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Route · DTW → CLT · 2020–2025 BTS data

Detroit to Charlotte

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to CLT (Detroit to Charlotte) ranks #348 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

86.8%
On-time
+7.8 pts
vs US avg
85 min
Delay when late
19,717
Flights
#348 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.9%

Best Month

Feb 2024 94%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 72%

Distance

500 mi

Carriers

36

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 291 81 4 0 DL,OH,F9,NK,AA
Nov 2025 306 59 1 0 DL,F9,NK,AA
Oct 2025 321 29 0 0 AA,DL,NK
Sep 2025 283 32 0 0 DL,NK,AA
Aug 2025 313 44 0 0 AA,NK,DL
Jul 2025 314 62 5 0 AA,DL,NK
Jun 2025 313 58 4 1 AA,DL,NK
May 2025 332 39 1 1 AA,DL,NK
Apr 2025 324 48 3 0 DL,AA
Mar 2025 354 38 2 0 AA,DL
Feb 2025 295 61 5 0 AA,DL
Jan 2025 291 49 5 0 AA,DL,YX
Dec 2024 320 46 0 1 9E,AA,DL,YX
Nov 2024 307 32 0 0 9E,YX,DL,AA
Oct 2024 347 33 0 0 DL,AA
Sep 2024 326 43 3 0 9E,AA,DL
Aug 2024 354 75 3 2 AA,DL
Jul 2024 357 92 11 2 AA,DL,OH,YX
Jun 2024 350 80 6 1 9E,AA,DL,OH,OO,YX
May 2024 363 74 4 1 9E,AA,DL,OH,OO
Apr 2024 347 50 0 0 9E,AA,DL,OH,OO
Mar 2024 354 53 2 0 9E,AA,DL
Feb 2024 256 16 0 0 9E,AA,DL
Jan 2024 209 44 6 1 9E,AA,DL

DTW–CLT seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (91.9%) · weakest: July (81.4%)

80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 84.5%

Strongest calendar month

October

91.9% on-time · ~293 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~306 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

81.4% on-time · ~280 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.9%

65 of 7,627 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

10 of 7,627 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

CLT - Charlotte

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Charlotte, NC.

CLT on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DTW vs CLT

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among DTW's stronger departures

DTW → CLT posts a 86.8% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 34 of 94 BTS-tracked routes leaving Detroit. The same hub also shows 60 mid-band and 0 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #672 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About DTW to CLT

Detroit to Charlotte (DTW to CLT) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 86.8% on-time rate across 19,717 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 84.6 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 500 miles and is served by 36 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 65 of 7,627 flights were cancelled (0.9%) and 10 diverted (0.1%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 72% - a 22-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DTW–CLT peaks in October at 91.9% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~306 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 81.4%, a 10.5-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DTW to CLT rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DTW to CLT ranks #348 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 CLT? ▼
Flights from Detroit to Charlotte have a 86.8% on-time rate based on 19,717 flights. The average delay is 84.6 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to CLT? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (65 of 7,627 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DTW to CLT? ▼
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to Charlotte (CLT) is approximately 500 miles. This route is served by 36 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DTW to CLT? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (94% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (72% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DTW Airport

Detroit
CLT Airport

Charlotte
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–CLT data

DTW–CLT runs 7.8 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 CLT airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
  • If your dates flex, October (91.9% on-time) beats July (81.4%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 86.8% 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.