Route · DTW → LAX · 2020–2025 BTS data
Detroit to Los Angeles
The DTW–LAX corridor (Detroit, MI → Los Angeles, CA) runs ahead of the national average, served by 5 carriers across roughly 1,979 miles.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 83.1%
- On-time
- +4.1 pts
- vs US avg
- 64 min
- Delay when late
- 15,454
- Flights
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 |
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.
Origin airport →LAX - Los Angeles
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Los Angeles, CA.
Destination airport →Compare the two airports
See DTW and LAX side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Open comparison tool →Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to DTW–LAX.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often are flights delayed from DTW to LAX? ▼
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Flight Guides
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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.
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.