PlainFlights

Route · DTW → BOS · 2020–2025 BTS data

Detroit to Boston

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to BOS (Detroit to Boston) ranks #649 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

81.8%
On-time
+2.8 pts
vs US avg
75 min
Delay when late
14,572
Flights
#649 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.1%

Best Month

Feb 2024 86%

Worst Month

Jan 2024 68%

Distance

632 mi

Carriers

12

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 199 56 1 0 B6,DL,NK
Nov 2025 227 53 3 0 DL,NK,B6,YX
Oct 2025 279 78 3 0 B6,DL,NK
Sep 2025 244 66 1 0 DL,NK,B6
Aug 2025 250 56 2 0 NK,B6,DL
Jul 2025 250 78 11 0 B6,NK,DL
Jun 2025 250 77 5 0 B6,DL,NK
May 2025 250 72 0 0 B6,DL,NK
Apr 2025 239 42 1 1 DL,NK,YX,B6
Mar 2025 239 34 2 0 B6,YX,DL,NK
Feb 2025 184 39 0 0 B6,YX,DL,NK
Jan 2025 203 32 1 0 B6,DL,NK
Dec 2024 235 66 5 0 B6,DL,NK
Nov 2024 226 43 0 0 B6,NK,DL
Oct 2024 250 42 0 0 DL,NK,B6
Sep 2024 249 39 1 1 B6,DL,NK
Aug 2024 242 69 7 0 B6,DL,NK
Jul 2024 245 63 13 0 B6,DL,NK
Jun 2024 240 53 0 0 B6,DL,NK
May 2024 243 53 0 2 B6,DL,NK
Apr 2024 206 38 1 0 B6,DL
Mar 2024 212 45 1 0 B6,DL,YX
Feb 2024 195 27 2 0 B6,DL,YX
Jan 2024 204 65 3 1 B6,DL,YX

DTW–BOS seasonal on-time pattern

Best: March (85.7%) · weakest: July (77.6%)

76%78%80%82%84%86%88% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 80%

Strongest calendar month

March

85.7% on-time · ~210 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~222 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

77.6% on-time · ~212 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.1%

63 of 5,561 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

5 of 5,561 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

BOS - Boston

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Boston, MA.

BOS on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DTW vs BOS

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: Boston · fleet on-time rank #2431 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DTW to BOS

14,572 tracked flights put the DTW to BOS pairing (Detroit to Boston) at a 81.8% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 74.9 minutes on average. Across the 632-mile route and its 12 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 1.1% cancelled and 0.1% diverted (5,561 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 86% on-time, while Jan 2024 came in at just 68% - a 18-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DTW–BOS peaks in March at 85.7% on-time while October carries the heaviest traffic (~222 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 77.6%, a 8.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DTW to BOS rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DTW to BOS ranks #649 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 BOS? ▼
Flights from Detroit to Boston have a 81.8% on-time rate based on 14,572 flights. The average delay is 74.9 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 86% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to BOS? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.1% of flights on this route were cancelled (63 of 5,561 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DTW to BOS? ▼
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to Boston (BOS) is approximately 632 miles. This route is served by 12 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DTW to BOS? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (86% on-time). The worst was Jan 2024 (68% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DTW Airport

Detroit
BOS Airport

Boston
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–BOS data

DTW–BOS is mid-pack at 81.8% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare DTW and BOS airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
  • If your dates flex, March (85.7% on-time) beats July (77.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 81.8% 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.