PlainFlights

Route · DTW → BUF · 2020–2025 BTS data

Detroit to Buffalo

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to BUF (Detroit to Buffalo) ranks #1728 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.5%
On-time
+5.5 pts
vs US avg
79 min
Delay when late
7,311
Flights
#1728 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.2%

Best Month

Feb 2024 97%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 61%

Distance

241 mi

Carriers

19

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 98 38 4 0 DL,YX,OO
Nov 2025 108 17 4 0 OO,DL,YX
Oct 2025 128 14 0 0 OO,DL
Sep 2025 54 6 0 0 OO,DL
Aug 2025 38 12 0 1 OO,DL
Jul 2025 34 16 0 0 OO,DL
Jun 2025 50 18 0 0 OO,DL
May 2025 116 15 0 0 OO,DL
Apr 2025 112 26 0 0 DL,OO
Mar 2025 104 21 0 0 OO,DL
Feb 2025 61 19 0 0 OO,DL
Jan 2025 65 20 0 0 OO,DL
Dec 2024 107 36 0 0 9E,DL,OO
Nov 2024 105 18 0 0 OO,DL,9E
Oct 2024 116 22 0 0 OO,DL,9E
Sep 2024 111 17 0 1 OO,9E,DL
Aug 2024 116 34 3 0 DL,9E,OO
Jul 2024 116 37 6 0 9E,DL,OO
Jun 2024 114 27 1 0 9E,DL,OO
May 2024 119 21 0 0 9E,DL,OO
Apr 2024 116 15 0 0 9E,DL,OO
Mar 2024 112 12 0 1 9E,DL,OO
Feb 2024 87 3 0 0 DL,OO
Jan 2024 93 34 9 0 9E,DL,OO

DTW–BUF seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (90.4%) · weakest: January (78.7%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 80.1%

Strongest calendar month

September

90.4% on-time · ~103 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~114 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

January

78.7% on-time · ~93 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.2%

27 of 2,280 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

3 of 2,280 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

BUF - Buffalo

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Buffalo, NY.

BUF on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DTW vs BUF

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: Buffalo · fleet on-time rank #1394 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DTW to BUF

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Detroit to Buffalo (DTW to BUF) running a 84.5% on-time rate over 7,311 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 78.6 minutes. The 241-mile corridor is served by 19 carriers, and over the last 24 months 1.2% of 2,280 flights were cancelled, 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 97% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 61% - a 35-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DTW–BUF peaks in September at 90.4% on-time while October carries the heaviest traffic (~114 flights per month) ; the softest month is January at 78.7%, a 11.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DTW to BUF rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DTW to BUF ranks #1728 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 BUF? ▼
Flights from Detroit to Buffalo have a 84.5% on-time rate based on 7,311 flights. The average delay is 78.6 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 97% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to BUF? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.2% of flights on this route were cancelled (27 of 2,280 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DTW to BUF? ▼
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to Buffalo (BUF) is approximately 241 miles. This route is served by 19 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DTW to BUF? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (97% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (61% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DTW Airport

Detroit
BUF Airport

Buffalo
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–BUF data

DTW–BUF runs 5.5 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 BUF airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
  • If your dates flex, September (90.4% on-time) beats January (78.7%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.5% 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.