° at 16 kt−16 kt3 °C136 kt15 h 16 min5:58 pm EDT (21:58 UTC)
13,500 ft240° at 18 kt−18 kt-1 °C138 kt15 h 03 min5:45 pm EDT (21:45 UTC)
15,500 ft240° at 20 kt−20 kt-5 °C140 kt14 h 50 min5:32 pm EDT (21:32 UTC)
17,500 ft240° at 23 kt−23 kt-9 °C143 kt14 h 31 min5:13 pm EDT (21:13 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180240° at 23 kt−23 kt-10 °C143 kt14 h 31 min5:13 pm EDT (21:13 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 28 kt−28 kt-22 °C148 kt14 h 02 min4:44 pm EDT (20:44 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300250° at 33 kt−34 kt-32 °C154 kt13 h 29 min4:11 pm EDT (20:11 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340260° at 43 kt−45 kt-38 °C165 kt12 h 35 min3:17 pm EDT (19:17 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390260° at 44 kt−47 kt-47 °C167 kt12 h 26 min3:08 pm EDT (19:08 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
SACused from 0 nm out; 26 nm from the line110/6L/V 4°010/11 -2°350/11 -7°340/24 -16°360/44 -23°330/24 -30°270/21 -35°230/23 -43°
RNOused from 50 nm out; 32 nm from the line010/9320/10 -2°210/23 -9°210/34 -19°220/36 -25°230/31 -29°230/41 -33°230/38 -42°
BAMused from 200 nm out; 61 nm from the line310/7 0°270/19 -7°200/38 -17°190/49 -28°220/69 -29°220/63 -33°230/48 -41°
ELYused from 250 nm out; 54 nm from the line200/39 3°210/27 -2°210/45 -15°220/56 -24°210/60 -28°210/63 -34°220/61 -43°
SLCused from 399 nm out; 46 nm from the line200/5230/8 2°220/20 -2°210/40 -12°190/53 -25°210/62 -30°220/69 -34°220/64 -43°
RKSused from 549 nm out; 62 nm from the line200/41220/44 1°220/35 -11°220/46 -24°210/53 -27°220/62 -35°230/61 -44°
DENused from 699 nm out; 91 nm from the line240/21 14°250/44 6°220/49 -8°220/49 -21°230/54 -30°240/57 -35°240/49 -45°
BFFused from 799 nm out; 54 nm from the line180/28220/33 15°210/31 7°230/32 -9°220/41 -21°220/40 -33°240/47 -36°250/54 -46°
GRIused from 948 nm out; 106 nm from the line230/35 21°230/23 13°220/20 7°240/25 -8°240/37 -20°250/49 -33°260/57 -38°260/58 -47°
OMAused from 1148 nm out; 18 nm from the line220/47240/33 19°250/18 11°230/17 6°260/29 -8°250/33 -19°250/51 -33°260/61 -40°270/62 -49°
DSMused from 1248 nm out; 31 nm from the line230/40250/33 17°250/18 12°240/17 5°260/28 -8°270/34 -19°260/41 -33°260/55 -41°270/62 -51°
BRLused from 1348 nm out; 34 nm from the line230/24240/29 15°290/16 10°280/15 4°260/23 -7°260/32 -19°260/36 -33°280/48 -41°280/59 -52°
SPIused from 1447 nm out; 61 nm from the line220/21250/23 16°260/27 9°270/14 6°270/23 -7°270/31 -19°270/28 -33°290/48 -42°300/55 -52°
JOTused from 1497 nm out; 47 nm from the line250/23270/22 15°250/16 10°240/9 4°280/22 -7°280/29 -19°300/29 -34°290/50 -43°300/64 -52°
INDused from 1597 nm out; 52 nm from the line290/16310/20 16°320/21 10°330/13 3°300/25 -7°320/32 -19°330/46 -34°320/61 -43°320/63 -50°
FWAused from 1647 nm out; 31 nm from the line300/17320/20 16°330/20 10°340/15 3°310/27 -8°320/37 -20°330/52 -36°330/65 -43°330/60 -50°
CMHused from 1747 nm out; 17 nm from the line330/15340/22 14°340/24 9°340/23 4°340/35 -9°340/49 -20°340/58 -37°330/70 -42°340/55 -47°
AGCused from 1847 nm out; 55 nm from the line350/14330/20 11°340/18 8°330/17 3°340/22 -11°340/31 -22°330/33 -36°300/34 -41°300/35 -47°
EKNused from 1946 nm out; 62 nm from the line330/21 12°330/25 7°350/22 2°330/24 -10°310/27 -21°320/33 -35°290/31 -39°290/34 -47°
PSBused from 1996 nm out; 91 nm from the line360/13 13°330/14 7°300/11 3°290/12 -11°240/23 -23°270/25 -36°250/34 -40°250/45 -48°
RICused from 2046 nm out; 105 nm from the line270/23280/19 11°270/18 8°240/22 4°230/39 -7°220/55 -18°220/75 -30°230/83 -39°230/64 -50°

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
SMF Sacramento, CA departure no report just now 26 ft
TRK Truckee, CA 80 nm out, 19 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 5,904 ft
TMT Austin, NV 210 nm out, 4 nm south of the line no report just now 5,735 ft
PVU Provo, UT 469 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 4,496 ft
CYS Cheyenne, WY 789 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 6,159 ft
CNP Chappell, NE 888 nm out, 2 nm east of the line no report just now 3,681 ft
OMA Omaha, NE 1188 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 984 ft
GBG Galesburg, IL 1437 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line no report just now 764 ft
GUS Peru, IN 1627 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line, tower no report just now 810 ft
OSU Columbus, OH 1777 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 905 ft
MRB Martinsburg, WV 2016 nm out, 3 nm west of the line, tower no report just now 564 ft
BWI Baltimore, MD destination no report just now 143 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,159 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At BWI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:08 pm EDT (19:08 UTC)

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

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

  • 6/3475 BEALE AFB, CA, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 14 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 1 November · ZOA
  • 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 9 nm from the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
  • 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 9 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZDC
  • 6/8800 Baltimore, MD, Saturday, October 17, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 6 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Saturday 17 October · ZDC

Daylight

Sunset at SMF 6:32 pm PDT (01:32 UTC), at BWI 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:59 pm EDT (22:59 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 Pacific Southwest
Radar now, the Pacific Southwest · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Rockies
Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · 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: Sacramento International, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall.