Route · DCA → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data
Washington to Detroit
The DCA–DTW corridor (Washington, DC → Detroit, MI) runs ahead of the national average, served by 26 carriers across roughly 405 miles.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 84.9%
- On-time
- +5.9 pts
- vs US avg
- 83 min
- Delay when late
- 14,880
- Flights
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 |
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.
Origin airport →DTW - Detroit
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Detroit, MI.
Destination airport →Compare the two airports
See DCA and DTW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Open comparison tool →Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to DCA–DTW.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.
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.