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Route · DTW → LAX · 2020–2025 BTS data

Detroit to Los Angeles

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to LAX (Detroit to Los Angeles) ranks #581 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

83.1%
On-time
+4.1 pts
vs US avg
64 min
Delay when late
15,454
Flights
#581 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.7%

Best Month

Oct 2024 92%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 64%

Distance

1,979 mi

Carriers

5

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 213 77 7 0 DL,NK,AA
Nov 2025 185 35 2 1 DL,NK
Oct 2025 234 37 0 0 DL,NK
Sep 2025 229 27 0 0 DL,NK
Aug 2025 244 28 1 0 NK,DL
Jul 2025 262 50 1 0 DL,NK
Jun 2025 246 47 2 1 DL,NK
May 2025 231 27 0 1 DL,NK
Apr 2025 233 50 1 0 DL,NK
Mar 2025 218 37 0 0 DL,NK
Feb 2025 176 53 2 3 DL,NK
Jan 2025 219 50 0 0 DL,NK
Dec 2024 222 47 0 0 DL,NK
Nov 2024 207 34 0 0 NK,DL
Oct 2024 224 18 0 0 DL,NK
Sep 2024 246 22 0 0 AA,DL,NK
Aug 2024 281 46 2 0 DL,NK
Jul 2024 292 57 14 0 DL,NK
Jun 2024 273 60 2 2 DL,NK
May 2024 259 55 1 0 DL,NK
Apr 2024 218 31 0 0 DL,NK
Mar 2024 194 29 0 0 DL,NK
Feb 2024 163 27 0 1 DL,NK
Jan 2024 194 34 3 1 DL,NK

DTW–LAX seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (91.3%) · weakest: December (74.2%)

70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 74.2%

Strongest calendar month

September

91.3% on-time · ~220 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~248 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

74.2% on-time · ~213 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.7%

38 of 5,463 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

10 of 5,463 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

LAX - Los Angeles

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Los Angeles, CA.

LAX on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DTW vs LAX

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: Los Angeles · fleet on-time rank #1908 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DTW to LAX

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Detroit to Los Angeles (DTW to LAX) running a 83.1% on-time rate over 15,454 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 63.5 minutes. The 1,979-mile corridor is served by 5 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.7% of 5,463 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 92% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 64% - a 28-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DTW–LAX peaks in September at 91.3% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~248 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 74.2%, a 17.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DTW to LAX rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DTW to LAX ranks #581 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 LAX? ▼
Flights from Detroit to Los Angeles have a 83.1% on-time rate based on 15,454 flights. The average delay is 63.5 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 92% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to LAX? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.7% of flights on this route were cancelled (38 of 5,463 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DTW to LAX? ▼
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to Los Angeles (LAX) is approximately 1,979 miles. This route is served by 5 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DTW to LAX? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (92% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (64% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DTW Airport

Detroit
LAX Airport

Los Angeles
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–LAX data

DTW–LAX runs 4.1 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 LAX airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
  • If your dates flex, September (91.3% on-time) beats December (74.2%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 83.1% 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.