Tucson International to Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport TUS → MSP
1,127 nautical miles (1,297 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 042°, about 033° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 12 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 62-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:26 am CDT (08:26 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: 461 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 40 to 160 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 209 to 499 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 269 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 60 to 409 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 130 to 539 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 359 to 489 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). Near the route, 369 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 608 to 708 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 20:00–03:00 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 9 forecast points nearest it (TUS, ABQ, ALS, PUB, GLD, GRI, ONL, FSD, MSP). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 210° at 23 kt | −22 kt | 17 °C | 142 kt | 7 h 56 min | 5:10 am CDT (10:10 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 25 kt | −24 kt | 14 °C | 144 kt | 7 h 50 min | 5:04 am CDT (10:04 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 26 kt | −26 kt | 12 °C | 146 kt | 7 h 43 min | 4:57 am CDT (09:57 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 26 kt | −26 kt | 7 °C | 146 kt | 7 h 43 min | 4:57 am CDT (09:57 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 28 kt | −28 kt | 3 °C | 148 kt | 7 h 37 min | 4:51 am CDT (09:51 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 31 kt | −31 kt | -2 °C | 151 kt | 7 h 28 min | 4:42 am CDT (09:42 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 34 kt | −35 kt | -7 °C | 155 kt | 7 h 16 min | 4:30 am CDT (09:30 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 35 kt | −36 kt | -8 °C | 156 kt | 7 h 13 min | 4:27 am CDT (09:27 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 40 kt | −40 kt | -19 °C | 160 kt | 7 h 03 min | 4:17 am CDT (09:17 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 61 kt | −61 kt | -31 °C | 181 kt | 6 h 14 min | 3:28 am CDT (08:28 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 64 kt | −62 kt | -39 °C | 182 kt | 6 h 12 min | 3:26 am CDT (08:26 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 61 kt | −57 kt | -49 °C | 177 kt | 6 h 22 min | 3:36 am CDT (08:36 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 | 220/17 15° | 210/32 7° | 210/43 5° | 210/49 -7° | 220/64 -18° | 220/83 -26° | 230/81 -36° | 230/72 -48° | |
| ABQ | used from 150 nm out; 108 nm from the line | 200/28 13° | 210/28 5° | 210/44 -7° | 230/46 -20° | 230/80 -28° | 240/74 -35° | 240/58 -47° | ||
| ALS | used from 349 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 210/32 5° | 230/48 -8° | 230/49 -20° | 230/78 -30° | 240/74 -36° | 240/61 -47° | |||
| PUB | used from 449 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 210/24 16° | 210/28 8° | 230/43 -8° | 240/42 -21° | 240/77 -30° | 240/72 -36° | 250/51 -47° | ||
| GLD | used from 549 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 190/29 | 200/30 15° | 240/23 8° | 250/39 -7° | 230/39 -19° | 230/57 -31° | 240/67 -39° | 250/62 -49° | |
| GRI | used from 698 nm out; 94 nm from the line | 210/31 19° | 240/21 14° | 240/17 6° | 260/27 -7° | 260/34 -18° | 240/45 -32° | 250/56 -40° | 260/62 -51° | |
| ONL | used from 798 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 200/20 17° | 230/26 14° | 240/21 7° | 250/27 -9° | 260/32 -19° | 240/44 -34° | 240/56 -41° | 250/62 -51° | |
| FSD | used from 898 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 200/16 | 220/20 17° | 240/26 13° | 230/19 6° | 240/25 -9° | 240/28 -20° | 250/39 -33° | 250/44 -43° | 260/63 -52° |
| MSP | used from 1047 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 200/28 | 240/30 19° | 240/24 12° | 240/17 5° | 270/24 -10° | 270/33 -20° | 280/48 -35° | 290/55 -45° | 280/84 -54° |
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 | ||||
| SAD Safford, AZ | 80 nm out, 19 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 3,178 ft | ||||
| JTC Springerville, AZ | 140 nm out, 22 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 7,055 ft | ||||
| GNT Grants, NM | 239 nm out, 14 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 6,536 ft | ||||
| SKX Taos, NM | 369 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 7,094 ft | ||||
| LHX La Junta, CO | 509 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 4,228 ft | ||||
| ITR Burlington, CO | 598 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | no report just now | 4,218 ft | ||||
| CZD Cozad, NE | 748 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 2,503 ft | ||||
| ODX Ord, NE | 808 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,070 ft | ||||
| VMR Vermillion, SD | 918 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,146 ft | ||||
| MWM Windom, MN | 1027 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,410 ft | ||||
| MSP Minneapolis, MN | destination | no report just now | 841 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,094 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:26 am CDT (08:26 UTC)
MSP has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 19 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 19 October · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at TUS 5:55 pm MST (00:55 UTC), at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm CDT (00:03 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSP is before sunrise there (7:24 am CDT (12:24 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, Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport.