Best VFR Flying Regions in the United States

Name: Best VFR Flying Regions in the United States
Creator: ATIS Alerts

Among the 32 ATIS Alerts flying regions analyzed for 2006–2025, Southern Arizona had the strongest VFR weather, with an ATIS Alerts VFR Score of 92.1 and about 98% daylight VFR.

Regions are ranked by the ATIS Alerts VFR Score — a 0–100 blend of daylight VFR frequency, estimated VFR flying days, visibility and ceiling performance, low-wind frequency, and seasonal consistency, averaged across each region's eligible airports.

Regions ranked: 32
Study period: 2006–2025
Metric: VFR Score
Updated: 2026-07-20

Regions ranked by VFR weather

#	Region	VFR Score	Daylight VFR	VFR days/yr	Mean wind	Airports
1	Southern ArizonaAZ	92.1	98.4%	351	5.5 kt	9
2	Northern ArizonaAZ	85.1	95.6%	336	6.0 kt	8
3	Desert SouthwestNM, TX	83.0	95.4%	338	7.6 kt	22
4	Southern California Inland & DesertsCA	82.3	93.9%	336	6.4 kt	11
5	Southern RockiesCO	80.8	93.9%	322	5.0 kt	14
6	Great BasinNV, UT, ID, OR	79.5	91.6%	322	6.3 kt	37
7	HawaiiHI	73.2	91.5%	292	8.3 kt	8
8	South FloridaFL	70.5	92.5%	296	7.1 kt	14
9	Front RangeCO, WY	69.6	90.0%	314	7.7 kt	19
10	Northern RockiesMT, WY, ID	68.7	87.8%	302	7.6 kt	39
11	California Central ValleyCA	67.8	88.7%	296	5.2 kt	14
12	Central FloridaFL	66.4	89.3%	293	5.7 kt	21
13	Inland NorthwestWA, OR, ID	65.4	88.2%	291	5.9 kt	24
14	Northern CaliforniaCA	58.4	82.2%	283	5.3 kt	24
15	Alaska Interior & SouthcentralAK	55.6	82.8%	228	4.4 kt	27
16	Southern AppalachiansGA, SC, NC, TN	54.1	81.3%	272	4.4 kt	117
17	Southern PlainsOK, AR, TX	54.1	82.7%	281	7.1 kt	110
18	North FloridaFL	53.5	83.3%	268	5.4 kt	11
19	Southern California CoastCA	52.0	79.2%	284	4.9 kt	25
20	Mid-AtlanticNY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC, VA, WV	50.9	79.8%	269	5.2 kt	108
21	Central PlainsNE, KS, IA, MO	50.2	81.8%	274	8.0 kt	135
22	Central Gulf CoastLA, MS, AL, FL	48.6	80.7%	264	5.0 kt	60
23	Texas Hill CountryTX	45.4	78.2%	273	6.3 kt	15
24	New EnglandME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT	43.0	76.3%	252	5.7 kt	64
25	Ohio ValleyOH, IN, IL, KY, TN, WV, PA	41.7	77.7%	250	5.9 kt	96
26	Texas Gulf CoastTX	41.5	79.0%	260	7.2 kt	29
27	Northern PlainsND, SD, MN, WI	40.2	77.3%	250	7.0 kt	116
28	Pacific Northwest CoastWA, OR	38.6	74.4%	225	5.0 kt	31
29	Alaska SoutheastAK	33.6	71.2%	203	5.3 kt	10
30	Great LakesMI, WI, OH, IN, IL, PA, NY	32.8	74.3%	232	6.6 kt	161
31	Alaska Southwest & AleutiansAK	22.2	61.2%	161	9.4 kt	12
32	Alaska ArcticAK	19.9	60.1%	142	9.5 kt	9

How the regions are ranked

Each region's score is the average VFR Score of its eligible airports — those with at least 10 complete years of quality-controlled observations across 2006–2025. Regions with fewer than five eligible airports are not ranked. This reflects historical observed weather, not a current forecast or a safety rating. See the full methodology.

Educational use only. Historical weather rankings from ATIS Alerts are educational summaries of past observations — not a forecast, flight-planning tool, or safety rating. They do not replace current METARs, TAFs, NOTAMs, ATIS, or a weather briefing, and favorable history does not make any airport safe. Always check current conditions and use your own judgment before flight.

Explore: all flying regions · airports with the most VFR weather · all rankings.