Tucson International to Denver International TUS → DEN
555 nautical miles (639 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 031°, about 022° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 53 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 73-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:33 pm MDT (05:33 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 5,514 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 7W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 8:55 pm MST (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 50 to 159 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7W VALID UNTIL 0355Z NM AZ FROM 30NW SJN-30W TCS-60SE SSO-50SE TUS-70S INW-30NW SJN DMSHG AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL310.
- SIGMET 6W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 8:55 pm MST (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 248 to 476 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 6W VALID UNTIL 0355Z CO NM FROM 50SSW DEN-30NNE TBE-50SSW CME-50E SJN-20NE DVC-50SSW DEN AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 20 to 169 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 99 to 486 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 436 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 218 nm of the route.
- 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 347 to 496 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 TUS.
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 7 forecast points nearest it (TUS, PHX, ABQ, FMN, ALS, PUB, DEN). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 25 kt | −25 kt | 11 °C | 145 kt | 3 h 50 min | 12:30 am MDT (06:30 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 29 kt | −29 kt | 9 °C | 149 kt | 3 h 43 min | 12:23 am MDT (06:23 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 36 kt | −36 kt | 5 °C | 156 kt | 3 h 33 min | 12:13 am MDT (06:13 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 41 kt | −40 kt | 1 °C | 160 kt | 3 h 28 min | 12:08 am MDT (06:08 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 45 kt | −45 kt | -3 °C | 165 kt | 3 h 22 min | 12:02 am MDT (06:02 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 50 kt | −50 kt | -8 °C | 170 kt | 3 h 16 min | 11:56 pm MDT (05:56 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 51 kt | −51 kt | -9 °C | 171 kt | 3 h 15 min | 11:55 pm MDT (05:55 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 59 kt | −58 kt | -21 °C | 178 kt | 3 h 07 min | 11:47 pm MDT (05:47 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 75 kt | −71 kt | -27 °C | 191 kt | 2 h 54 min | 11:34 pm MDT (05:34 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 80 kt | −73 kt | -34 °C | 193 kt | 2 h 53 min | 11:33 pm MDT (05:33 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 67 kt | −63 kt | -46 °C | 183 kt | 3 h 02 min | 11:42 pm MDT (05:42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TUS | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 210/13 13° | 200/35 9° | 210/40 5° | 220/50 -7° | 220/59 -18° | 230/79 -26° | 230/84 -35° | 230/84 -48° | |
| PHX | used from 99 nm out; 121 nm from the line | 150/5 | 200/21 12° | 200/27 6° | 200/35 3° | 220/58 -8° | 220/69 -19° | 220/87 -26° | 230/93 -35° | 230/79 -47° |
| ABQ | used from 149 nm out; 127 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° | ||
| FMN | used from 198 nm out; 90 nm from the line | 220/28 9° | 220/40 2° | 220/53 -10° | 220/62 -22° | 230/79 -28° | 240/91 -34° | 230/71 -45° | ||
| ALS | used from 347 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 230/37 4° | 220/54 -9° | 230/62 -22° | 240/77 -26° | 240/74 -33° | 230/59 -45° | |||
| PUB | used from 446 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 230/25 13° | 230/32 6° | 220/44 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 240/70 -28° | 240/67 -34° | 240/58 -46° | ||
| DEN | used from 496 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 240/21 14° | 250/44 6° | 220/49 -8° | 220/49 -21° | 230/54 -30° | 240/57 -35° | 240/49 -45° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TUS Tucson, AZ | departure | no report just now | 2,643 ft | ||||
| JTC Springerville, AZ | 149 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 7,055 ft | ||||
| XNI Zuni, NM | 198 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 6,371 ft | ||||
| GUP Gallup, NM | 228 nm out, 17 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 6,472 ft | ||||
| PSO Pagosa Springs, CO | 367 nm out, 6 nm west of the line | no report just now | 7,663 ft | ||||
| RCV Del Norte, CO | 407 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 7,955 ft | ||||
| ANK Salida, CO | 456 nm out, 8 nm west of the line | no report just now | 7,523 ft | ||||
| APA Denver, CO | 536 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,884 ft | ||||
| DEN Denver, CO | destination | no report just now | 5,433 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,955 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DEN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:33 pm MDT (05:33 UTC)
DEN has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 2 nm from the route, 496 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV
- 6/8770 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 17 nm from the route, 506 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 12 October · ZDV
Daylight
Sunset at TUS 5:55 pm MST (00:55 UTC), at DEN 6:24 pm MDT (00:24 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:51 pm MDT (00:51 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DEN is before sunrise there (7:05 am MDT (13:05 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: Tucson International, Denver International.