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Route · DTW → MSN · 2020–2025 BTS data

Detroit to Madison

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DTW to MSN (Detroit to Madison) ranks #1695 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.4%
On-time
+5.4 pts
vs US avg
79 min
Delay when late
7,464
Flights
#1695 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.4%

Best Month

Feb 2024 92%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 57%

Distance

311 mi

Carriers

18

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 89 38 4 2 DL,OO
Nov 2025 64 12 0 0 OO,DL
Oct 2025 114 13 0 0 OO,DL
Sep 2025 87 13 0 0 OO,DL
Aug 2025 88 17 0 0 OO,DL
Jul 2025 84 21 0 0 OO,YX,DL
Jun 2025 85 12 0 0 OO,DL
May 2025 97 18 0 1 DL,OO
Apr 2025 116 18 0 0 DL,OO
Mar 2025 119 24 0 0 OO,DL
Feb 2025 106 45 0 0 OO
Jan 2025 114 33 0 0 OO,YX,DL
Dec 2024 109 35 1 0 9E,DL,OO,YX
Nov 2024 107 21 1 0 OO,YX,DL
Oct 2024 115 15 0 0 OO,DL,9E
Sep 2024 112 11 0 0 OO,9E,DL
Aug 2024 117 26 0 0 DL,9E,OO
Jul 2024 116 21 2 0 9E,DL,OO
Jun 2024 114 22 1 0 9E,DL,OO
May 2024 120 26 0 1 DL,OO
Apr 2024 116 29 0 1 DL,OO
Mar 2024 110 17 0 0 DL,OO
Feb 2024 78 6 0 0 DL,OO
Jan 2024 88 26 2 0 9E,DL,YX,OO

DTW–MSN seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (90.4%) · weakest: December (79.2%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79.2%

Strongest calendar month

October

90.4% on-time · ~116 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~116 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

79.2% on-time · ~103 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.4%

11 of 2,465 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

5 of 2,465 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

MSN - Madison

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Madison, WI.

MSN on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DTW vs MSN

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: Madison · fleet on-time rank #1427 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DTW to MSN

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Detroit to Madison (DTW to MSN) running a 84.4% on-time rate over 7,464 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 78.7 minutes. The 311-mile corridor is served by 18 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.4% of 2,465 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 92% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 57% - a 35-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DTW–MSN peaks in October at 90.4% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~116 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 79.2%, a 11.2-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DTW to MSN rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DTW to MSN ranks #1695 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 MSN? ▼
Flights from Detroit to Madison have a 84.4% on-time rate based on 7,464 flights. The average delay is 78.7 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 92% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DTW to MSN? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.4% of flights on this route were cancelled (11 of 2,465 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DTW to MSN? ▼
The flight distance from Detroit (DTW) to Madison (MSN) is approximately 311 miles. This route is served by 18 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DTW to MSN? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (92% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (57% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DTW Airport

Detroit
MSN Airport

Madison
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–MSN data

DTW–MSN runs 5.4 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 MSN airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DTW airport
  • If your dates flex, October (90.4% on-time) beats December (79.2%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.4% 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.