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Route · DTW → IND · 2020–2025 BTS data

Detroit to Indianapolis

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to IND (Detroit to Indianapolis) ranks #1571 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

86.5%
On-time
+7.5 pts
vs US avg
71 min
Delay when late
7,896
Flights
#1571 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.6%

Best Month

Apr 2025 98%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 58%

Distance

231 mi

Carriers

27

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 92 39 3 0 DL,YX,OO
Nov 2025 97 12 6 1 OO,YX
Oct 2025 42 2 0 0 OO,YX
Sep 2025 82 6 0 0 OO
Aug 2025 58 8 0 0 OO,YX
Jul 2025 50 12 0 0 OO,YX
May 2025 37 0 0 0 OO,YX,DL
Apr 2025 56 1 0 0 OO,YX,DL
Mar 2025 47 2 0 0 OO,YX
Dec 2024 139 31 0 0 9E,DL,OO,YX
Nov 2024 133 17 0 0 OO,YX,DL,9E
Oct 2024 145 23 0 0 OO,DL,9E
Sep 2024 140 12 1 0 YX,OO,9E,DL
Aug 2024 139 21 0 1 DL,9E,OO
Jul 2024 135 40 2 0 9E,DL,OO
Jun 2024 132 35 0 0 9E,DL,OO
May 2024 120 16 0 0 9E,DL,OO,YX
Apr 2024 116 13 0 0 9E,DL,OO,YX
Mar 2024 112 10 0 0 9E,DL,OO
Feb 2024 87 13 0 0 9E,DL,OO,YX
Jan 2024 93 39 3 0 9E,DL,NK,YX,OO
Dec 2023 99 6 0 0 DL,YX,9E
Nov 2023 112 11 0 0 9E,DL,YX,OO
Oct 2023 117 7 0 0 9E,DL,OO

DTW–IND seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (91.4%) · weakest: January (80.9%)

80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 83.4%

Strongest calendar month

October

91.4% on-time · ~112 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

January

~129 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

January

80.9% on-time · ~129 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.6%

15 of 2,380 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

2 of 2,380 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

IND - Indianapolis

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Indianapolis, IN.

IND on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DTW vs IND

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among DTW's stronger departures

DTW → IND posts a 86.5% 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 #763 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About DTW to IND

Detroit to Indianapolis (DTW to IND) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 86.5% on-time rate across 7,896 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 71.3 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 231 miles and is served by 27 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 15 of 2,380 flights were cancelled (0.6%) and 2 diverted (0.1%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Apr 2025 posted the strongest performance at 98% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 58% - a 41-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DTW–IND peaks in October at 91.4% on-time while January carries the heaviest traffic (~129 flights per month) ; the softest month is January at 80.9%, 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 IND rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DTW to IND ranks #1571 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 IND? ▼
Flights from Detroit to Indianapolis have a 86.5% on-time rate based on 7,896 flights. The average delay is 71.3 minutes. The best recent month was Apr 2025 with 98% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to IND? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.6% of flights on this route were cancelled (15 of 2,380 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DTW to IND? ▼
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to Indianapolis (IND) is approximately 231 miles. This route is served by 27 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DTW to IND? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Apr 2025 (98% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (58% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DTW Airport

Detroit
IND Airport

Indianapolis
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–IND data

DTW–IND runs 7.5 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 IND airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
  • If your dates flex, October (91.4% on-time) beats January (80.9%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 86.5% 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.