PlainFlights

Route · DTW → DFW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Detroit to Dallas/Fort Worth

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to DFW (Detroit to Dallas/Fort Worth) ranks #333 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

79.9%
On-time
+0.9 pts
vs US avg
78 min
Delay when late
19,999
Flights
#333 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.6%

Best Month

Feb 2024 90%

Worst Month

May 2024 62%

Distance

986 mi

Carriers

27

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 302 102 4 0 DL,F9,NK,AA
Nov 2025 301 78 7 0 DL,F9,MQ,NK,AA
Oct 2025 310 56 2 1 AA,DL,F9,NK
Sep 2025 289 47 5 2 MQ,DL,NK,F9,AA
Aug 2025 317 63 5 7 AA,F9,MQ,NK,DL
Jul 2025 334 89 5 1 AA,NK,DL,F9,MQ
Jun 2025 332 85 9 3 AA,NK,DL,F9,MQ
May 2025 346 106 5 5 AA,NK,DL,F9,MQ
Apr 2025 358 122 7 1 DL,F9,MQ,NK,AA
Mar 2025 370 68 3 2 AA,DL,F9,NK
Feb 2025 302 82 2 0 AA,DL,F9,NK
Jan 2025 333 80 16 0 AA,DL,NK,F9,MQ
Dec 2024 342 88 1 6 AA,DL,F9,MQ,NK
Nov 2024 337 76 3 3 NK,DL,F9,AA
Oct 2024 355 46 1 0 DL,NK,F9,AA
Sep 2024 288 49 0 0 AA,DL,F9,NK
Aug 2024 318 75 1 0 AA,DL,F9,NK
Jul 2024 318 110 16 1 AA,DL,F9,NK
Jun 2024 310 84 1 2 AA,DL,F9,MQ,NK
May 2024 319 120 16 5 AA,DL,F9,MQ,NK
Apr 2024 271 61 4 1 AA,DL,F9,NK
Mar 2024 274 56 2 0 AA,DL,NK
Feb 2024 249 26 0 0 AA,DL,NK
Jan 2024 250 92 8 0 AA,DL,NK

DTW–DFW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (85.3%) · weakest: July (73.9%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 77.6%

Strongest calendar month

September

85.3% on-time · ~276 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~304 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

73.9% on-time · ~293 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.6%

123 of 7,525 flights

Diversion Rate

0.5%

40 of 7,525 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: Dallas/Fort Worth · fleet on-time rank #3180 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DTW to DFW

19,999 tracked flights put the DTW to DFW pairing (Detroit to Dallas/Fort Worth) at a 79.9% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 78.0 minutes on average. Across the 986-mile route and its 27 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 1.6% cancelled and 0.5% diverted (7,525 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 90% on-time, while May 2024 came in at just 62% - a 27-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DTW–DFW peaks in September at 85.3% on-time while October carries the heaviest traffic (~304 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 73.9%, a 11.4-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DTW to DFW rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DTW to DFW ranks #333 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 DFW?
Flights from Detroit to Dallas/Fort Worth have a 79.9% on-time rate based on 19,999 flights. The average delay is 78.0 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 90% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to DFW?
Over the last 24 months, 1.6% of flights on this route were cancelled (123 of 7,525 flights) and 0.5% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DTW to DFW?
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) is approximately 986 miles. This route is served by 27 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DTW to DFW?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (90% on-time). The worst was May 2024 (62% 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–DFW data

DTW–DFW is mid-pack at 79.9% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare DTW and DFW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
  • If your dates flex, September (85.3% on-time) beats July (73.9%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 79.9% 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.