PlainFlights

Route · DTW → ATL · 2020–2025 BTS data

Detroit to Atlanta

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to ATL (Detroit to Atlanta) ranks #167 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.6%
On-time
+5.6 pts
vs US avg
72 min
Delay when late
27,904
Flights
#167 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.9%

Best Month

Sep 2024 90%

Worst Month

Jul 2024 67%

Distance

594 mi

Carriers

8

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 380 111 5 1 DL,F9,NK
Nov 2025 376 80 4 1 DL,F9,NK
Oct 2025 428 58 1 1 DL,F9,NK
Sep 2025 426 43 0 1 DL,NK,F9
Aug 2025 444 87 2 2 F9,NK,DL
Jul 2025 443 133 1 2 NK,DL,F9
Jun 2025 431 129 8 0 DL,NK,F9
May 2025 442 97 3 1 DL,NK,F9
Apr 2025 421 65 2 2 DL,F9,NK
Mar 2025 440 79 4 0 DL,F9,NK
Feb 2025 361 78 1 0 DL,F9,NK
Jan 2025 355 67 12 1 DL,F9,NK
Dec 2024 389 88 0 0 DL,F9,NK
Nov 2024 393 48 0 0 NK,DL,F9
Oct 2024 401 51 0 0 DL,NK,F9
Sep 2024 405 40 4 1 DL,F9,NK
Aug 2024 443 93 3 2 DL,F9,NK
Jul 2024 443 145 26 0 DL,F9,NK
Jun 2024 433 86 3 1 DL,F9,NK
May 2024 445 90 2 2 DL,F9,NK
Apr 2024 419 51 0 0 DL,F9,NK
Mar 2024 400 60 1 0 DL,F9,NK
Feb 2024 370 38 0 0 DL,F9,NK
Jan 2024 407 101 4 1 DL,F9,NK

DTW–ATL seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (90.7%) · weakest: July (78.2%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 82.2%

Strongest calendar month

September

90.7% on-time · ~400 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~419 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

78.2% on-time · ~419 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.9%

86 of 9,895 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

19 of 9,895 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

DTW - Detroit

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Detroit, MI.

DTW on-time profile

ATL - Atlanta

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Atlanta, GA.

ATL on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See DTW and ATL side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare DTW vs ATL

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: Atlanta · fleet on-time rank #1359 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DTW to ATL

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Detroit to Atlanta (DTW to ATL) running a 84.6% on-time rate over 27,904 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 72.2 minutes. The 594-mile corridor is served by 8 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.9% of 9,895 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.

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

On the multi-year calendar, DTW–ATL peaks in September at 90.7% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~419 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 78.2%, a 12.5-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DTW to ATL rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DTW to ATL ranks #167 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 ATL? ▼
Flights from Detroit to Atlanta have a 84.6% on-time rate based on 27,904 flights. The average delay is 72.2 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2024 with 90% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to ATL? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (86 of 9,895 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DTW to ATL? ▼
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to Atlanta (ATL) is approximately 594 miles. This route is served by 8 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DTW to ATL? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2024 (90% on-time). The worst was Jul 2024 (67% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DTW Airport

Detroit
ATL Airport

Atlanta
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 DTW–ATL data

DTW–ATL runs 5.6 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 ATL airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
  • If your dates flex, September (90.7% on-time) beats July (78.2%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.6% 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.