Tucson International to Reno/Tahoe International TUS → RNO
617 nautical miles (710 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 318°, about 309° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 43 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 11-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:26 am PDT (14:26 UTC). Right now TUS is VFR, wind calm; RNO is VFR, wind calm. 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: 13 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 SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 149 to 219 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 259 to 458 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 60 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 TUS.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed
The westbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: even thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 6 forecast points nearest it (TUS, PHX, PRC, LAS, BIH, RNO). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 210° at 10 kt | −3 kt | 9 °C | 123 kt | 5 h 01 min | 7:44 am PDT (14:44 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 210° at 12 kt | −3 kt | 9 °C | 123 kt | 5 h 01 min | 7:44 am PDT (14:44 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 210° at 19 kt | −7 kt | 6 °C | 127 kt | 4 h 51 min | 7:34 am PDT (14:34 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 200° at 23 kt | −9 kt | 0 °C | 129 kt | 4 h 47 min | 7:30 am PDT (14:30 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 200° at 27 kt | −11 kt | -4 °C | 131 kt | 4 h 43 min | 7:26 am PDT (14:26 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 210° at 33 kt | −10 kt | -8 °C | 130 kt | 4 h 45 min | 7:28 am PDT (14:28 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 210° at 39 kt | −9 kt | -11 °C | 129 kt | 4 h 47 min | 7:30 am PDT (14:30 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 43 kt | −8 kt | -13 °C | 128 kt | 4 h 49 min | 7:32 am PDT (14:32 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 49 kt | −3 kt | -22 °C | 123 kt | 5 h 01 min | 7:44 am PDT (14:44 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 62 kt | −4 kt | -30 °C | 124 kt | 4 h 59 min | 7:42 am PDT (14:42 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 70 kt | −6 kt | -36 °C | 126 kt | 4 h 54 min | 7:37 am PDT (14:37 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 64 kt | −7 kt | -44 °C | 127 kt | 4 h 51 min | 7:34 am PDT (14:34 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 | 200/12 13° | 200/34 7° | 210/41 4° | 230/53 -7° | 220/69 -19° | 220/84 -27° | 220/88 -36° | 220/83 -48° | |
| PHX | used from 50 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 190/15 | 210/25 12° | 200/34 4° | 200/34 2° | 220/58 -9° | 220/75 -19° | 220/91 -28° | 220/100 -35° | 220/95 -47° |
| PRC | used from 149 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 200/37 6° | 200/35 0° | 220/60 -11° | 220/71 -20° | 220/88 -29° | 220/98 -35° | 220/94 -45° | ||
| LAS | used from 249 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 210/20 8° | 210/29 4° | 200/32 -3° | 200/51 -15° | 210/64 -21° | 220/70 -30° | 220/66 -38° | 220/55 -44° | |
| BIH | used from 398 nm out; 74 nm from the line | L/V | 020/6 0° | 140/7 -7° | 210/31 -16° | 230/34 -26° | 220/43 -30° | 220/52 -36° | 220/46 -43° | |
| RNO | used from 547 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 010/6 | 270/12 -3° | 220/26 -10° | 280/13 -19° | 350/44 -24° | 320/30 -32° | 260/22 -36° | 240/24 -42° |
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 | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,800 feet, overcast at 7,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 2,643 ft | 1:53 am MST (08:53 UTC) |
| MZJ Marana, AZ | 30 nm out, 1 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 feet, scattered clouds at 7,500 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet | from the south (180°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 8,000 ft | 1,893 ft | 09:30 UTC |
| GYR Goodyear, AZ | 109 nm out, 3 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 feet, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 969 ft | 03:47 UTC |
| IGM Kingman, AZ | 239 nm out, 17 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,000 feet | from the east (100°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,448 ft | 08:51 UTC |
| HND Las Vegas, NV | 308 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,491 ft | 08:56 UTC |
| LAS Las Vegas, NV | 318 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 feet, a few clouds at 10,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,183 ft | 08:56 UTC |
| BTY Beatty, NV | 408 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 3,169 ft | ||||
| HTH Hawthorne, NV | 537 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the north-northwest (340°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,230 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| SPZ Silver Springs, NV | 597 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 4,265 ft | ||||
| RNO Reno, NV | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 8,500 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 8,500 ft | 4,414 ft | 1:55 am PDT (08:55 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,414 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RNO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:26 am PDT (14:26 UTC)
Wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for RNO
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am PDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm PDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
The forecast for TUS, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 8,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am MST (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MST (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm MST (03:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local on the route, 259 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
- 6/8890 LAS VEGAS, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, 298 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
- 6/8808 Las Vegas, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 7 nm from the route, 318 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at TUS 5:53 pm MST (00:53 UTC), at RNO 6:23 pm PDT (01:23 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:50 pm PDT (01:50 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, Reno/Tahoe International.