Route · DTW → DSM · 2020–2025 BTS data
Detroit to Des Moines
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to DSM (Detroit to Des Moines) ranks #2805 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 89.7%
- On-time
- +10.7 pts
- vs US avg
- 68 min
- Delay when late
- 4,242
- Flights
- #2805 of 4927
- Corpus placement
Cancelled
0.7%
Best Month
Oct 2024 98%
Worst Month
Jan 2024 67%
Distance
534 mi
Carriers
5
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2024 | 75 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 9E |
| Nov 2024 | 77 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9E,DL |
| Oct 2024 | 83 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Sep 2024 | 81 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Aug 2024 | 85 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 9E |
| Jul 2024 | 85 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 9E |
| Jun 2024 | 84 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| May 2024 | 88 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 9E |
| Apr 2024 | 86 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9E |
| Mar 2024 | 81 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Feb 2024 | 58 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Jan 2024 | 61 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 9E |
| Dec 2023 | 68 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Nov 2023 | 80 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Oct 2023 | 80 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Sep 2023 | 81 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 9E,YX |
| Aug 2023 | 79 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 9E |
| Jul 2023 | 81 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Jun 2023 | 82 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| May 2023 | 78 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
| Apr 2023 | 72 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 9E |
| Mar 2023 | 62 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 9E |
| Feb 2023 | 56 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9E |
| Jan 2023 | 61 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9E |
DTW–DSM seasonal on-time pattern
Best: March (94.3%) · weakest: July (85.3%)
Strongest calendar month
March
94.3% on-time · ~77 flights/mo
Busiest calendar month
June
~83 flights/mo avg
Weakest calendar month
July
85.3% on-time · ~73 flights/mo
Cancellation Rate
0.7%
13 of 1,824 flights
Diversion Rate
0.4%
8 of 1,824 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 profileDSM - Des Moines
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Des Moines, IA.
DSM on-time profileCompare the two airports
See DTW and DSM side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Compare DTW vs DSMOrigin-hub reliability standing
Among DTW's stronger departures
DTW → DSM posts a 89.7% 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 #165 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).
Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to DTW–DSM.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
What the Data Says About DTW to DSM
Detroit to Des Moines (DTW to DSM) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 89.7% on-time rate across 4,242 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 67.9 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 534 miles and is served by 5 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 13 of 1,824 flights were cancelled (0.7%) and 8 diverted (0.4%).
The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 98% on-time, while Jan 2024 came in at just 67% - a 30-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
On the multi-year calendar, DTW–DSM peaks in March at 94.3% on-time while June carries the heaviest traffic (~83 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 85.3%, a 9.0-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does DTW to DSM rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
How often are flights delayed from DTW to DSM? ▼
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to DSM? ▼
How far is the flight from DTW to DSM? ▼
When is the best time to fly from DTW to DSM? ▼
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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Using DTW–DSM data
DTW–DSM runs 10.7 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 DSM airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
- If your dates flex, March (94.3% on-time) beats July (85.3%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
- 4 other routes post a similar 89.7% 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.
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.