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Route · CMH → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Columbus to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), CMH to DTW (Columbus to Detroit) ranks #1384 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

88.7%
On-time
+9.7 pts
vs US avg
98 min
Delay when late
8,739
Flights
#1384 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.4%

Best Month

Apr 2024 95%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 65%

Distance

155 mi

Carriers

22

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 107 37 3 0 YX,OO
Nov 2025 89 15 2 0 OO,YX
Oct 2025 109 7 0 0 OO,YX
Sep 2025 95 8 0 0 OO,DL,YX
Aug 2025 134 10 0 0 OO,YX
Jul 2025 123 22 1 0 OO,YX
Jun 2025 127 16 0 0 OO,YX
May 2025 143 9 0 0 OO,YX
Apr 2025 120 12 0 0 OO,YX
Mar 2025 122 11 0 0 OO,YX
Feb 2025 106 13 0 0 OO,YX
Jan 2025 109 19 0 0 OO,YX
Dec 2024 129 13 0 0 9E,OO,YX
Nov 2024 144 16 0 0 OO,YX
Oct 2024 145 15 0 0 OO,YX
Sep 2024 140 8 0 0 YX,OO,9E
Aug 2024 139 28 2 0 YX,OO
Jul 2024 136 30 1 0 OO,YX
Jun 2024 133 32 0 0 OO,YX
May 2024 119 13 0 0 9E,OO,YX
Apr 2024 116 6 0 0 9E,OO,YX
Mar 2024 112 12 0 0 DL,YX,OO
Feb 2024 87 11 0 0 DL,OO,YX
Jan 2024 92 22 2 0 9E,DL,YX,OO

CMH–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: March (93.0%) · weakest: December (83.1%)

80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 83.1%

Strongest calendar month

March

93.0% on-time · ~132 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~134 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

83.1% on-time · ~116 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.4%

11 of 2,876 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

0 of 2,876 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

CMH - Columbus

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Columbus, OH.

CMH on-time profile

DTW - Detroit

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Detroit, MI.

DTW on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See CMH and DTW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare CMH vs DTW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among CMH's stronger departures

CMH → DTW posts a 88.7% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 13 of 33 BTS-tracked routes leaving Columbus. The same hub also shows 19 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #289 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About CMH to DTW

Columbus to Detroit (CMH to DTW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 88.7% on-time rate across 8,739 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 97.9 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 155 miles and is served by 22 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 11 of 2,876 flights were cancelled (0.4%) and 0 diverted (0.0%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Apr 2024 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 65% - a 29-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, CMH–DTW peaks in March at 93.0% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~134 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 83.1%, a 9.9-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does CMH to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, CMH to DTW ranks #1384 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1). That ordinal matches our busiest-routes listing (total_flights DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement for the exact sort basis.
How often are flights delayed from CMH to DTW? ▼
Flights from Columbus to Detroit have a 88.7% on-time rate based on 8,739 flights. The average delay is 97.9 minutes. The best recent month was Apr 2024 with 95% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for CMH to DTW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.4% of flights on this route were cancelled (11 of 2,876 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from CMH to DTW? ▼
The flight distance from Columbus (CMH) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 155 miles. This route is served by 22 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from CMH to DTW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Apr 2024 (95% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (65% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

CMH Airport

Columbus
DTW Airport

Detroit
Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Using CMH–DTW data

CMH–DTW runs 9.7 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare CMH and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. CMH airport
  • If your dates flex, March (93.0% on-time) beats December (83.1%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 88.7% on-time rate; compare before you commit to this pairing. Similar routes

On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers on this origin–destination pair, not any single flight or booking recommendation.

Data sourced from U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) On-Time Performance data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFlights

Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this specific route's on-time performance and monthly trend, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.