The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 7:20 pm CDT (00:20 UTC)

Waukegan Ntl Airport to Palm Springs International UGN → PSP

1,439 nautical miles (1,656 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 259°, about 262° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 14 h 15 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 19-knot headwind), arriving about 7:35 am PDT (14:35 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: 5 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 W68W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 36,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 8:55 pm CDT (01:55 UTC). Over the route from 820 to 1059 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 112355
    MKCW WST 112355
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 68W
    VALID UNTIL 0155Z
    CO NM AZ UT
    FROM 30W CHE-20NNW TBE-60SE ABQ-40N SJN-30SW MTU-30W CHE
    AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL360.
  • SIGMET W69W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 8:55 pm CDT (01:55 UTC). Over the route from 1189 to 1219 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 112355
    MKCW WST 112355
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 69W
    VALID UNTIL 0155Z
    TX NM AZ
    FROM 50ENE PGS-60SE ABQ-20ENE ELP-70SSW SSO-50SE BZA-50ENE PGS
    AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 770 to 1319 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 800 to 1409 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 890 to 1319 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 929 to 969 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 1049 to 1099 nm out.
  • AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 1159 to 1389 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1179 to 1309 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the last 80 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 6E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 0 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 UGN.

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 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 13 forecast points nearest it (JOT, DBQ, DSM, OMA, GRI, GLD, PUB, ALS, FMN, BCE, PRC, BLH, ONT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft210° at 25 kt+19 kt19 °C101 kt14 h 15 min7:35 am PDT (14:35 UTC)
6,500 ft220° at 24 kt+21 kt15 °C99 kt14 h 32 min7:52 am PDT (14:52 UTC)
8,500 ft220° at 24 kt+22 kt11 °C98 kt14 h 41 min8:01 am PDT (15:01 UTC)
10,500 ft220° at 24 kt+23 kt7 °C97 kt14 h 50 min8:10 am PDT (15:10 UTC)
12,500 ft230° at 25 kt+24 kt3 °C96 kt14 h 59 min8:19 am PDT (15:19 UTC)
14,500 ft230° at 28 kt+28 kt-1 °C92 kt15 h 38 min8:58 am PDT (15:58 UTC)
16,500 ft230° at 32 kt+31 kt-5 °C89 kt16 h 10 min9:30 am PDT (16:30 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180230° at 34 kt+34 kt-8 °C86 kt16 h 44 min10:04 am PDT (17:04 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 39 kt+39 kt-20 °C81 kt17 h 46 min11:06 am PDT (18:06 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 50 kt+51 kt-31 °C69 kt20 h 51 min2:11 pm PDT (21:11 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340250° at 54 kt+56 kt-38 °C64 kt22 h 29 min3:49 pm PDT (22:49 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390250° at 54 kt+56 kt-48 °C64 kt22 h 29 min3:49 pm PDT (22:49 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
JOTused from 0 nm out; 50 nm from the line230/11290/12 16°300/19 10°320/19 4°300/17 -9°330/31 -20°320/49 -37°320/53 -45°320/67 -49°
DBQused from 50 nm out; 55 nm from the line220/23240/22 16°240/24 10°260/18 5°270/16 -8°290/27 -19°310/42 -35°320/55 -44°300/71 -52°
DSMused from 200 nm out; 40 nm from the line200/32240/27 17°260/19 10°260/16 5°260/19 -7°240/22 -19°270/20 -32°270/38 -42°290/58 -53°
OMAused from 300 nm out; 46 nm from the line190/34230/34 19°250/25 12°250/18 6°250/22 -7°250/28 -19°260/34 -32°260/39 -41°280/56 -51°
GRIused from 400 nm out; 62 nm from the line210/31 19°240/21 14°240/17 6°260/27 -7°260/34 -18°240/45 -32°250/56 -40°260/62 -51°
GLDused from 550 nm out; 78 nm from the line190/29200/30 15°240/23 8°250/39 -7°230/39 -19°230/57 -31°240/67 -39°250/62 -49°
PUBused from 750 nm out; 28 nm from the line210/24 16°210/28 8°230/43 -8°240/42 -21°240/77 -30°240/72 -36°250/51 -47°
ALSused from 850 nm out; 37 nm from the line210/32 5°230/48 -8°230/49 -20°230/78 -30°240/74 -36°240/61 -47°
FMNused from 949 nm out; 38 nm from the line220/25 13°220/28 4°210/51 -9°220/59 -21°230/78 -30°230/77 -36°230/66 -46°
BCEused from 1099 nm out; 106 nm from the line210/47 0°200/50 -12°220/31 -23°220/56 -26°220/58 -35°230/58 -45°
PRCused from 1149 nm out; 82 nm from the line200/36 6°210/46 0°220/60 -10°220/75 -19°220/66 -26°230/70 -33°230/59 -45°
BLHused from 1299 nm out; 69 nm from the line230/22210/24 11°230/23 5°230/26 0°220/38 -10°230/52 -19°220/58 -28°220/69 -34°220/59 -45°
ONTused from 1399 nm out; 72 nm from the line230/11200/17 6°230/27 4°230/32 -2°210/39 -12°220/51 -20°220/48 -29°210/51 -34°210/52 -44°

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
UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL departure no report just now 728 ft
RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL 60 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower no report just now 742 ft
CID Cedar Rapids, IA 170 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 869 ft
LNK Lincoln, NE 410 nm out, 8 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 1,218 ft
FMZ Fairmont, NE 450 nm out, 4 nm north of the line no report just now 1,636 ft
ITR Burlington, CO 680 nm out, 2 nm west of the line no report just now 4,218 ft
PUB Pueblo, CO 800 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line, tower no report just now 4,729 ft
CEZ Cortez, CO 999 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line no report just now 5,917 ft
GCN Grand Canyon, AZ 1189 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 6,608 ft
IFP Bullhead City, AZ 1319 nm out, 23 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 707 ft
PSP Palm Springs, CA destination no report just now 476 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,608 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At PSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:35 am PDT (14:35 UTC)

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

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

  • 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local 13 nm from the route, 1319 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
  • 6/8887 Indio, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 14 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 12 October · ZLA

Daylight

Sunset at UGN 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC), at PSP 6:16 pm PDT (01:16 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:41 pm PDT (01:41 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 upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Rockies
Radar now, the southern 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: Waukegan Ntl Airport, Palm Springs International.