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Route · DTW → MKE · 2020–2025 BTS data

Detroit to Milwaukee

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to MKE (Detroit to Milwaukee) ranks #1499 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

83.3%
On-time
+4.3 pts
vs US avg
76 min
Delay when late
8,178
Flights
#1499 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.6%

Best Month

Oct 2024 93%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 57%

Distance

237 mi

Carriers

20

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 121 52 3 0 DL,YX,OO
Nov 2025 115 15 3 0 OO,DL
Oct 2025 136 17 0 0 OO,DL
Sep 2025 112 10 0 0 OO,DL,NK
Aug 2025 128 28 1 1 OO,NK,DL
Jul 2025 132 21 1 0 OO,DL,NK
Jun 2025 144 37 0 0 DL,NK,OO
May 2025 126 23 0 1 DL,OO
Apr 2025 104 14 0 0 DL,OO
Mar 2025 84 18 0 0 DL,OO,YX
Feb 2025 83 25 0 0 OO,YX
Jan 2025 97 22 0 0 DL,OO,YX
Dec 2024 137 49 0 1 DL,OO,YX
Nov 2024 133 28 0 0 OO,DL,9E
Oct 2024 138 9 0 0 OO,DL,9E
Sep 2024 132 26 0 0 OO,9E,DL
Aug 2024 138 20 0 0 DL,OO
Jul 2024 136 26 3 0 DL,OO
Jun 2024 133 20 0 0 DL,OO
May 2024 124 22 0 1 9E,DL,OO
Apr 2024 120 22 0 0 9E,DL,OO
Mar 2024 115 20 0 0 DL,OO
Feb 2024 87 8 0 0 DL,OO,YX
Jan 2024 95 40 5 0 9E,DL,OO

DTW–MKE seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (89.4%) · weakest: December (73.8%)

70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 73.8%

Strongest calendar month

October

89.4% on-time · ~126 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

June

~128 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

73.8% on-time · ~118 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.6%

16 of 2,870 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

4 of 2,870 flights

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: Milwaukee · fleet on-time rank #1831 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DTW to MKE

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Detroit to Milwaukee (DTW to MKE) running a 83.3% on-time rate over 8,178 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 75.6 minutes. The 237-mile corridor is served by 20 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.6% of 2,870 flights were cancelled, 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 93% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 57% - a 37-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DTW–MKE peaks in October at 89.4% on-time while June carries the heaviest traffic (~128 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 73.8%, a 15.6-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DTW to MKE rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DTW to MKE ranks #1499 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 MKE?
Flights from Detroit to Milwaukee have a 83.3% on-time rate based on 8,178 flights. The average delay is 75.6 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 93% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to MKE?
Over the last 24 months, 0.6% of flights on this route were cancelled (16 of 2,870 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DTW to MKE?
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to Milwaukee (MKE) is approximately 237 miles. This route is served by 20 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DTW to MKE?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (93% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (57% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

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.

Using DTW–MKE data

DTW–MKE runs 4.3 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 MKE airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
  • If your dates flex, October (89.4% on-time) beats December (73.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 83.3% 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.