Route · DSM → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data
Des Moines to Detroit
The DSM–DTW corridor (Des Moines, IA → Detroit, MI) runs ahead of the national average, served by 4 carriers across roughly 534 miles.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 91.2%
- On-time
- +12.2 pts
- vs US avg
- 80 min
- Delay when late
- 4,240
- Flights
Cancelled
0.8%
Best Month
Dec 2023 99%
Worst Month
Jun 2024 75%
Distance
534 mi
Carriers
4
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2024 | 75 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Nov 2024 | 77 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9E,DL |
| Oct 2024 | 83 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Sep 2024 | 81 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Aug 2024 | 85 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 9E |
| Jul 2024 | 85 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 9E |
| Jun 2024 | 84 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| May 2024 | 88 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Apr 2024 | 86 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 9E |
| Mar 2024 | 81 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Feb 2024 | 58 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Jan 2024 | 61 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 9E |
| Dec 2023 | 68 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9E |
| Nov 2023 | 80 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Oct 2023 | 80 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Sep 2023 | 80 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Aug 2023 | 79 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 9E |
| Jul 2023 | 81 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 9E |
| Jun 2023 | 82 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| May 2023 | 78 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Apr 2023 | 72 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Mar 2023 | 62 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Feb 2023 | 56 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9E |
| Jan 2023 | 61 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
Cancellation Rate
0.8%
14 of 1,823 flights
Diversion Rate
0.1%
2 of 1,823 flights
Explore origin & destination
On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.
DSM - Des Moines
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Des Moines, IA.
Origin airport →DTW - Detroit
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Detroit, MI.
Destination airport →Compare the two airports
See DSM 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 DSM–DTW.
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What the Data Says About DSM to DTW
Des Moines to Detroit (DSM to DTW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 91.2% on-time rate across 4,240 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 80.3 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 534 miles and is served by 4 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 14 of 1,823 flights were cancelled (0.8%) and 2 diverted (0.1%).
The monthly split is wide on this route: Dec 2023 posted the strongest performance at 99% on-time, while Jun 2024 came in at just 75% - a 24-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.