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Route · DTW → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Detroit to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to MDW (Detroit to Chicago) ranks #1000 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.9%
On-time
+5.9 pts
vs US avg
67 min
Delay when late
11,302
Flights
#1000 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.8%

Best Month

Oct 2024 94%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 67%

Distance

228 mi

Carriers

9

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 89 29 0 1 WN
Nov 2025 99 18 7 0 OO,WN
Oct 2025 154 23 0 0 OO,WN
Sep 2025 150 22 0 0 WN,OO
Aug 2025 160 36 2 1 OO,WN
Jul 2025 153 44 3 1 OO,WN
Jun 2025 154 28 0 0 OO,WN
May 2025 180 27 0 0 OO,WN
Apr 2025 174 29 2 0 OO,WN
Mar 2025 176 47 1 0 OO,WN
Feb 2025 158 37 1 0 OO,WN
Jan 2025 173 41 0 1 OO,WN
Dec 2024 166 40 0 0 OO,WN
Nov 2024 167 23 0 1 OO,WN
Oct 2024 181 11 0 0 OO,WN
Sep 2024 180 18 0 0 WN,OO
Aug 2024 184 40 0 0 WN,OO
Jul 2024 175 44 2 0 OO,WN
Jun 2024 173 47 0 0 OO,WN
May 2024 177 39 1 2 OO,WN
Apr 2024 172 25 0 0 OO,WN
Mar 2024 176 30 0 0 OO,WN
Feb 2024 161 15 0 0 OO,WN
Jan 2024 171 53 13 2 WN,OO

DTW–MDW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (90.2%) · weakest: July (79.3%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 84.4%

Strongest calendar month

September

90.2% on-time · ~160 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~177 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

79.3% on-time · ~168 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.8%

32 of 3,903 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

9 of 3,903 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

MDW - Chicago

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Chicago, IL.

MDW on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DTW vs MDW

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: Chicago · fleet on-time rank #1254 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DTW to MDW

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Detroit to Chicago (DTW to MDW) running a 84.9% on-time rate over 11,302 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 66.9 minutes. The 228-mile corridor is served by 9 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.8% of 3,903 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 67% - a 27-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DTW–MDW peaks in September at 90.2% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~177 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 79.3%, a 10.9-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DTW to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DTW to MDW ranks #1000 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 MDW? ▼
Flights from Detroit to Chicago have a 84.9% on-time rate based on 11,302 flights. The average delay is 66.9 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.8% of flights on this route were cancelled (32 of 3,903 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DTW to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 228 miles. This route is served by 9 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DTW to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (94% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (67% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DTW Airport

Detroit
MDW Airport

Chicago
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–MDW data

DTW–MDW runs 5.9 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 MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
  • If your dates flex, September (90.2% on-time) beats July (79.3%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.9% 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.