Tampa International to Charlotte/Douglas International TPA → CLT
442 nautical miles (509 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 010°, about 015° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 48 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 38-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:29 am EDT (09:29 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now TPA is VFR, wind calm; CLT is VFR, wind from the west (260°) at 7 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: 6,129 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 TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the last 39 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 TPA.
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 4 forecast points nearest it (PIE, JAX, SAV, 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 | 310° at 13 kt | +6 kt | 114 kt | 3 h 53 min | 6:34 am EDT (10:34 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 310° at 13 kt | +6 kt | 114 kt | 3 h 53 min | 6:34 am EDT (10:34 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | +6 kt | 13 °C | 114 kt | 3 h 53 min | 6:34 am EDT (10:34 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 300° at 19 kt | +6 kt | 11 °C | 114 kt | 3 h 53 min | 6:34 am EDT (10:34 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 290° at 22 kt | +2 kt | 8 °C | 118 kt | 3 h 45 min | 6:26 am EDT (10:26 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 280° at 24 kt | −1 kt | 4 °C | 121 kt | 3 h 39 min | 6:20 am EDT (10:20 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 270° at 26 kt | −4 kt | -1 °C | 124 kt | 3 h 34 min | 6:15 am EDT (10:15 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 260° at 29 kt | −8 kt | -5 °C | 128 kt | 3 h 27 min | 6:08 am EDT (10:08 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 29 kt | −9 kt | -6 °C | 129 kt | 3 h 26 min | 6:07 am EDT (10:07 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 34 kt | −12 kt | -17 °C | 132 kt | 3 h 21 min | 6:02 am EDT (10:02 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 43 kt | −28 kt | -32 °C | 148 kt | 2 h 59 min | 5:40 am EDT (09:40 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 48 kt | −38 kt | -40 °C | 158 kt | 2 h 48 min | 5:29 am EDT (09:29 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 41 kt | −28 kt | -51 °C | 148 kt | 2 h 59 min | 5:40 am EDT (09:40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIE | used from 0 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 350/6 | L/V 18° | 290/6 14° | 280/9 9° | 250/18 -6° | 250/23 -17° | 240/30 -31° | 220/31 -41° | 220/30 -52° |
| JAX | used from 98 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 290/14 | 300/16 17° | 280/22 14° | 280/24 8° | 250/32 -6° | 250/37 -17° | 230/50 -31° | 220/52 -41° | 220/51 -52° |
| SAV | used from 196 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 280/23 | 300/22 14° | 290/27 11° | 270/31 6° | 260/36 -5° | 260/38 -17° | 240/49 -32° | 230/68 -40° | 230/59 -51° |
| CAE | used from 295 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 330/15 | 330/13 12° | 330/22 9° | 300/26 6° | 280/33 -7° | 270/38 -18° | 250/45 -33° | 240/46 -40° | 270/38 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TPA Tampa, FL | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 26 ft | 1:53 am EDT (05:53 UTC) |
| BKV Brooksville, FL | 29 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 3 mi | none | 76 ft | 06:04 UTC |
| OCF Ocala, FL | 69 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the northwest (320°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 90 ft | 05:51 UTC |
| GNV Gainesville, FL | 108 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (270°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 151 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| VQQ Jacksonville, FL | 138 nm out, 10 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 79 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| JES Jesup, GA | 216 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 107 ft | 22:20 UTC |
| LHW Fort Stewart (Hinesville), GA | 236 nm out, 9 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 46 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| JYL Sylvania, GA | 285 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | reported, no category | from the west-northwest (300°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 190 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| BNL Barnwell, SC | 324 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 knots | 7 mi | none | 246 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| CAE Columbia, SC | 363 nm out, 7 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 235 ft | 05:56 UTC |
| DCM Chester, SC | 413 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 656 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| CLT Charlotte, NC | destination | VFR | from the west (260°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 747 ft | 1:52 am EDT (05:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 747 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CLT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:29 am EDT (09:29 UTC)
Wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for CLT
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for TPA, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8389 Jacksonville, FL, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 15 nm from the route, 138 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Thursday 15 October · ZJX
- 6/8902 MAYPORT, FL, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 through Saturday, October 17, 2026 Local 25 nm from the route, 147 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZJX
Daylight
Sunset at TPA 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC), at CLT 6:52 pm EDT (22:52 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm EDT (23:18 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CLT is before sunrise there (7:27 am EDT (11:27 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: Tampa International, Charlotte/Douglas International.