Detroit, MI

What the Data Says About DTW

Detroit, MI in Detroit, Michigan handled 1,488,949 flights in the Bureau of Transportation Statistics dataset between 2020 and 2025, posting a 84.8% on-time departure rate. Of those flights, 226,988 experienced delays, 12,186 were cancelled, and 1,486 were diverted. The cancellation rate works out to 0.82%, the diversion rate to 0.10%, and the average delay when departures run late is 81.3 minutes. These figures are the baseline for comparing DTW against other airports in the same state and nationally.

Breaking down what drives delays at DTW, Carrier leads the pack. Carrier accounts for 51.7% of total delay minutes, followed by NAS (National Aviation System) at 20.1% and Late Aircraft at 19.3%. Weather contributes 8.7% of delay minutes at this airport, while security holds the smallest share at 0.1%. Travelers often overestimate the weather share; the BTS categorization shows late-arriving aircraft and carrier operations as the larger contributors.

Seasonally, September runs the cleanest at DTW with a 94.5% on-time rate, while July is the roughest at 90% — a 5-point swing between best and worst month. Volume peaks in March, when average flights hit 22,543. The busiest route from DTW is to DTW (Detroit), with 29,459 flights at a 81.6% on-time rate. Combine these numbers — 84.8% on-time, 81.3-minute average delay, 0.82% cancellation rate — and you have a concrete picture of departure reliability at Detroit, MI.