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Route · DTW → ALB · 2020–2025 BTS data

Detroit to Albany

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to ALB (Detroit to Albany) ranks #1758 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.1%
On-time
+5.1 pts
vs US avg
78 min
Delay when late
7,191
Flights
#1758 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.6%

Best Month

May 2024 92%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 59%

Distance

489 mi

Carriers

14

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 99 41 2 0 DL,OO
Nov 2025 102 24 3 0 OO,DL
Oct 2025 108 10 0 1 OO,DL
Sep 2025 77 8 0 0 OO,DL
Aug 2025 84 15 0 0 OO,DL
Jul 2025 88 29 1 0 OO,DL
Jun 2025 87 22 0 0 DL,OO
May 2025 92 14 0 0 OO,DL
Apr 2025 112 14 0 0 OO
Mar 2025 108 12 0 0 OO
Feb 2025 80 27 0 1 OO
Jan 2025 86 25 0 0 OO,DL
Dec 2024 108 32 0 1 9E,DL,OO
Nov 2024 105 17 0 0 OO,9E,DL
Oct 2024 115 20 0 1 OO,DL,9E
Sep 2024 111 12 0 0 OO,9E,DL
Aug 2024 116 28 0 1 DL,9E,OO
Jul 2024 116 26 6 0 9E,DL,OO
Jun 2024 114 37 1 1 9E,DL,OO
May 2024 119 9 0 0 9E,DL,OO
Apr 2024 116 11 0 0 9E,OO
Mar 2024 112 16 1 1 9E,DL,OO
Feb 2024 85 8 0 0 9E,DL,OO
Jan 2024 87 35 1 0 9E,DL,OO

DTW–ALB seasonal on-time pattern

Best: April (90.9%) · weakest: January (74.9%)

70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 78.5%

Strongest calendar month

April

90.9% on-time · ~100 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~108 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

January

74.9% on-time · ~96 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.6%

15 of 2,427 flights

Diversion Rate

0.3%

7 of 2,427 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among DTW departures

From DTW, this corridor sits with 60 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 94 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (34 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 0 below 75%). Destination: Albany · fleet on-time rank #1531 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DTW to ALB

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Detroit to Albany (DTW to ALB) running a 84.1% on-time rate over 7,191 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 77.7 minutes. The 489-mile corridor is served by 14 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.6% of 2,427 flights were cancelled, 0.3% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: May 2024 posted the strongest performance at 92% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 59% - a 34-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DTW–ALB peaks in April at 90.9% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~108 flights per month) ; the softest month is January at 74.9%, a 16.0-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DTW to ALB rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DTW to ALB ranks #1758 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 DTW to ALB?
Flights from Detroit to Albany have a 84.1% on-time rate based on 7,191 flights. The average delay is 77.7 minutes. The best recent month was May 2024 with 92% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to ALB?
Over the last 24 months, 0.6% of flights on this route were cancelled (15 of 2,427 flights) and 0.3% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DTW to ALB?
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to Albany (ALB) is approximately 489 miles. This route is served by 14 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DTW to ALB?
The best recent month for on-time performance was May 2024 (92% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (59% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

Data source

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

Using DTW–ALB data

DTW–ALB runs 5.1 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare DTW and ALB airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
  • If your dates flex, April (90.9% on-time) beats January (74.9%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.1% 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.