PlainFlights

Route · DEN → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Denver to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DEN to DTW (Denver to Detroit) ranks #491 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

80.5%
On-time
+1.5 pts
vs US avg
64 min
Delay when late
16,944
Flights
#491 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.5%

Best Month

Sep 2024 90%

Worst Month

Jun 2025 67%

Distance

1,123 mi

Carriers

31

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 242 61 3 0 DL,WN,F9,UA
Nov 2025 228 25 3 0 UA,DL,F9,WN
Oct 2025 258 48 0 0 UA,WN,DL,F9
Sep 2025 256 50 0 0 UA,WN,OO,DL,F9
Aug 2025 282 81 0 0 WN,F9,UA,DL
Jul 2025 287 83 4 3 UA,WN,DL,F9
Jun 2025 279 92 0 1 UA,WN,DL,F9
May 2025 256 71 0 1 UA,WN,DL,F9
Apr 2025 239 50 0 1 DL,F9,UA,WN
Mar 2025 242 49 0 0 UA,WN,DL,F9
Feb 2025 198 41 0 0 UA,WN,DL,F9
Jan 2025 207 52 0 0 UA,WN,DL,F9
Dec 2024 243 35 0 0 DL,F9,OO,UA,WN
Nov 2024 237 40 1 1 UA,WN,DL,F9
Oct 2024 275 35 0 0 UA,WN,DL,F9
Sep 2024 267 27 0 0 WN,UA,DL,F9
Aug 2024 271 59 1 2 DL,F9,WN,UA
Jul 2024 267 67 11 0 DL,F9,UA,WN
Jun 2024 257 65 2 0 DL,F9,UA,WN
May 2024 259 70 0 1 DL,F9,UA,WN
Apr 2024 249 63 0 0 DL,F9,UA,WN
Mar 2024 242 55 1 0 DL,F9,UA,WN
Feb 2024 216 53 0 2 DL,F9,UA,WN
Jan 2024 236 64 3 1 DL,F9,WN,UA

DEN–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: November (87.1%) · weakest: June (73.6%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 81.2%

Strongest calendar month

November

87.1% on-time · ~236 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~267 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

73.6% on-time · ~223 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.5%

29 of 5,993 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

13 of 5,993 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

DEN - Denver

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Denver, CO.

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

Compare DEN vs DTW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among DEN departures

From DEN, this corridor sits with 133 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 168 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (8 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 27 below 75%). Destination: Detroit · fleet on-time rank #2920 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DEN to DTW

16,944 tracked flights put the DEN to DTW pairing (Denver to Detroit) at a 80.5% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 63.8 minutes on average. Across the 1,123-mile route and its 31 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 0.5% cancelled and 0.2% diverted (5,993 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Sep 2024 posted the strongest performance at 90% on-time, while Jun 2025 came in at just 67% - a 23-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DEN–DTW peaks in November at 87.1% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~267 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 73.6%, a 13.5-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DEN to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DEN to DTW ranks #491 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 DEN to DTW? ▼
Flights from Denver to Detroit have a 80.5% on-time rate based on 16,944 flights. The average delay is 63.8 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2024 with 90% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DEN to DTW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.5% of flights on this route were cancelled (29 of 5,993 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DEN to DTW? ▼
The flight distance from Denver (DEN) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 1,123 miles. This route is served by 31 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DEN to DTW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2024 (90% on-time). The worst was Jun 2025 (67% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DEN Airport

Denver
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 DEN–DTW data

DEN–DTW is mid-pack at 80.5% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare DEN and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DEN airport
  • If your dates flex, November (87.1% on-time) beats June (73.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 80.5% 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.