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Route · DCA → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to DTW (Washington to Detroit) ranks #624 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.9%
On-time
+5.9 pts
vs US avg
83 min
Delay when late
14,880
Flights
#624 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.6%

Best Month

Feb 2024 94%

Worst Month

Feb 2025 65%

Distance

405 mi

Carriers

26

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 238 75 8 0 DL,OH
Nov 2025 253 68 9 0 DL,OH,AA
Oct 2025 258 31 0 0 OH,YX,DL
Sep 2025 247 31 0 0 MQ,OH,DL,YX
Aug 2025 233 41 5 0 OH,DL
Jul 2025 239 72 23 0 DL,OH
Jun 2025 227 71 14 0 DL,OH
May 2025 238 64 6 0 DL,OH
Apr 2025 224 48 2 0 DL,OH,YX
Mar 2025 226 54 4 0 DL,OH,YX
Feb 2025 208 73 12 0 DL,OH,YX
Jan 2025 228 52 15 0 DL,OH,YX
Dec 2024 221 54 1 0 DL,OH,YX
Nov 2024 220 20 1 1 DL,OH
Oct 2024 230 25 1 0 MQ,DL,YX,OH
Sep 2024 227 32 2 0 YX,OH,DL,MQ
Aug 2024 229 56 9 0 DL,YX,OH
Jul 2024 231 56 20 0 DL,OH,YX
Jun 2024 220 52 3 0 DL,OH,YX
May 2024 232 50 0 0 DL,OH,YX
Apr 2024 227 41 0 0 DL,OH,OO,YX
Mar 2024 230 33 0 0 9E,DL,OH,YX
Feb 2024 216 13 0 0 9E,DL,OH,YX
Jan 2024 222 51 10 0 9E,DL,MQ,YX,OH

DCA–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (91.2%) · weakest: July (76.6%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 84.1%

Strongest calendar month

October

91.2% on-time · ~217 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~221 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

76.6% on-time · ~208 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.6%

145 of 5,524 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

1 of 5,524 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

DCA - Washington

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Washington, DC.

DCA 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 DCA and DTW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare DCA vs DTW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among DCA departures

From DCA, this corridor sits with 77 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 91 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (4 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 10 below 75%). Destination: Detroit · fleet on-time rank #1251 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to DTW

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Washington to Detroit (DCA to DTW) running a 84.9% on-time rate over 14,880 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 82.8 minutes. The 405-mile corridor is served by 26 carriers, and over the last 24 months 2.6% of 5,524 flights were cancelled, 0.0% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Feb 2025 came in at just 65% - a 29-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–DTW peaks in October at 91.2% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~221 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 76.6%, a 14.6-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to DTW ranks #624 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 DCA to DTW? ▼
Flights from Washington to Detroit have a 84.9% on-time rate based on 14,880 flights. The average delay is 82.8 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to DTW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 2.6% of flights on this route were cancelled (145 of 5,524 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to DTW? ▼
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 405 miles. This route is served by 26 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to DTW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (94% on-time). The worst was Feb 2025 (65% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DCA Airport

Washington
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 DCA–DTW data

DCA–DTW runs 5.9 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare DCA and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, October (91.2% on-time) beats July (76.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.9% 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.